Apple Music Android Doesn't Cast to Google Home Device Groups

Apple Music has the option to cast to other devices, including Google Home devices. Google Home allows you to add more than one device to a group and cast music to that group so the audio plays out of multiple device speakers at the same time.


I can use this group function with the Apple Music app if I first go into the Google Home app and select the group and select cast audio. But if I try doing this by clicking on the cast button in the app itself, if I select the group, the audio still plays out the phone speakers. If I click on the cast button from the Google App and select and individual device instead of the group, it works and plays out of that device.


I'm posting the message here because it appears this is a bug in the Apple Music Android as I can play music from any other apps, like the Amazon Music App (a non-Google app) and click the cast button and cast to the group with no problem.


Posted on Nov 4, 2020 1:55 PM

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6 replies

Jan 15, 2021 10:44 AM in response to Jazzeee

I'm also unable to cast Apple Music from my Android device (Google Pixel 4 XL) to a Chromecast group. In my case the audio doesn't play on the phone, it just "loads" indefinitely - I have to stop casting to the group for Apple Music to play through the device or to an individual Chromecast endpoint. Also the same situation for me where any other apps tested can cast to a group with no issues.


I'm a former Google Play Music user, testing Apple Music as an alternative to the horrible YouTube Music. Unfortunately playing music throughout my home is something I do quite often so as much as I prefer Apple Music over YouTube Music this might make it a non-starter.

Nov 15, 2020 3:45 PM in response to Jazzeee

Hey Jazzeee, just chiming in to say this same thing is happening for me, too, and only with the Apple Music app on my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. YouTube Music and Spotify will both cast to groups no problem, but Apple Music will not anymore. It started a few weeks ago, up until that time I had no issues with casting to groups. Hoping it was a new development that would be resolved or a flaw within the Google Home speaker group actions I didn't know where to reach out. I'm glad you have a post going!

Nov 9, 2020 11:08 AM in response to jeremy_v

Despite my detailed explanation, your reply sounds like you didn't fully understand it.


The Apple Music App on Android has no problem casting music directly to any of my Chromecast compatible devices individually.


Android devices have ability to create groups of devices so you can cast audio to more than one device simultaneously. Lets call it a "Chromecast Group."


Most any Android App besides Apple Music also has the Chromecast icon so you can cast audio from that app to any Chromecast Device. I tested several applications, such as Spotify, YouTube Music, etc. and when I click the Chromecast icon I can see a list of all my individual devices and I can see the Chromecast Group listed. When I select the Chromecast group, all the apps I tested cast the audio to all the devices in the group, simultaneously.


On the Apple Music App, if you select an individual device, it casts to that device no problem. But only on the Apple Music app, if you select the Chromecast Group to cast the audio to, it fails to do that like the other apps, and continues to play music on the local device (phone) even though it shows it is connected to the Chromecast group. So this is a bug specific to the Apple Music App for Android since it's not any issue with any other app that casts audio that I tested, even non-Google apps like Spotify.


I'm not surprised other users have not yet chimed in or your developers may not even be aware of the issue because out of all the Apple Music users, only a small portion would both be using Apple Music on Android, AND using the Chromecast Group function to cast to multiple devices at once instead of just one individual Chromecast device. It would be nice if your developers could fix it though. They can reproduce the issue on any Android Device and test with two chromecast devices that have been added to a group using the Google Home application.


There is a temporary work around. This workaround is only required to cast to the group from the Apple Music app as all other apps work fine without this workaround. The workaround is, to load the Google Home app and select the Chromecast Group and choose to cast the audio at the device level, instead of individual app level, so all audio is cast to the group despite what application you are using. Then and only then will the Apple Music App cast audio to the chromecast group of devices.


Nov 9, 2020 9:32 AM in response to Jazzeee

Hello Jazzeee,


Thank you for using Apple Support Communities!


Based on what you mentioned, you have an issue with the audio playing on your Android device when you use Chromecast. If the music is not being sent out to the Chromecast device, this is an issue. You'll want to make sure you are following the steps under 'Use Apple Music with Chromecast' here: Use Apple Music with your Android devices.


If you are stating that it also plays on the Android device, there is nothing, that states it should not also play on that device, but you can check the settings on the Android device.


Best wishes!

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Apple Music Android Doesn't Cast to Google Home Device Groups

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