The Chromecast with Google TV is currently one of the most attractive streaming players on the market. Unlike previous Chromecast dongles, the new generation of Chromecast is powered by the new Google TV operating system. It’s in line to eventually replace the existing Android TV interface, which currently powers almost every other certified smart TV and streaming set-top boxes.
However, there’s plenty of bugs for Google to work on its latest platform, as users are reportedly facing freezing issues during video playback on certain apps. A few other apps also refuse to launch sometimes and start glitching for no apparent reason.
Until Google and the app developers fix the current issues, your best bet to get an app working on your new Chromecast is to force stop and relaunch it. This guide will show you how to do it.
Steps to force stop apps on Chromecast with Google TV
Provided that you have the new Chromecast or one of the newer Sony BRAVIA TVs running Google TV, it’s really straightforward to force-quit apps on it. Here’s what the process looks like:
- First, press the Home button on your Chromecast remote to go to the Google TV Home screen.
- Next, move to your Profile option all the way to the right, then select Settings in the sidebar.
- Scroll down the Settings screen and select Apps. Click See all apps on the following page to expand the apps list.
- After that, choose the app from the list that isn’t behaving normally.
- If you tried to open the app recently, it would appear under the “Recently Opened Apps” section in the Apps settings.
- Now highlight and click the Force Stop option on the right settings pane.
- Finally, click OK to force stop the app. Repeat the steps for other apps that don’t seem to work correctly.
Once you force stop an app, return to the Home screen and try to relaunch it from your Apps list. If everything goes right, you should be able to use it again without rebooting the entire device.
Other troubleshooting options
If an app consistently repeats the same problems over and over again, consider trying out the below troubleshooting steps:
- Clear app cache: If your Chromecast is on low storage or it limits an app’s access to its cache for some reason, the app is bound to misbehave. You can follow the above instructions to go to the app’s advanced settings menu, then hit Clear cache instead of the Force Stop option.
- Restart your Chromecast with Google TV: Sometimes, a reboot can also fix the underlying issues of the installed apps. You can do that by replugging the device to its power source. Or, simply go to the Settings > System menu and click Restart.
- Reinstall the misbehaving app: You can choose to Uninstall the app from the same menu as you would force stop it or clear the cache. Once done, you can reinstall it from the Play Store and hope for the issues to get resolved.
You will find the following instructions handy if you encounter crashes/glitches on apps you regularly use on your Chromecast with Google TV. Considering it’s a relatively new platform, upcoming software updates and app patches should iron out most of the problems.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.
