Chromecasts are notorious for lacking features that lead to some awkward workarounds. One such feature is the inability to change your network on Chromecast without looping through settings. No worries, though. We’ve got the score settled for you right here!
To change your network on Chromecast, you’ll need to open the Google Home application. After doing so, forget your current network by heading to “WiFi”> “Forget Network”. You’ll need to set your Chromecast up again after doing so with the new network.
In this article, we will go over how exactly you can change your network on Chromecast and the reasons for doing so.
Why Change A Chromecast’s Network?
If you are having trouble connecting to your current WiFi network, just purchased a fancy new router or if your current devices are connected to a different SSID, changing your Chromecast’s network makes sense.
Generally, we recommend using a 5 GHz WiFi network for an optimal connection. However, if you are having trouble connecting to your Chromecast, a WiFi reset or a quick look at your router’s settings might be the optimal fix.
Method #1: Manually Resetting Your Chromecast
If your Chromecast isn’t connected to your network already or seems to be unresponsive, a manual reset is your best option. Moreover, a manual reset is also the fastest way to change your Chromecast.
Since there isn’t much user data on a Chromecast, a reset will not do you much harm. All you need to do after you reset your Chromecast is to log in with your Google account, connect to the new network, and you’ll be good to go!
For a first-generation Chromecast, hold the Power button for 25 seconds. For all other generations, hold the Power button until the LED indicator flashes orange and then white.
With that said, here’s how you can manually reset your Chromecast to change networks:
- Hold the Power Button until the LED indicator turns white.
- After doing so, follow the on-screen instructions to set your Chromecast back up.
- Once at the Network section, you’ll be prompted to select the WiFi network you wish to connect to. Enter its password, and you’ll be successfully connected to it!
Method #2: Forgetting Your Network
If you aren’t in the mood of downright resetting your Chromecast, or if you change your network often, resetting your network through the Google Home application makes more sense. From personal experience, we’ve found this method to be a bit janky and had to resort to manual resets.
However, of course, your mileage may vary. In any case, here’s how you can change your network on Chromecast using the Google Home application:
- Connect to the same current WiFi network as your Chromecast.
- Now, download the Google Home application for iOS or Android.
- After doing so, log in to the same Google Account that your Chromecast is currently using.
- Now, tap on the “Gear” icon at the top-right and head to your Chromecast’s settings.
- Once there, you’ll be able to tap on the “Forget” icon present right beside your WiFi’s SSID.
- After you tap “Forget Password”, you’ll be taken back to the Google Home main screen.
- Now, refresh the application by opening it again or vertically scrolling downwards.
- You should now be prompted to Set up one device, the recently reset Chromecast.
- Following the on-screen instructions, you can select a new password in the Network settings.
You might not see the Gear icon in the Google Home application if you are not on the same WiFi network or Google Account as your Chromecast. So, if you can’t resolve the problem, you’ll need to resort to a manual reset in this particular case.
Conclusion
Resetting your Chromecast can be annoying if you need to use it instantly. However, if you have a shoddy router connection or have run into a casting error that can’t seem to get fixed, forgetting your network and connecting to it again or changing it might be your only solution.
Frequent Asked Questions
No, you cannot change your Chromecast’s WiFi network without setting it up again. This is because your device is bound to your network and is configured using it. Therefore, you’ll need to set up everything once again to change a setting as crucial as the WiFi it connects to.
If you have just been gifted a purchased or used Chromecast, you’ll need to reset it before you can use it properly. To do so, hold the power button until it blinks white. Now, you’ll need to follow the on-screen instructions, and your device will be set up as a brand new one.
