Can no longer cast to groups

[MattHelm]

I can no longer use groups to cast.  This is not a volume, as I have no option to cast my audio to groups, it just dumps me to the "Group Settings", no option to cast.  I do not care about the volume control lost, just can't start casting.

[Chest_Rockwell]

Same here. Although, if an app has the cast button, my speaker groups show up on the device list and I can cast that way.  

[MattHelm]

Sorry, but the app making the sound has no cast function.  I need to cast with the home app.

[Chest_Rockwell]

Yeah, the "Cast my audio" button was on the volume control screen for speaker groups. Hopefully they add it to the settings page so we can cast to groups again.

At least it still works on individual speakers.

[GarrettDS]

Hey there,
Just wanted to see if you still needed help. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Best regards,
Garrett DS

[MattHelm]

As I'm still unable to cast my phone's audio to a group of speakers, it is in no way close to fixed.

[GarrettDS]

Hi MattHelm, 

Did you happen to take a look at the article that was mentioned above to see if your devices fall under the category mentioned?

Please do so and let me know. 

Best regards, 

Garrett DS

[MattHelm]

Yes, all my devices have MUCH newer firmware, and noting it said had anything about not being able to cast to groups, just not adjust volume on a speaker pair.  Are you saying the person that post that message lied?

[Chest_Rockwell]

That article has NOTHING to do with the problem. It's like you aren't even listening.

When Google removed volume control for speaker groups, they removed all other controls along with it. The "cast my audio" in speaker groups no longer exists. We either get the "play music" option, or the settings screen. The play music option isn't helpful since it just plays random music with no way to control it. Is there a reason the control screen can't be put back without the volume control? Or "cast my audio" added to settings? I have 9 devices that are pretty much useless now.

[CalebSawyer]

I also am having the same issue. I go into the app and tap on a group but instead it opens up the group settings. No option to cast. This just started happening a couple days ago.

[Chest_Rockwell]

Because of this:

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Blog/Upcoming-Speaker-Group-changes/ba-p/77811

[HBZ]

I also can no longer cast ANY audio to a speaker group.

This is not a volume control issue.

I used to click on a Speaker Group in the Home app and then press Cast.

But, now when I select a Speaker Group, the Home app takes me straight to Group Settings.

This is NOT  a volume problem which has been discussed in the law suit pages.

Please help. I have more than a dozen devices which now do not work as advertised. They all have the latest firmware, All are 2nd gen Mini.

[Chest_Rockwell]

Just to be clear, this is what's missing from speaker groups:

This is the only option to cast to speaker groups now:

Tapping "play music" just plays random music from YouTube Music. I used to be able to cast ANY audio from my device to a speaker group. Now you can only cast to a group if you have an app with the cast option built into it. It's a huge hassle to stop and restart casting to individual speakers every time you go from one area of the house to another. 

[Ankalina]

Same issue. No response from Google. Please help. Wan't the control panel back. On Spotify it doesn't always work to choose the right group or a group at all.

[Moman1]

Hello, I've been having the exact same problem, we have multiple devices connected to our speaker groups which no longer work as advertised.

I click on the speakers group and it just takes me to the settings page with no option to cast.

[Ankalina]

"cast my audio" is gone in groups. In Google Home app.The control panel is gone. I can only use "play music" and it doesn't play my playlist but a random song.

[Homesie]

It appears the change is within the Home app itself. You can use the cast option within different applications to cast to the groups, that is if the option is available.

Tidal and BBC Sounds allow me to cast to all my speaker groups other radio apps i have have no cast option at all.

[MattHelm]

Yeah, The app I use ~16hours per day has no interest in adding casting, so no hope for me.

[Ankalina]

I play spotify, but halve of the time it won't connect to the group, I used to cast with the app, NOT ANYMORE! And Google doesn't care.

[Gilad]

Same issue. Any workaround? 

[Ankalina]

Apperently not. I play spotify, but halve of the time it won't connect to the group, I used to cast with the app, NOT ANYMORE! And Google doesn't care.

[DrJeff]

I have the exact same issue - as we move into March 2022, anyone have any luck with getting this to work?

Otherwise, I have so many Google speakers just sat there useless (main use is speaker group).

[MattHelm]

No sign of any support, except the one guy trying to close an open issue.  (Garrett DS)

[Ankalina]

They don't care about this issue. I still have problems, I have to reset and empty caché because halve of the time I can't play music on all my google nests in one group when I try to play with the spotify platform. Before the update I could use the F**** Home app. NOT ANYMORE. I have sóó many issues with Google Home. Voice command is also an issue. It alway plays something random, not my playlists.

[DrJeff]

Is there a way for us to escalate this? For example a platform that we can ensure our collective voices are heard by those within Google Nest that can implement the change? This forum doesn't seem to be reaching the right people, in the right places, and it seems this issue, is one that has affected many.

If it's a big enough issue, we could get some tech news outlets to feature a piece, on a major loss of functionality of the Google Nest speaker.

[Ankalina]

I tried and contacted them on twitter madebygoogle and on the chat and by calling. Don't know any other way. They don't have an answer, they said that they are looking in to it. It took a lot of time because there's no solution. I'm out of ideas.

[Cheyennemtnman]

Folks nest and google got caught swiping software and now are not allowed to use volume control or casting to groups anymore... Do what i am in the process of doing... Selling my google devices and buying alexa devices... 

[Esseffdub]

Totally. I bought a handful of speakers to use them together around a floor of my house and I can now literally only play one at a time. A walkman with a belt clip would be more useful.

[Gilad]

The main reason I made a comment on this post is to follow this issue and see if anyone got an idea on what can we do about it. I saw it was published in some sites but it seems to have zero effect. I know how to handle with small businesses and suppliers who aren't delivering what they promise, but here its an all other level. 

[Homesie]

After my phone updated to Android 12 the group cast feature is back. The cast feature is now integrated in the OS, there is a cast option on the pull down quick menu.

[DrJeff]

Which phone is this?

I've got the S22 Ultra, on the latest version (Android 12) and there still is no option to cast personal sounds onto Google Nest Speaker groups

[Homesie]

Sony Xperia. There is a quick menu item for cast now, when i enable that I can cast everything to my speaker group, works with website audio as well. It isn't done in the home app any longer.

[Ankalina]

I know that the app doesn't support this anymore!!! that's the problem! I know that I can cast with other apps, but not ALL!!! I have samsung and no quick menu. 

[DrJeff]

Came across this 'fix/workaround' in another thread, same forum. Tested and works on 2 different Samsung Galaxy S22's.

Hope it helps!

[https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Speakers-and-Displays/quot-cast-my-audio-quot-to-speaker-grou...]

[Ankalina]

Still no solution. Still a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one has any solution on any platform. BECAUSE they don't have a solution. I contacted Google support, they will look into it. They are talking to me like i'm the first that is complaining.

[Chest_Rockwell]

If you have Nova launcher, create a shortcut to cast to groups.

 

 

 

 

 

Or use the Cast Shortcut app:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrapps.castshortcut&hl=en_US&gl=US

Or ask Google assistant to "cast my phone"

 

[MattHelm]

Nova launcher confirmed to work here.  Thank you very much.

[Jake]

Hey there,

Thanks for visiting the Community.

Since this thread hasn't had activity in a while, we're going to close it to keep content fresh. We hope you were able to get the help you need, but if the issue persists feel free to create a new thread, and provide as many details as possible so that others can lend a hand.

Best regards,
Jake

[Ankalina]

cast app works