Chromecast bug makes time and weather hard to see in ambient mode

A recent issue with Chromecast devices has made the time and weather in Ambient Mode much harder to read. The problem affects Cast-powered Chromecasts and causes the time and weather display in the bottom-right corner to shrink significantly.

Users have reported that the clock is now smaller than the weather, with both appearing roughly the same size as the text for image credits or details shown below. This change makes it difficult to see the time and weather from a distance, which is a key reason many keep their TVs on in Ambient Mode. Despite this issue, other parts of the Ambient Mode interface remain unaffected.

The problem seems to be caused by a server-side change rather than a firmware update. It has been observed on 2nd-gen Chromecasts, and it’s likely affecting the 1st-gen, 3rd-gen, and Chromecast Ultra as well. Adjusting the Ambient Mode settings in the Google Home app does not resolve the issue, which appears to be widespread.

Thankfully, this bug doesn’t impact Chromecast devices running Google TV, such as the Chromecast with Google TV or Google TV Streamer.

Given the nature of the problem, it’s clearly unintentional, and users are hoping for a quick fix from Google. Until then, this issue might make it inconvenient for some to rely on their Chromecast for quick updates on the time and weather.