With its plug-and-play simplicity and effortless streaming, Google’s Chromecast has long been a budget-friendly fix for outdated TV software.
But with Google pulling the plug on the cheap and cheerful device last summer, its era is officially coming to an end.
Now, some older Chromecasts have stopped working, sparking fears that Google is “bricking” the dongles.
Users of the decade-old Chromecast 2nd-gen and Chromecast Audio are running into an "Untrusted device" error when trying to beam content from their phones or laptops to their TVs — the very function that puts the "cast" in Chromecast.
The error message states that the device "couldn't be verified", possibly due to outdated firmware. Reports suggest the issue is widespread, impacting users worldwide since Sunday (March 9). However, newer Chromecast models, including the 3rd generation and Ultra, appear unaffected.
Although Google is yet to address the issue, a Reddit user claims to have spoken to a customer support rep for the company who acknowledged the problem and stated that Google is working on a fix.
Annoyed users are demanding refunds and accusing the company of needlessly creating more electronic waste by killing a device that was working fine, despite its age.
“Like how the hell do these people just purposely screw up a device like this?” wrote a Reddit user on a post that now has almost 1,000 upvotes.
“Do they seriously think people should just shrug their shoulders and just pay them for a new one if this was not an accident? E-Waste is something I have zero tolerance for.”
Another disgruntled user wrote: “I have 4 of the darn things. It is how I watch anything on my TVs. If Google wants to needlessly gimp them, then I'm all in on refunds.”
Summing up the rage online, a Redditor said: “100% will not buy another chromecast if my current one doesn't start working again.”
Notably, when Google discontinued the Chromecast product line in August 2023, it promised to continue providing "software and security updates to the latest devices"—but never clarified which models made the cut.
While the first-generation Chromecast was officially retired that year, Google never explicitly pulled the plug on the second-gen or Chromecast Audio, leaving users unsure about their long-term support.
The Standard has contacted Google about the issue but is yet to receive a response.
However, reports indicate that users who contacted Google support were informed they are aware of the issue and are working on a fix. As there has been no official announcement, it is plausible this is a temporary glitch rather than a deliberate discontinuation.
