6 Ways To Quickly Fix Chromecast Source Not Supported Issue 

Chromecast enables us to stream our favorite videos from almost any smart device. Provided your TV has an HDMI input, you’re good to go. However, this is often not the case for users who don’t know why their Chromecast says the source is not supported.  

So, why does your Chromecast say the source is not supported? You can see this message whenever your internet is not working, your casting and mirroring devices are connected on different networks, your mirroring services are disabled, or your ad-blockers and proxy services are active. The same can happen if you’re using outdated apps or experiencing device errors. 

Once you know why you’re experiencing the Chromecast source not supported issue, you can fix it with incredible ease. Read on for more on the above causes and simple ways to fix them. Check out the list of the best streaming devices on Amazon now!

Why Does My Chromecast Say the Source is Not Supported? 

We’ve answered this in brief above.  Now, let’s take an in-depth look at why you see the Chromecast source not supported error. Here are the reasons: 

Internet not working: Lack of network connectivity is one of the leading causes of this issue. Your router should be able to create several networks for each device that connects to it. 

If internet signals are too weak, this might not happen.

In this case, for example, you can’t watch a Youtube video on any of the devices. If you try to open a browser, you might also fail to access the server. 

Chromecast and mirroring devices connected on different networks: Chromecast and the mirroring service should be connected to the same network. Otherwise, you’ll persistently see the error. To know whether this is the cause of your unpleasant experience, you should check the networks’ names/ 

Disabled mirroring services: Sometimes, your mirroring service may be disabled without your knowledge. This can prevent Chromecast from establishing internet connectivity with the source. 

Activated Ad-blockers or proxy services:  Lots of contents are geo-restricted. So, you can’t stream them without proxy services such as VPN. These proxy services mask your device’s IP address and make it appear you’ve relocated.   

However, they are not a perfect remedy. Some VPNs are incompatible with Chromecast. The switching of IP addresses can also hinder the normal functioning of the browser. 

The same can apply to Ad-blocker extensions, which many of us rely on to block unnecessary ads that interfere with our web surfing experience. 

Many internet users report that deactivating ad blockers work for them. This is because these applications block pop-ups and prevent Javascript from running.

In the case of Chromecast users, it might prevent the browser from locating the font. 

Outdated Chrome browser:  Chromecast uses the latest Chrome browsers for security reasons. If you have a Wi-Fi connection, this might not be an issue. The device updates the browser and other apps automatically over this connection.

In short, you’re most likely going to face this problem if you are using a metered connection. 

That’s not all, though. 

You can accidentally disable the auto-update feature. Others can also do this without your information. If the feature is disabled, your Chromecast won’t update automatically over any connection, and it will start saying source not supported after a short while. 

Software errors: There are plenty of device or software errors that can minimize your Chromecast’s functionality. 

 Software engineers say miscommunication between apps is one of the leading causes of this. Your app’s cache memory issues can also cause a related problem. This problem is particularly common with Android apps.

The good news is that as long as the hardware is functional, you can fix it with relative ease at home without involving an expert. 

Ways to Fix Chromecast Source Not Supported Issue 

Once you know the above causes of the Chromecast source not supported error, you can troubleshoot the problem and fix it fast. Here are the best ways to do this:

1. Ensure the Wi-Fi network is Working Efficiently

Lack of proper network connectivity is incredibly common. If you establish it’s a problem, find out the cause and rectify it. Consider whether physical objects could be blocking the signals.

It would be best to consider whether some electronic devices near the setup are causing signal interference. If so, remove them. 

If none of these seems to work, you should contact your internet service provider.

2. Ensure Mirroring Devices and Chromecast are Properly Connected on the Network

If you have robust internet connectivity, you might have connected the casting device and the source on different networks. Switch the networks. 

Of course, the network should be strong enough to support the two devices concurrently. 

3. Enable the Mirroring Service

Check on the Chrome browser to find out whether the mirroring service is disabled. You can enable it by following these steps: 

  • Open the browser and enter Chrome: // flags in a new tab. 
  • Use the source device’s search function to search for “Mirroring. 
  • Check the service’s status in the Replication Service section. If applicable, turn it ON. 
  • Close the browser and restart it 

This should fix the error instantly. 

4. Deactivate Ad Blocker Extensions and Proxy Services

Browser Ad extensions can improve your browsing experience. However, if you want to stream videos using a Chromecast, it can do the opposite.

So, it would help if you deactivated it. If that doesn’t work, you need to uninstall the extension. 

This is how to go about this process: 

  • Open your chrome browser. 
  • Click on the home icon (the three-dot icon near the Google profile photo) 
  • Select More Tools 
  • Click Extensions 
  • Locate your ad-blocker 
  • Turn it off by toggling the blue switch (Ensure the button turns gray). Alternatively, uninstall it by clicking on Remove. 
  • Restart the Chromecast browser 

Don’t forget to disable all your proxy services like VPN as well. To do this, open the proxy service you are using, and press the disconnect button.  

Please note that you can verify whether you’ve disabled the VPN by going to Activity Monitor if you’re a Mac user. As a Windows user, you should visit the Task Manager. 

5. Update Chrome Browser

If you aren’t using the latest Chrome browser for any of the reasons mentioned above, you should follow these steps so you won’t see the error. 

  1. Open the browser
  2. Click the three-dot icon
  3. Select Help and click on About Google Chrome
  4. Wait for the system to look for the latest updates
  5. If prompted, click Update and wait for a few seconds for the browser to complete the process
  6. Once the process is complete, click Relaunch

If you follow these steps but fail to resolve the Chromecast source not supported issue, you probably need to deal with some advanced software issues.   

Let’s see how to handle this in the last two steps. 

6. Restart Chromecast

This is a valuable way to solve most device errors. It deals with simple and complex ones fast.  

Some people use it as the first step and still get great results. 

Restarting the device helps to refresh all background processes and restores the functions. 

You can follow these simple steps to achieve this: 

  1. Turn off the television
  2. Disconnect the casting device from it
  3. Wait for approximately two minutes
  4. Turn on your home Wi-Fi connection and wait for it to restart
  5. Turn on the television
  6. After the source and the Chromecast are connected on the network, click the casting device to the TV
  7. Restart the App

Close and restart the application if you are streaming from a desktop computer or laptop.  

Nonetheless, if you’re using the app on a tablet or smartphone, use the Application Manager to restart it. 

Here is how you can restart the app on your tab or smartphone: 

  1. Click on Settings
  2. Scroll to Application Manager or Applications and click the app you are using
  3. Click on Clear Cache and Clear Data once in the application setting screen
  4. Navigate to the home screen and restart the app
  5. Factory Reset the Casting Device

We reserved this for the last step. It’s always used as a matter of last resort. The good news is that factory resetting solves almost any device or software errors that the other methods don’t. 

When you want to reset your Chromecast, remember that you have two methods.

The first one, which involves using the built-in resetting button, is the safest. However, you can reset the casting device with the Google Home app. 

These two methods are easy. Let’s take a look at the recommended option in greater detail. Here are the ideal steps: 

  1. Use a compatible USB data cable to connect the casting device to your TV set (Don’t interfere with the device if it’s already connected)
  2. Carry the Chromecast and press the black button on it until the white light starts flashing (Or press for up to 25 seconds).
  3. Wait for a few minutes before removing the USB data cable

That’s all. You can now reconnect the casting device. Check out the list of the best streaming devices on Amazon now!

Conclusion

So we’ve seen why your Chromecast says the source is not supported and how to resolve it. All the methods are easy to follow.

Now that you are informed, you can fix any of the issues in the comfort of your home and continue enjoying using your Chromecast.