The outage, which left thousands of Chromecast users unable to stream, was caused by an expired Google-owned device authentication certificate authority. This critical issue led to devices failing to connect properly, and despite Google’s prompt acknowledgment of the problem, it took engineers an entire week to develop a fix.
How to Check for the Chromecast Update Fix
To ensure you’ve received the Chromecast update fix, check your firmware version:
- Chromecast (2nd Gen): Firmware version 1.56.467165
- Chromecast Audio: Firmware version 1.56.467166
If your device has not yet updated, Google advises rebooting it to initiate the update process.
Factory Reset Users May Face Additional Issues
Unfortunately, users who performed a factory reset while troubleshooting may still experience issues re-setting up their devices. Google is actively working on another fix for this and will provide further instructions once available.
Google has also confirmed that the update moves Chromecast devices to a new certificate authority with an expiration date set for 2045, ensuring this issue doesn’t happen again in the foreseeable future.
Is Chromecast Being Phased Out?
While Chromecast users wait for a full resolution, speculation has grown about Google’s commitment to the product. The company has been shifting focus to the Google TV Streamer, leading many to believe Chromecast’s discontinuation is inevitable. However, Google has yet to officially confirm this.
For now, if your Chromecast update fix is still pending, keep checking for the latest firmware and ensure your Google Home app is up to date.
