Turn your Google TV into a personal photo gallery.

Google TV's Ambient Mode only shows Google Photos or curated art. PictaCast lets you display any local folder of photos on your TV — without uploading a single image to the cloud.

Your photos stream directly from your computer to your TV over Wi-Fi. Add background music, choose transitions, and leave it running all day.

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Why Google TV's built-in options fall short

Ambient Mode

  • Only shows photos from Google Photos — you must upload your personal photos to Google's cloud first
  • No background music support
  • Limited layout options — single photo only
  • Cannot control transition speed or photo order

USB Media Player

  • Have to copy photos to a USB drive every time
  • Many Google TV devices don't even have a USB port
  • Built-in media players have clunky, basic interfaces
  • No music, no transitions, no picture-wall mode

The PictaCast way

Open your browser, pick a folder, cast. Your photos go directly from your computer to the TV — nothing touches the cloud.

1

Open PictaCast in Chrome or Edge

Go to app.pictacast.com on your laptop or desktop. Sign in with your Google account to get started — no separate registration needed.

2

Select a photo folder from your computer

Click the folder picker and choose any folder of photos — your Desktop, Pictures folder, an external drive, or a specific event folder. Photos are never uploaded anywhere.

3

Cast to your Google TV

Click the Cast icon and select your Google TV from the list. Your personal photo gallery starts instantly — with smooth transitions, optional music, and multiple display modes.

Everything Google TV's screensaver should have been

Local Photos Only

Your photos stream from your computer over Wi-Fi. Nothing is uploaded to Google, iCloud, or any other cloud service.

Background Music

Add MP3 files from your computer for a soundtrack that plays alongside your photo gallery. Ambient Mode can't do this.

Multiple Display Modes

Fullscreen crossfade, dynamic picture-wall grid, or collage. Far more options than Google TV's single-photo ambient mode.

Custom Timing

Control exactly how long each photo stays on screen — from a few seconds to several minutes.

Use Your Computer

PictaCast casts independently — minimise the tab and keep working on your computer while the slideshow runs on the TV.

Screen Rotation

Support for 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° rotation — perfect for portrait-mounted Google TV displays.

Works with any Google TV device

PictaCast casts to any device with built-in Chromecast support — which includes all Google TV hardware.

Chromecast with Google TV

Sony Google TV

TCL Google TV

Hisense Google TV

Common questions

Can I use my own photos as a Google TV screensaver?

Google TV's built-in Ambient Mode only supports Google Photos or curated art. PictaCast lets you cast any local photo folder from your computer directly to your Google TV — no cloud upload required.

Does PictaCast work with Google TV?

Yes. Any Google TV device (Chromecast with Google TV, Sony, TCL, Hisense, etc.) supports casting from PictaCast. Open app.pictacast.com in Chrome or Edge and cast to your Google TV.

Do I need to upload my photos to Google Photos?

No. PictaCast reads your photos directly from a local folder on your computer and streams them to your TV over your home Wi-Fi network. Your photos never leave your device.

Can I add background music to my photo gallery?

Yes. PictaCast supports local MP3 files as background music alongside your photo slideshow — something Google TV's built-in Ambient Mode cannot do.

Ready to replace Google TV's ambient mode?

Free for 10 minutes per day. No credit card, no downloads, no account creation beyond Google Sign-In.

Launch PictaCast

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