The Google Chromecast remains one of the best and most affordable ways of turning your dumb TV into a smart TV.
It got even better with the release of the Chromecast with Google TV model that brings a revamped UI and several other goodies baked right into it.
But not even this new and shiny Google TV-inspired Chromecast model is spared from the latest wrath that is the missing cast button from the YouTube Kids app on Android.
Of course, this has little to do with the Chromecast itself since the issue stems from the YouTube Kids app that recently got a new update on Android phones.
Apparently, this update took away the cast button from the app, meaning that parents are unable to cast content to their Chromecast devices on a bigger screen.
In the latest version Youtube Kids there’s a bug I can’t transfer the video from my android to my tv. When will this be fixed? This function is essental to me and my son, and it is very dissatisfactory that I can not use the app from a week ago.
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Cast icon suddenly disappeared from Youtube Kids app. It is available for all other apps. I was on to a support member who got me to check all settings, did factory reboot on Chromecast, uninstalled and reinstalled Youtube kids. Approved Content is not selected. No luck. Anybody got any ideas? I’ve just checked and I’m on version 6.06.2 Youtube Kids. Also just checked partners phone and it’s working, he has an version of 6.04.3 Youtube Kids. Can I go back to an older version?
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Speaking of bigger screens, reports from affected users also suggest that casting to Android TV units isn’t working either.
This becomes even more annoying when you think of navigating the poorly designed YouTube Kids UI on Google Chromecast and Android TV devices.
But on the brighter side, the issue has gained traction enough to catch the attention of a forum product specialist, who has in turn confirmed escalating the matter to YouTube Kids devs.
I have escalated this issue to the Youtube Kids Team and will update you all when I have more information.
At this point, no official statement has been put forward regarding the possible cause of this issue and when affected parents can expect a fix.
But of course, the fact that the matter has been escalated should leave affected YouTube Kids users hopeful that a solution to the missing cast button is in the works.
As you wait for the fix, perhaps reverting to the previous version of YouTube Kids should temporarily fix the casting issue, so be sure to check out the APK here.
As usual, we will be vigilant and let you know when an acknowledgement comes from Google’s end. Until then, keep an eye on our YouTube bugs/issues tracker for updates on related coverage.
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