As an owner of a Chromecast, I was frustrated after noticing that my Chromecast remote’s white light was not working. After some research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved the issue, as well as some other potential solutions I discovered during my research.
In this blog post, I will be discussing my experience with the Chromecast remote and what I did to fix the white light issue.
The Chromecast remote features a white LED light or indicator located below the Input and Power buttons. The purpose of this light is to let you know the status of your remote as you use it.
| Issue | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| White LED light not working | Stuck button, pending update | Check for stuck button and perform update |
| White light pulsing | Attempted pairing failure | Reposition remote and retry pairing |
| White light flashing twice | Successful pairing, battery installation | Proceed with using the remote |
| White light stays on | Microphone turned on, firmware update ongoing | Check microphone settings, wait for update to complete |
| White light not working properly | Remote malfunction | Use phone as remote, remove batteries, unpair/re-pair, or factory reset |
Table of Contents
Chromecast Remote White Light States
First things first, you should be familiar with the different states of your Chromecast voice remote and the corresponding behavior of its white LED light in each situation.
This way, you’re able to determine whether the lighting pattern of the LED indicator is normal or if something is really wrong with the remote.
So here’s what the light will do in response to different statuses of your remote:
- The LED will pulse slowly when the remote is ready to pair.
- The LED will pulse slowly if an attempted pairing fails.
- The LED will flash quickly two times when you install the batteries.
- The LED will flash quickly two times when pairing is successful. (Remember, it’ll be pulsing slowly right before this)
- The LED will stay on when the microphone is turned on or when a firmware update is ongoing.
Chromecast Remote White Light Not Working
If your Chromecast remote white light isn’t working, meaning it’s not producing the usual white light no matter its status, don’t panic.
The issue could be due to a stuck button. In this case, the continuous state of giving orders may cause the remote to get overwhelmed and seize actions, including generating LED indications.
If this is what you’re experiencing, you can resolve the problem by opening up the remote and unjamming the button. Of course, it’s best if you visit a support center to get the job done safely, otherwise do this at home at your own risk.
Another possible reason for the light on your Chromecast to stop working is a pending update. Sometimes, an update that’s been pending for too long can cause a forced “standby” status that leads to desynchronizing the remote with the Chromecast device permanently.
As a result, you won’t see LED indications happening. Luckily, there’s a way you can fix this issue as follows:
- Removing any other external remotes connected to the Chromecast device such as a third-party remote or a remote control app on your smartphone.
- Reboot the Chromecast device.
- Revert the remote to its factory settings, but note that this will permanently delete your saved data. Here’s how to perform a factory reset:
- Take the batteries out of your Chromecast remote.
- Press the Home button and hold it.
- Put the batteries back into the remote while holding the Home button. The LED should flash white and stay solid.
- Keep holding the Home button until the solid white light starts pulsing then release it.
- Pair the remote with your Chromecast device again.
Chromecast Remote White Light Stays On (Freezing)
There are two ways you can resolve the issue of a freezing white light on your Chromecast remote.
The first method is to unpair and then pair the remote as follows:
- Open the Google TV app on your smartphone (Android) and log in with the same profile you’re using for the Google Chromecast.
- Use your phone to go to ‘Settings’ and then remove the remote.
- Pair the remote with your Chromecast device again.
The second method is to simply remove the batteries then wait a few seconds and put them back in. After that, press the Home button to pair the remote.
Chromecast Remote White Light Pulsing
Read more: Chromecast keeps turning off the TV
If your Chromecast remote has its white light pulsing and you’re sure it’s not because of pairing, you can fix it by following the steps below:
- Download and install the Google TV app on your smartphone (Android).
- Open the Google TV app and log in with the same profile you’re using for the Google Chromecast.
- Look for a remote control icon in the bottom corner of the app.
- Tap the remote icon so your phone becomes the remote.
- Alternatively, launch the Google Home app on your Android smartphone and tap the name of the Chromecast connected to the remote. In the bottom left corner of the screen, tap ‘Open remote’ so your phone is now the remote.
- Use your phone remote to access your profile.
- Go to ‘Settings’.
- Choose ‘Remote and accessories’.
- Click ‘Forget the remote’ for the Chromecast remote.
- Pair the remote once again and complete any pending updates.
Wrap Up
Read more: Chromecast is connected but won’t access the internet
If your Chromecast remote white light isn’t working, stays on, or keeps pulsing, this doesn’t mean it’s no longer fit for use. Simply removing the batteries, unpairing then re-pairing, or doing a factory reset can get the issue fixed.
