Can't find Chromecast background picture details? Here's a potential workaround

Chromecast is a popular media streaming/casting device. It can be plugged into the TV’s HDMI port to stream content from services like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and others through your smartphone or PC.

An interesting feature it offers is when Chromecast is online, but not streaming content, it acts like a digital frame. It fills up the entire TV screen with a slideshow of the default screensavers. One can even customize the TV screen with own pictures via Ambient mode that was once called Backdrop.

The screensavers it displays are so mesmerizing, you may feel like finding the location and adding it to your travel list. Some thing that could be done through Google Home app. But for past two months, Chromecast users have been reporting, the app doesn’t show the details of the picture anymore.

Tapping on an image of interest throws them to Ambient mode settings instead. As a matter of fact, users are encountering this issue since Google+ was terminated back on April 02. Here’s how some of the affected users word this problem:

It used to be that when I wanted to know more information about the picture that was displaying on Chromecast I could go into the Google home app to the Chromecast device tap on it and it would send me to a description of the picture. That functionality no longer exists instead tapping the ambient picture brings up the settings for ambient mode.

Yes, it’s very frustrating not being able to find out any information about the images. I used to use the feature daily but now all I get is Ambient settings.

I use the curated “Art Gallery” backgrounds for Chromecast and used to love looking up where some photos were taken to find cool places to visit etc. Since Google+ went away is this no longer possible?

While users are confused, even a Chromecast Help forums product expert pointed out it could be due to the concerned photographers being listed on Google+.

If I recall the photographers may have been listed on Google + which no longer exists

Additionally, the forums product expert also suggested a workaround to find the details of the picture. So those of you who are looking for a solution to the same, here’s what you can do:

1. On your PC/laptop open the Chromecast Background Images page.

2. Locate the image of your interest and hover over it> You’ll see three options – Good, Better and Best> Select any one of them and the image will open in a separate tab.

3. Right click on the image and ‘Copy image address.’ Now open Google images (using this link) and select Search by image (or the camera icon in search bar).

4. Paste the URL of the image (which you copied earlier) under Paste image URL> Select Search by Image.

5. Now scroll down the search page which displays matching results to see if you can find a reference to photographer’s name and other details.

That’s it.

Gave this workaround a try and don’t forget to share with us your experience by dropping a comment below.

P.S. Recently we also highlighted a Chromecast Ambient mode-related issue wherein Google Photos’ images failed to display in Ambient mode. Rather, it reverts to Art gallery pictures. The issue affects both TV and smart display users and the company is looking into it. Head here for complete story.

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