In the past, this functionality was exclusively available for Cast-powered Chromecasts, specifically the first, second Ultra, and third-generation models. However, it was not applicable to the Chromecast with Google TV. When you were at someone’s house, you didn’t need to connect to their Wi-Fi network to Cast content from your phone to a display. Instead, you could simply input a 4-digit PIN that appeared on the screen saver.
The technology behind this feature was quite fascinating. Guest mode functioned by having your “Chromecast emit a unique Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signal.” A guest’s phone would detect this signal and display the Cast icon in apps, even if the guest was using cellular data or the guest Wi-Fi network.
Meanwhile, manually entering the PIN served as a backup method. To create a more seamless experience, a Chromecast would attempt to transmit the PIN automatically using “short, inaudible audio tones” (also known as ultrasonic pairing). The PIN would reset every 24 hours.
However, Google has recently removed this functionality. According to a support document, “Guest mode is no longer available,” and guests can now only “cast content from their Android or iOS devices by connecting to the host’s Wi-Fi network.”
Furthermore, with version 23.33 of Google Play services, Google is eliminating the “Guest mode” toggle from the system Settings, specifically from the path Settings > Google > Devices & sharing > Cast options. This change means that Google Cast will no longer scan your network to discover nearby devices with casting capabilities.
The option to enable this feature has also been removed from Chromecast settings within the Google Home app. We confirmed this change on a second-generation Chromecast streaming device.
For further information on Chromecast:
Samsung’s update to Android 14 simplifies the process of mirroring your screen through Chromecast.
A decade after its introduction, Google’s Chromecast technology leads to a substantial $339 million patent lawsuit.
Google officially discontinues updates for the first-generation Chromecast released in 2013.