Today, second-generation Chromecasts and Chromecast Audio devices are experiencing ‘Untrusted device’ errors, preventing users from casting audio or video content, according to reports by 9to5Google.
Google’s “Untrusted device” error is shutting down older Chromecasts
Users report seeing an error message that states, “Untrusted device” and adds that the device “couldn’t be verified. This could be caused by outdated device firmware.” Many users are concerned that Google may have ceased support for these older devices.
Forum posts on Reddit reveal that users of the affected devices are encountering the “Untrusted device: [name] couldn’t be verified” warning in apps like YouTube after selecting their devices as casting targets. Once the warning appears, users can only close the dialog box without proceeding. There are no user workarounds, such as reboots or resets, that resolve the issue. Notably, while casting functionality is disrupted, the screensaver feature remains operational, showing Google Photos, art, and the time and weather.
Although Google discontinued the Chromecast line in August last year, the company had stated it would continue to provide “software and security updates to the latest devices.” The two affected devices were both announced in September 2015, indicating their age in the market. Users expressed disappointment, particularly regarding the Chromecast Audio, highlighting its unique appeal compared to other modern alternatives.
At least one member of the Chromecast community has reported contacting Google support and received confirmation that the company is aware of the issue and is working on a fix. Google has not commented further on this situation or indicated that it plans to deprecate the affected devices, unlike the previous deprecation for the original Chromecast model in May 2023. Current models, such as the Chromecast (3rd gen) and Ultra, do not seem to be experiencing this issue.
All affected Chromecast devices, including the Chromecast (2nd gen) and Chromecast Audio, are running version 1.56.x firmware. Despite the current problems, the original Chromecast (1st gen), which Google announced in 2013, still functions as intended.
Featured image credit: Google
