How to disable Chromecast and stop casting on Android devices

Chromecast devices are nifty when you want to cast a YouTube video from your phone to your TV. But you don’t always want your Chromecast enabled; sometimes, you want to turn it off entirely. Can you do that? This article will tell you how to stop casting in the middle of a stream and how to disable Chromecast when you’re not using it.

Editor’s note: We used a Google Pixel 7 running Android 14, a Chromecast Ultra, and a Chromecast with Google TV to formulate these instructions. Some steps may vary slightly, depending on your hardware and software.

How to stop casting to the TV

If you want to stop a cast that’s currently running, that’s easy. You can do this one of two ways.

How to stop casting from an Android app:

1. Launch the app you are using to cast.
2. You should see the Cast button. Tap on it.
3. Select Disconnect.

Second, you can stop the cast through the Google Home app.

How to stop casting from the Google Home app:

1. Launch the Google Home app.
2. Go into the Devices tab.
3. Tap on the Chromecast you want to stop casting to. If it’s a Chromecast with Google TV, you need to tap and hold.
4. Hit Stop Casting.

These options will accomplish the same goal and instantly stop casting from your phone to your TV. You’ll be able to resume where you left off on the device you were casting from.

How to turn off Chromecast

Unfortunately, it’s not simple to turn Chromecast devices on and off. There’s no on/off switch you can toggle.

You can disconnect the power completely. You can either disconnect the Chromecast device or your TV from its power source. And if you don’t want to worry about unplugging something every night, you could invest in some smart plugs and turn things off from your phone.

If you decide to unplug your TV every night with a Chromecast device still plugged in, your Chromecast device will still appear active on your network. You can try casting to it, but obviously, nothing will appear on the TV.

If you’re using a Chromecast with Google TV, it’s possible to turn off the Google TV part of the device. This will turn the signal off and stop the UI from showing up. The Cast function will still work, though.

How to turn off a Chromecast with Google TV:

1. Launch the Google Home app.
2. Tap on the Chromecast with Google TV device.
3. This will only turn off the Google TV part of the device. You can still cast to it.

Additionally, you can press the power button on the Chromecast with Google TV remote.

How to disable Chromecast

If you want to disable Chromecast for yourself, you’ll have to use one of the above options to turn it off. However, if you’re trying to disable who can control your casting, there’s an easy option you can use.

How to stop guests from accessing your Chromecast:

1. Launch the Google Home app.
2. Access your Chromecast device.
3. Hit the Settings gear icon.
4. Go into Recognition & sharing.
5. Where it says Let others control your cast media, toggle the option off. If you have a Chromecast with Google TV, select Never.

You can also prevent notifications from showing up on your phone for Cast devices.

How to stop Cast notifications from showing up on your phone:

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Go into Google.
3. Tap on the All services tab.
4. Select Devices & sharing.
5. Tap on Cast options.
6. Toggle off Media controls for Cast devices.

FAQs