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Google Chromecast Full Screen Not Working (Causes, How to Fix)

As an owner of a Google Chromecast device, I know the frustration of trying to stream content only to have it display in a small window instead of full screen. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share what I found out about why this issue occurs and how to fix it. In this blog post, I’ll discuss the causes of the Google Chromecast full screen not working issue and offer some solutions to help you get your streaming content to display in full screen.

One of these problems is Google Chromecast full screen not working. This is a result of the streaming device’s limited display size that causes you to see black bars at the top and bottom of your TV screen whenever you want to look at pictures, play games, or watch movies on there.

IssueSolution
Improper Aspect Ratio SettingsAdjust aspect ratio settings to ensure the Google Chromecast full screen works properly.
Screen OrientationChange the screen orientation to view content in fullscreen.
Phone Mirroring Affects OrientationBe aware that mirroring your phone to the TV can affect the orientation of the casted screen.
Cast-Enabled AppsEnsure that the app you are using is cast-enabled.
Optimize Full-Screen Videos FeatureEnable the “Optimize Full-Screen Videos” feature for smoother streaming.
Clear Cache and Factory Reset (if necessary)Clear the cache, and if all else fails, consider factory resetting your Chromecast.

1. The Aspect Ratio Needs Adjusting

The first issue that could be causing your Google Chromecast fullscreen to not work is an improper aspect ratio on your TV or larger display. The aspect ratio is the ratio between the width and height of a screen.

In this case, adjusting the aspect ratio via the picture/display options should remove the annoying black bars. Typically, you’ll need to choose either 1:1, 4:3, or 16:9.

For example, if you select 1:1, the screen will be stretched all the way vertically and an equal length horizontally. If you go with 16:9, then the screen will fill up its entire horizontal length.

Play with these settings until you get a fullscreen view. Note that you need to adjust the resolution to 1920×1080 pixels for Chromecast to detect the proper aspect ratio.

2. The Screen Orientation Needs Changing

The issue could also be the orientation of the screen you’re casting to, so changing it may help you view content in fullscreen. To do this, you need to access the picture/display options on your TV or monitor and make it landscape.

3. You’re Mirroring Your Phone to Your TV

If you’re mirroring your cast from your smartphone to a TV or another display, the orientation of the casted screen depends on the orientation of the phone. To cast in fullscreen, you just need to rotate your phone into a landscape position.

Failing to cast a fullscreen means you didn’t turn your phone horizontally. 

4. The App Isn’t Cast-enabled

If the app you’re casting from on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop isn’t cast-enabled, there’s a high chance fullscreen won’t work because it doesn’t support an “optimize fullscreen casting” feature.

If the app supports casting, all you need to do is adjust its settings. In most cases, Chromecast will automatically detect display options.

5. You Didn’t Enable “Optimize Full-Screen Videos” Feature

Read more: Can I password protect Chromecast?

You may have forgotten or overlooked enabling the “Optimize fullscreen videos” feature.

This feature is available via the Chrome cast function. It allows you to optimize content to fullscreen view if you’re casting videos from your browser to a TV or another display in fullscreen mode.

This optimization causes your stream to work more smoothly and efficiently. Here are the steps to use it:

  • Make sure your Chromecast is connected to the TV.
  • In your Chrome browser, locate the Chromecast icon (small square with wifi symbol) in the upper right corner and right-click it.
  • From the options in the Chromecast menu, click “Optimize fullscreen videos”.
  • You’ve now enabled this feature.

Once you do this, all the stream’s data will be directed to the TV or the display you’re casting to. This means mirroring will be disabled and your casting device’s CPU will thank you as it now doesn’t need to work as hard.

  • With the mirroring disabled, you can’t watch content on the smartphone, tablet, or laptop you’re casting from. If you want to mirror content, you’ll need to give up this feature.

Additionally, you’ll probably notice that the quality of the content you’re viewing got adjusted to match the resolution of the TV or the display you’re casting to.

6. You Checked the “Don’t Ask Again” Box When Asked if You Want to Optimize

Following the feature above, when you cast from a Chrome browser to your TV and then decide to go fullscreen, a pop-up will appear asking if you want to optimize content.

If you choose “Optimize”, it’ll work without issues. However, we’ve heard of the feature not working for people after they’ve checked the “Don’t ask again”.

If you’re experiencing this issue, simply follow the steps below:

  • Open your Google Chrome browser.
  • In your Chrome browser, locate the Chromecast icon (small square with wifi symbol) in the upper right corner and right-click it.
  • Uncheck “Optimize fullscreen videos”.

Restart the Chromecast

  • Restart your Chromecast. To do this, open the Google Home App, Touch and hold the device’s title, tap settings, more settings then reboot.
  • Alternatively, you can simply unplug the Chromecast for at least 60 seconds which will reboot the Chromecast.

Clear the cache

It would also help to try clearing the cache of your Chromecast.

To clear the cache on Chromecast with Google TV, you need to follow these simple steps:

  1. Go to your profile icon and select Settings, then System, then Storage, then Internal shared, storage then Cached data. Select “Clear cached data for all apps,” then click Ok

Factory reset the Chromecast.

As a last resort, you can also try factory resetting the Chromecast.

While the device is plugged into the TV, hold down the power button for around 25 seconds. The device would flash red, then white. Once it flashes white and your TV goes blank, release the button

Wrap Up

Read more: How to cast a laptop to a TV

There you have it, 6 reasons for your Google Chromecast full screen not working and how you can fix them. Remember, the issue is probably related to the picture/display settings of your TV or screen, so be sure to adjust those first before moving to other solutions.