One of Google’s first blockbuster pieces of hardware, the 2013 Chromecast, is starting to stop working for some users as more reports of failed casts emerge.
Update 05/22: Google has fixed first-generation Chromecast issues, it said in a statement to ArsTechnica:
Earlier this week, a technical issue temporarily interrupted streaming for some Google Chromecast Gen 1 users. Our team quickly identified the root cause and resolved the issue.
Users have already found that the problem has been resolved.
The first-generation Chromecast was launched in 2013 with the simple idea of being able to cast content from apps on your phone or other devices to your TV. No remote control or other apps required, just a quick tap. It turned out to be a success, as the $35 device spawned two direct sequels and the Google Cast technology that is still widely used today. But the updates for that first generation device ended in 2023. Google didn’t directly remove the functionality, but warned users that they “may notice a degradation in performance.”
In recent weeks, we’ve been noticing more and more isolated reports of failed Chromecast operations on first-generation devices, but a new Reddit thread makes it clear that something has changed.
The author of the post says that two of his first-generation Chromecast models stopped working in various apps and there are a lot of similar stories in the answers. a user grades that some apps, like Disney+ and Spotify, still work, while apps like YouTube, HBO Max, and others won’t even show the first-generation Chromecast as a streaming target. But all this seems to vary from person to person. The only common thread is that, since the last few days, first-generation Chromecast devices are failing much more frequently.
So what’s going on?
The first-generation Chromecast, as mentioned, hasn’t received updates since 2023. It was never going to keep working forever and there have been several drops in support over the years. Peacock, as just one example, explicitly does not support the first generation Chromecast. Still, it’s strange that many other apps have suddenly stopped working, and inconsistently too. As mentioned, we’ve been seeing more and more reports about this in recent weeks, and it’s been very common to see isolated issues over the last few years, many of which were often resolved by rebooting. This latest wave of issues seems to indicate that the first-generation Chromecast’s time is coming to an end, but Google hasn’t explicitly said so yet; As far as we can see, there has been no comment on this latest wave and it is very likely that any comments from Google simply refer to the 2023 EOL notice.
The door isn’t completely closed yet, but it looks like we’re getting closer to the true endgame for the first-generation Chromecast: RIP.
So far, the second-generation Chromecast and other devices, such as the Chromecast Audio, continue to work properly after a streaming fix. update that was released in early 2025.
If you’re still using a first-generation Chromecast and are having issues, let us know in the comments below.
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