Google's latest Chromecast update seems to be riddled with bugs

Summary

• Android 14 update for Chromecast with Google TV causing reported issues.
• Post-update problems include glitchy sound, visuals, USB accessory recognition.
• Factory reset may help if experiencing issues after updating to Android 14.

Yesterday, the Chromecast with Google TV started getting a major update: Android 14 is rolling out to Google's last-gen TV streaming dongle. The update's not quite going off with, though. As spotted by 9to5Google, there have been several reports of buggy behavior following the update: there have been reported issues with accessories, glitchy sound and visuals, and more.

9to5 notes that reports haven't been too widespread, but there are quite a few mentions of post-update issues floating around on Reddit. Many issues seem to be cropping up around USB accessories. One user mentions their Google TV Streamer can no longer access their external storage device; another says that the Ethernet adapter they'd been using is no longer recognized and that they can no longer access USB debugging. 9to5 also mentions a commenter on their own site who says they've started receiving a low power warning when using a USB hub.

A fourth user reports their unit is no longer outputting sound and that their settings menu is behaving erratically. Yet another says their Chromecast's color profile seems to have changed after the update; another commenter suggests that particular issue may be related to HDR settings.

Issues aren't universal, but they're numerous

Again, these reports are coming from a handful of users who've downloaded Android 14 on their Chromecast with Google TV devices, so it doesn't seem like issues are universal. Still, something in the update does seem to be going awry more often than we'd expect. If you're experiencing issues after updating your Chromecast with Google TV to Android 14, some users say that a factory reset might help sort you out.

This all comes on the heels of some issues with older Chromecast models — the pre-Google TV kind — that more or less bricked some devices. Google says it's rolled out a fix for that issue, though.