Step-by-step guide · Updated October 2026
How to mirror a Mac to Google TV, without an Apple TV.
Open Control Center on a Mac, click Screen Mirroring, and most Google TVs are simply missing from the list. Here's why, what your options are, and the setup that makes the TV appear there.
For Google TV and Android TV · 7-day free trial · No ads · Open source (GPL-3.0)
Why your Google TV isn't in the list
The Mac's Screen Mirroring sends to receivers that speak Apple's AirPlay technology. A Google TV speaks Google Cast instead, unless its maker built an extra receiver in.
So the Mac looks, finds nothing it can talk to, and the list stays empty. You have three ways around it:
- An HDMI cable. Reliable and cheap if the Mac sits next to the TV. Many Macs need a USB-C to HDMI adapter.
- An Apple TV plugged into the TV. Works well, but it's another box and another remote.
- A receiver app on the Google TV. That's what Telebeam is: it makes the TV itself appear in Screen Mirroring, over your Wi-Fi.
Google Chrome's Cast option can send a tab or your screen to a Google TV too, but it runs inside Chrome rather than the Mac's own Screen Mirroring.
Set it up
A few minutes, once. After that it's three clicks on the Mac.
1. Install Telebeam on the Google TV
On the Google TV home screen, open the Apps tab or Search and look for Telebeam. You can also hold the remote's microphone button and say “Telebeam”. Install it like any other app.
2. Open it on the TV
Telebeam shows the TV's name and the steps. Give the TV a name you'll recognise, like “Living Room”, so it's easy to find in the Mac's list.
3. On the Mac: Control Center → Screen Mirroring
Click the Control Center icon at the top right of the menu bar, then Screen Mirroring. Mac and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi.
4. Pick the TV
Your Mac's screen appears on the TV, with sound. If nothing appears in a few seconds, choose the TV again.
Mirror or second display?
If the TV shows an empty desktop instead of your Mac's screen, the Mac is using it as a second display. To show the same picture on both, open System Settings → Displays → “When connected to TV” → Mirror Entire Screen. To keep it as a second display, just drag windows over to it.
Tips
- Chromecast with Google TV or Google TV Streamer? Telebeam runs on the stick or streamer, so any TV it's plugged into works, even one that isn't a smart TV.
- Picture hidden by the screensaver? Press any button on the remote.
- Your Mac's volume keys can control the TV volume.
- Protected video shows black. Some streaming services block screen recording; that's decided by the Mac and the service, not the TV.
- iPhone or iPad? Open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, choose the TV.
- TV missing from the list? Go through Mac doesn't see my TV.
Tested on a Philips Google TV so far; if it doesn't run well on yours, write to support@telebeam.app during your trial.
Questions people ask
Can a Google TV receive AirPlay from a Mac?
Not out of the box on most models. Telebeam adds a receiver for the Mac's built-in Screen Mirroring, which uses Apple's AirPlay technology.
Can I mirror my Mac to Google TV without an Apple TV?
Yes. Install Telebeam on the Google TV, open it, then choose the TV in Control Center → Screen Mirroring on the Mac.
Does it work with Chromecast with Google TV and Google TV Streamer?
Yes. Both run Google TV, so Telebeam installs on them like on a TV.
Does it work on an older Chromecast without a remote?
No. Those Chromecasts have no app store, so no app can be installed on them. Telebeam needs Google TV or Android TV.
Do the Mac and the TV need to be on the same Wi-Fi?
Yes. Mirroring stays on your home network, so both must be on the same Wi-Fi.
Can I use the Google TV as a second display for my Mac?
Yes. Mirror the Mac's screen or use the TV as a second display.
Put your Mac on the Google TV
Install Telebeam on the TV, then pick it in Screen Mirroring.
For Google TV and Android TV · 7-day free trial · No ads · Open source (GPL-3.0)