Quick Start Guide
Get your first family display up and running in 15 minutes! This guide will walk you through creating a simple family calendar and photo display.
What You'll Need
Hardware:
- A tablet, smart TV, or computer to use as your display
- Stable WiFi connection
Accounts (Optional but Recommended):
- Cozi account (for family calendar)
- Google Photos account (for photo sharing)
Step 1: Create Your Account
- Visit familycast.app
- Click Sign Up
- Enter your email and create a password
- Verify your email address
- Complete family profile setup
Time: 3 minutes
Step 2: Connect Your Family Calendar
Let's start by connecting your Cozi or Google Calendar so your family can see everyone's schedule.
Option A: Connect Cozi (Recommended for Families)
- Go to Integrations in the menu
- Click Connect Cozi
- Log in to your Cozi account
- Click Allow Access
- FamilyCast will sync your family calendar
Option B: Connect Google Calendar
- Go to Integrations in the menu
- Click Connect Google Calendar
- Choose your Google account
- Select which calendars to sync
- Click Allow
Time: 2 minutes
Step 3: Connect Google Photos (Optional)
Add family photos to your display:
- Go to Integrations → Google Photos
- Click Connect Google Photos
- Log in to your Google account
- Select albums to display
- Click Allow Access
Tip: Create a "FamilyCast" album in Google Photos specifically for display content.
Time: 2 minutes
Step 4: Create Your First Layout
Layouts control what appears on your displays. Let's create a simple family hub layout.
- Click Layouts in the main menu
- Click Create Layout
- Enter name: "Family Hub"
- Choose template: Family Calendar + Photos
The template includes:
- Large calendar view (70% of screen)
- Photo slideshow (30% of screen)
- Weather widget
- Click Create Layout
Time: 1 minute
Step 5: Customize Your Layout
The layout designer lets you customize what appears on screen.
Calendar Area
- Click the Calendar area
- Select your connected calendar (Cozi or Google)
- Choose view: Week View (recommended)
- Click Save
Photo Area
- Click the Photos area
- Select Google Photos album
- Set transition: Fade (10 seconds per photo)
- Click Save
Weather Widget
- Click Weather widget
- Enter your zip code or city
- Choose temperature unit (F or C)
- Click Save
Time: 3 minutes
Step 6: Create Your Display
Now let's set up the physical device that will show your content.
- Click Displays in the menu
- Click Create Display
- Fill in details:
- Name: "Kitchen Display" (or your preferred location)
- Type: Family Hub
- Location: Where the display is located
- Click Create
You'll receive a 6-character registration code (example: FAM123
)
Important: This code expires in 24 hours!
Time: 2 minutes
Step 7: Register Your Device
On the device you want to use as a display:
- Open a web browser (Chrome or Safari recommended)
- Go to: display.familycast.app
- Enter your 6-character registration code
- Click Register Device
What happens next:
- Display connects to FamilyCast
- Downloads your "Family Hub" layout
- Starts showing your calendar and photos
- Begins automatic updates
Time: 2 minutes
Step 8: Assign Your Layout
Connect your layout to your display:
- Back in the FamilyCast dashboard
- Go to Displays
- Click on your "Kitchen Display"
- Under Active Layout, select "Family Hub"
- Click Update
Your display should immediately show the new layout!
Time: 1 minute
You're Done!
🎉 Congratulations! Your family display is live!
What You Just Created
✅ A family calendar showing everyone's schedules ✅ A photo slideshow from your Google Photos ✅ Current weather information ✅ A cloud-managed display that updates automatically
Next Steps
Add More Family Members
- Adding Family Members - Invite family members to add events
- Managing Access - Control who can see what
Expand Your Setup
- Create more displays for other rooms
- Connect additional calendars
- Share more photo albums
- Add kids' schedules with chores and activities
Customize Further
- Family Messages - Leave notes for family members
- Kids Safety - Set up kid-friendly displays
- Weather and Info - Add local information
Tips for Success
Display Placement:
- Kitchen: Perfect for family calendar and meal planning
- Entryway: Great for daily schedules and reminders
- Kids' Rooms: Individual schedules and chore charts
- Living Room: Family photos and shared calendar
Content Strategy:
- Keep calendars current (sync happens automatically)
- Update photo albums regularly
- Add family members so everyone can contribute
- Check displays weekly to ensure they're online
Common First Steps:
- Start with one central display (kitchen recommended)
- Get the family comfortable with viewing the calendar
- Add more displays once everyone's on board
- Gradually add features like messages and kids' schedules
Troubleshooting
Display not showing content?
- Check that display is online (green status)
- Verify layout is assigned to display
- Ensure calendar/photos are connected
- Try refreshing the display browser
Calendar not updating?
- Check integration is still connected
- Verify calendar has events
- Wait up to 15 minutes for sync
- Reconnect integration if needed
Photos not appearing?
- Verify Google Photos album has photos
- Check that album is selected in layout
- Ensure internet connection is stable
- Try different album if issues persist
More help: Common Issues
What's Included in Your Free Plan
✅ 1 family hub ✅ 3 displays ✅ Unlimited family members ✅ Cozi integration ✅ Google Calendar integration ✅ Google Photos integration ✅ Basic weather ✅ Email support
Upgrade to Premium for:
- Unlimited displays
- Advanced scheduling
- Custom layouts
- Priority support
- Additional integrations
Ready to do more? Check out the Display Setup Guide to add displays throughout your home.