Google has begun rolling out a fix for Chromecast devices that were rendered inoperable by an expired security certificate authority, with deployment expected to occur over the next few days.
Chromecast stopped working? Google’s fix is here
On March 9, users of the second-generation Chromecast and Chromecast Audio devices experienced issues with official Google apps, with many devices displaying an “untrusted device” error. The problem was linked to an expired authentication certificate owned by Google, which had been valid for ten years.
Google confirmed to The Register that a firmware-level update will transition affected Chromecasts to a new certificate authority with an expiration date in 2045, ensuring users have at least 20 more years of functionality. Users need to keep their devices powered on and connected to the internet to receive the patch, as indicated by a Google spokesperson.
For users who attempted a factory reset during troubleshooting, resolution may be more complicated. This group may not receive the over-the-air fix immediately due to the expired certificate preventing re-initialization by Google’s applications. Additional steps, including a potential update to Google’s client software, may be necessary to bypass the certification issue.
Tom Hebb, a former Meta software engineer and Chromecast expert, advised against factory resetting devices in the first place, noting that it wipes user data and disrupts network connectivity. Affected users have been reassured that a fix is forthcoming.
According to a Google email shared on Reddit, initial updates indicated some devices were already functioning again. This issue arose as owners began receiving error messages stating, “Untrusted device: [name] couldn’t be verified. This could be caused by outdated device firmware.”
Newer devices, such as the Chromecast with Google TV in 4K and HD versions, were not impacted by this glitch. The timing of the certificate expiration occurred shortly after Google ceased selling its Chromecast with Google TV models, leading to concerns that support for older devices might have ended. However, Google has clarified that the “untrusted device” error is purely a bug and not indicative of discontinued support.
Google has not provided a specific explanation for the “untrusted” errors, but some users have suspected that the expired SSL certificates are to blame. Any fix will require an update to the Google Home app as well, to cease enforcement of the expired certificate.
Hebb noted the challenge in distributing updates, as affected devices need to be online to receive the fix. He also raised the potential need for updates for other devices approaching expiration soon, such as Chromecast Ultra and Google Home series devices. Google has impressively managed to develop a new firmware image for the ten-year-old devices within days of the issue arising.
Featured image credit: Victor Carvalho/Unsplash
