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If you want to know how to Fix ‘Google Chromecast Buffering or Lagging’ issue. Google Chromecast is one of the best things that has ever been made for TV and entertainment. For those who don’t know, a Chromecast plugs into the HDMI port on your TV or monitor and lets you stream content directly from your phone or tablet to a TV or monitor that isn’t smart. Chromecast isn’t a full-fledged Android TV box, and it doesn’t have built-in support for apps like Netflix or Prime Video.
Instead, it just adds to what your TV can do and turns it into a smart screen that you can stream data to. Most of the time, a slow internet connection or a weak Wi-Fi signal are to blame when Chromecast doesn’t work right. Sometimes it can also happen if you’ve been using your Chromecast device for a long time, which makes it warm. But because Chromecast depends so much on your smartphone and your internet connection, many users often experience buffering and stuttering when streaming content. In this guide, we’ll go over a few ways to Fix ‘Google Chromecast Buffering or Lagging’ issue.
What is Chromecast?
Chromecast is a group of dongles that you can plug into your TV’s HDMI port to add smart features. Google released the first Chromecast in 2013. The Chromecast 2 came out in 2015, and the Chromecast 3 came out in 2018. Google released the Chromecast Ultra in 2016. It works just like its predecessors, but it can also cast 4K streams. Chromecast Ultra works with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet, so you can make sure you have a good connection even for the most demanding streams.
The Chromecast with Google TV came out in 2020, changing the way Chromecast worked. This model has the same casting features as the other Chromecast devices, but it also has a full user interface and native apps thanks to Google TV and a remote. That means you don’t have to cast everything; you can use it just like a streaming stick, like Roku or Fire TV. It’s easier to use than all the other devices in real life. Google came out with a cheaper Chromecast with Google TV in 2022. This newer model is about half as expensive as the first one, but it only goes up to 1080p while the first one goes up to 4K.
Fix: ‘Google Chromecast Buffering or Lagging’ issue
Stream local video
If you don’t have lag all the time and it only happens when you have a bad internet connection, this could be a great solution.

- As you watch content that you are streaming, the data is stored on your hardware.
- Chromecast uses the network to show videos, so streaming from apps can slow down the network.
- The best thing to do is play videos that you’ve already downloaded and watch them later.
Change WI-FI channels
Having a lower network on your WIFI channel can cause your Chromecast to stutter and lag. If you are near more than one WIFI channel. If you connect your Chromecast to the WIFI channel with the better network, you’ll be able to watch videos eventually.
Chromecast can only recognize one channel at a time. To connect Chromecast to a different WIFI channel, you have to disconnect it from the current channel so you can connect it to the one you want. In this order, you will reset your Chromecast.
- Open the Google Home app and go to Settings.
- Choose WIFI.
- Click Forget this network.
- When you can’t remember your network, you need to set up your device again to change it.
- You can start streaming without any lag if you add a new channel to your Chromecast.
Unplugging Chromecast
This is one of the easiest Chromecast lag fixes on the list. Lags and buffering can be fixed by unplugging the Chromecast dongle from the power source for two to three minutes. As soon as you unplug the Chromecast dongle from the wall, it stops any streaming that was going on. If you unplug the dongle from the power source and wait a few minutes before plugging it back in, the adapter will clear out the old cycles and start over.
- Disconnect the Chromecast Dongle.
- Wait for about 2–3 minutes.
- Reconnect the Chromecast Dongle to a source of power.
- Start watching videos on your Chromecast.
Use 50Hz HDMI Mode
Chromecast is set up to find the best mode for your TV’s screen. If you’ve ever had to do it on your own, you know how hard it can be. Channels that are encoded for 50Hz can cause the lags.
- Go to the Google home app on the device you are using.
- Click on “Your devices” and then “Chromecast.”
- Open the settings menu and turn “Use 50 Hz HDMI Mode” on.
- Close the settings once the option is chosen.
Change quality settings
Streaming 4k or ultra-HD video can cause video to pause and skip. HOW? There’s a simple solution. Even if you have a good Chromecast device, the quality of the content you stream will still depend on how fast your network is. The more lag there is, the worse the network connection. When video quality goes up, so does the amount of data used.
If your network connection isn’t good enough for the quality of video you’re trying to stream, your Chromecast stream is more likely to stutter. Reduce the quality of your stream to fix this problem. Changing the playback quality is a simple way to do this.
- Click the Chromecast button and choose the options you want to use.
- Find the “Projection quality” tab in the settings menu.
- Choose the size. (Extreme: 720p high bitrate, High: 720p, Standard: 480p)
What causes Chromecast buffering or lagging?
- Slow Internet Connection: Buffering problems can be caused by a slow or unstable internet connection. If the connection speed isn’t fast enough to stream the content smoothly, the Chromecast will have to buffer the video often to keep up with the playback.
- High network traffic or network congestion: can also cause buffering problems on your Wi-Fi network. If a lot of devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the available bandwidth may be split between them. This can slow down streaming.
- Distance from Router: If your Chromecast device is far from the Wi-Fi router or if there are physical obstacles between them (like walls or furniture), it can weaken the Wi-Fi signal and cause buffering or lagging.
- Router performance: Older or less powerful routers may have trouble keeping up with the demands of streaming high-quality video to the Chromecast, which can cause the video to buffer.
- The source of the content: that is being streamed is also important. If the servers of the streaming service are busy or have technical problems, it can affect the quality of the streaming.
Questions and Answers
A broken Chromecast could also be caused by an app that is out of date. Then the app may have a bug or not work as well as it should for some other reason. To fix this, just update the app in the Play Store for Android or the App Store for iPad and iPhone.
Here are some things that might happen if your Chromecast’s Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection is weak: Your Chromecast’s light is going on and off. The Google Home app doesn’t know about your Chromecast. Your Chromecast is offline, according to the Google Home app.
Google shared the news on its Chromecast support page, which was last updated in late April and was found by 9to5Google: Support for Chromecast (1st gen) has ended. This means that these devices will no longer get software or security updates, and Google will no longer help with technical issues.
Google is ending support for the 10-year-old device, and if you keep using it, you “may notice a degradation in performance,” the company says. The first-generation Chromecast is no longer supported by Google.