Hey! We’ll fix your LG TV won’t cast from phone issue — and we’ll do it in the quickest order so you don’t waste time factory resetting a perfectly good TV.

Casting failures on LG webOS usually come from one of these root causes:
• Network discovery blocked (different Wi-Fi networks, guest Wi-Fi, VPN, router “AP isolation/client isolation,” multicast issues)
• Wrong casting method (iPhone uses AirPlay / Screen Mirroring; Android often uses Chromecast/Google Cast or Screen Share/Miracast)
• Permission/settings (iOS Local Network permission, AirPlay set to “Off,” TV name changes, webOS updates pending)

Quick questions so I can give you the exact “top working fixes” path:
• Phone type: iPhone or Android? Which model / iOS or Android version?
• LG TV model + year (OLED/C-series/NanoCell etc.) and webOS version if you know it?
• What exactly fails: TV not showing in the cast list, spinning Connecting…, black screen, or “Couldn’t connect”?
• What app are you casting from: YouTube, Netflix, Photos, Chrome, Disney+, Spotify, or screen mirroring?
• Network: same Wi-Fi name on both devices? Any mesh, extender, guest network, or VPN?

Reply with those and I’ll walk you through an expert-level fix.

Perfect — that symptom (“sometimes shows, sometimes not” + “Connecting…”) screams network discovery + AirPlay handshake, not a broken TV.

Here’s the key detail: AirPlay and Chromecast both depend on the TV and phone being on the same local network, and they use local discovery traffic that can be blocked by VPNs, guest Wi-Fi, or router options like AP isolation/client isolation or aggressive “privacy” features.

We’ll fix it in this order (fastest wins first):
1) Confirm same Wi-Fi network + remove blockers (VPN, guest network, Private Relay/hotspot weirdness).
2) Refresh the TV’s casting services (AirPlay toggle + soft reboot).
3) Fix iPhone permissions (Local Network) and retry with a clean baseline app.
4) If needed: reset the TV’s network connection and rebuild the pairing.

Yes — that combo is one of the most common causes of LG TV won’t cast from iPhone.

Step 1 — Put iPhone + LG TV on the same Wi-Fi network (same router, same “side”)
• If your router broadcasts separate SSIDs like “HomeWiFi_2.4” and “HomeWiFi_5”, put BOTH devices on the same one for testing (either is fine).
• Avoid guest Wi-Fi for the TV — guest networks often block device-to-device discovery (AirPlay/Google Cast won’t see the TV).

Step 2 — Turn off VPN (and similar blockers) during casting
• Disable the VPN on the iPhone, then retry Screen Mirroring.
• If you use iCloud Private Relay or an “ad blocker VPN,” those can also break local discovery. Test with them off.

Step 3 — Quick refresh reboot
• Power cycle the LG TV (unplug for 30–60 seconds) and restart the iPhone.

After Step 1–3, try Control Center → Screen Mirroring. If the TV still doesn’t show, we’ll do the AirPlay toggle on the LG.

100% — and you’re noticing the right thing. On iPhone, Local Network permission controls whether apps can discover devices like an LG TV AirPlay target on your Wi-Fi.

Step 4 — Fix iPhone permissions + iOS casting basics
1) Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and make sure the apps you cast from (YouTube, Photos, Netflix, etc.) are allowed.
2) Also check Settings → Wi-Fi → (i) on your network: if “Private Wi-Fi Address” is causing weirdness on some routers, you can test toggling it OFF and reconnecting (test only; you can re-enable later).

Step 5 — Confirm AirPlay is enabled on the LG TV (webOS setting)
• On the LG TV, open the AirPlay settings and make sure AirPlay is ON (some updates flip it off).
• If there’s an option for “Require Code” or “First-time only,” pick what you prefer — but for troubleshooting, “First-time only” is usually easiest.

Next we’ll do a clean “known-good” test: iPhone Screen Mirroring first, then YouTube cast.

Great — now we’re in the “multi-device casting” zone, which usually points back to router discovery/multicast or app-level caching, not the TV itself.

Two important clarifications for SEO (and real life):
• iPhone → LG TV: typically AirPlay 2 / Screen Mirroring.
• Android → LG TV: often Chromecast built-in / Google Cast (from YouTube, Google Photos, etc.) OR Screen Share / Miracast depending on device/app.

Step 6 — Fix “LG TV not showing in YouTube cast list” (iPhone + Android)
1) On the phone: fully close YouTube (swipe it away), then reopen it. The cast list can cache stale devices.
2) On the LG TV: do a soft reboot (Settings → General → Restart / or long-press power on remote if available). If not, unplug for 30 seconds.
3) Make sure the TV is NOT on a guest Wi-Fi and the router isn’t blocking “device discovery” traffic. If you have a mesh/extender, test with the TV connected to the main router (extenders can break discovery).

Step 7 — Android: bring back casting
• Confirm the Android phone is on the same Wi-Fi and has Google Play services updated.
• In the YouTube app: tap cast → if nothing appears, reboot the phone and router once (router reboot can restore multicast discovery).
• If the TV supports it, also test LG Screen Share / Miracast as a backup path (some Android brands label it “Smart View,” “Wireless display,” or “Cast screen”).

Tell me: do you use a mesh Wi-Fi or any extenders?

Extender = prime suspect. Extenders can create a “double NAT-ish” feeling for devices or block the discovery packets that casting relies on.

Step 8 — Stabilize casting by fixing the Wi-Fi path
1) For testing: unplug the extender for 5–10 minutes and connect the LG TV directly to the main router’s Wi-Fi (even if signal is weaker, this is a diagnostic step).
2) If casting becomes stable, the solution is either: move to a better mesh node placement, replace the extender, or keep the TV on the main router network.
3) Avoid guest networks and check router settings if you can: disable AP/client isolation and ensure “multicast/IGMP” features aren’t set to a mode that blocks discovery (common in some routers).

Step 9 — LG webOS update + quick reset of network link
• On the LG TV: check for a webOS firmware update (updates often include AirPlay/casting fixes).
• Then do: Forget Wi-Fi network on the TV → reconnect → retry casting.

After that, test in this order: iPhone Screen Mirroring → YouTube cast from iPhone → YouTube cast from Pixel. This isolates whether it’s AirPlay-only or discovery-wide.

Yes — sleep behavior matters. When an LG TV is in a deeper standby state, discovery can get flaky (especially on messy Wi-Fi).

Best-practice settings to keep LG TV casting stable
• Enable Quick Start+ (or similar) if your model has it — it helps keep services available after standby.
• If you use phone-to-TV control apps (like LG ThinQ), enable the TV option that allows the TV to wake/respond to mobile devices (often called “Mobile TV On” / “Turn on via Wi-Fi” depending on webOS version).
• Keep the TV on the main router network (avoid extenders). If you must use 2.4 GHz for range, that’s fine — stability beats speed for discovery.

Also do this once: rename the TV in LG settings (a simple name like “LivingRoom LG”) so it’s easy to spot in AirPlay/Google Cast lists and avoids duplicate device entries.

Factory reset is last resort. Use this “reset ladder” so you keep your apps and settings whenever possible.

Try first (fast + low risk)
• Confirm iPhone/Android is on the same Wi-Fi network as the LG TV (no guest Wi-Fi).
• Turn off VPN temporarily and verify iOS Local Network permissions for casting apps.
• Soft reboot TV + phone, then try again.
• Fully close and reopen the casting app (YouTube/Netflix/Photos).

Next step (usually fixes “LG TV not showing for casting”)
• Reset the TV’s Wi-Fi connection: “Forget network” → reconnect → retest.

Only then consider factory reset
• If the TV can’t stay on Wi-Fi, AirPlay is broken across everything, and updates + network reset don’t help.

If you tell me your exact LG model number (from Settings → Support → TV Information), I can give you the exact menu names for your webOS version.

Summary: when an LG TV won’t cast from phone, diagnose the connection path first: same Wi-Fi network (not guest), no VPN blockers, iOS Local Network permission, and stable router discovery (extenders are a common culprit). Then confirm LG webOS AirPlay settings, restart devices, and keep standby behavior stable with Quick Start+ if available.
Want help matching the best casting method for your exact phone (AirPlay vs Chromecast vs Screen Share/Miracast) and your LG model? Open the chat and an expert will guide you in real time.