Chromecast Not Showing Up: How To Detect Your Chromecast

Sitting down to watch TV on your Chromecast should be a simple thing to do. However, when you’re trying to connect your Chromecast, and it’s not showing up?

This can be frustrating, especially when it’s your first time connecting. However, not to worry, as here at Digi Help Desk, we have some troubleshooting tips to get you up and running.

Whether you’re a tech novice or a pro, these tips are super easy to follow.

Chromecast not showing up. 

If you can’t find your Chromecast, check your Chromecasts network setting. Your Chromecast and the device you wish to cast from need to be connected to the same wifi. Either your devices are connected to the wrong connection, or one device may not be connected to the Internet. 

Once both devices are connected to the same network, try again by pressing the cast button to find your Chromecast. Your device should appear.

If you’ve named your device with any special characters such as symbols or Emojis, the Chromecast won’t display this. Make sure you remove any special characters from your device’s name. 

Chromecast not showing up on iPhone.

Your device should automatically pick up your Chromecast in the Home app. To check this, open the Home app, and your Chromecast should be listed. If you don’t have the Google Home app, you’ll need to download that to connect to your Chromecast. You can download the Google Home app from the App Store. 

Try restarting your Chromecast device if it’s still not showing up. Often, this can be an easy fix for a device that doesn’t show up in the Home app. 

Not showing up on Android Phone

If your Chromecast is not showing up on Android Phone, try restarting your Chromecast. 

• Unplug your device from its power supply, and wait at least 15 seconds
• Plug your Chromecast back in and turn it on
• Retry connecting to your Chromecast from your Android phone

If you can’t see a cast icon on content, there may be a connection issue between your device and your Chromecast. Any content that is compatible with a Chromecast will have the cast icon ready.

Note if your Android device has location services turned off, it will need to be turned back on. You can set it up so only Chromecast can’t access your location. Without location services, the Chromecast won’t work correctly. 

How to set up your device

To set up a Chromecast, you’ll need to plug the Chromecast into your TV’s HDMI port and attach the power supply cable to your device.

1. From here, turn on your TV and switch to the HDMI port that is being used
2. Instructions to set up your Chromecast will appear on your screen. You’ll need to connect to your wifi.
3. Download the Google Home app.
4. Once the Chromecast is set up and you’ve downloaded the Home app, you’ll be able to connect your device to the Chromecast. 
5. You’ll be given a temporary name and a code to connect to the Chromecast initially. 

Why does my cast not show Disney plus

It’s easy to play Disney+ from your device to a Chromecast. The process of connecting your device is the same for other streaming platforms.

To access Disney+, you’ll need a subscription to the service, ranging from £7.99 a month to £79.80 a year.

1. First, install the Disney+ app onto your iPhone or Android device 
2. Make sure that you are connected to the same wifi signal on both your device and the Chromecast, and you won’t be able to use the Chromecast if it’s not connected to the same wifi. 
3. Open Disney+ and sign in.
4. Find something to watch and press the ‘cast to’ icon. Select your Chromecast
5. Disney+ will now be streamed to your Chromecast

Are you trying to get Disney Plus on an older Panasonic TV? Here are some useful tips and tricks to assist you.

Why is my Chromecast not showing up on YouTube? 

If no devices are available for your device on YouTube, try restarting your phone or tablet. Once your device is back up, try connecting to YouTube on the Chromecast again.

You can also try closing and reopening the YouTube app or disconnect and reconnect to your wifi connection. A common error is not knowing that your phone or tablet isn’t connected to wifi. Instead, they’re connected to their mobile data. Without connecting to the same network, you will experience issues. 

Chromecast needs to be on the same wifi signal as the device that it’s connecting to. Check your phone or tablet isn’t using mobile data. 

Chromecast not detected

If your Chromecast is not detected, check the Chromecast on the TV to see if there’s a ‘Set me up’ button on the screen. If there is, then the set-up for the Chromecast didn’t finish properly, and you’ll need to go through the set-up. The set-up is easy to follow and should take no longer than 5 minutes.

Are you still experiencing issues? Contact the Chromecast support team for more info.

What do the Chromecast lights mean?

If a different colored light appears on your Chromecast, there could be an issue. If your Chromecast isn’t detected or doesn’t appear to be working, be sure to check the LED lights on the device to figure out what’s wrong.

The Chromecast typically displays a solid white light when connected and a pulsating white light when it is disconnected. 

Flashing orange light can mean the device is updating. However, a flashing orange light with a black screen means there’s a further problem. To fix this, it’s recommended you restart your Chromecast.

A solid orange light means there is an error, and again it’s recommended you restart your device. If restarting the Chromecast doesn’t fix the problem, you may need to factory reset your Chromecast. 

If you require further help from Digi Help Desk, please get in touch as we’d be more than happy to assist with your issues.