Smart TV technician helping fix Android TV device discovery issues

Steve H.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: Android TV & Google TV, Chromecast built-in, HDMI-CEC/ARC, Wi-Fi casting, Bluetooth remotes & speakers, home networks

Android TV not discovering devices — Wi-Fi, HDMI-CEC, Bluetooth and casting issues

Technician avatar Technician
Hey! We’ll track down why your Android TV is not discovering devices and get everything talking again. I just need a bit of detail so we don’t guess:
• What brand/model is the TV or box (Sony Bravia Android TV, Philips, Hisense, Nvidia Shield, Chromecast with Google TV, etc.)?
• Which devices are not being detected — cast devices from your phone, Bluetooth speakers/headphones or controllers, or HDMI devices like consoles and soundbars?
• On the TV, are you seeing errors like “No devices found”, “No input detected”, “No casting devices available” or “No Bluetooth devices found” when scanning?
• Did anything change recently — router upgrade, new mesh Wi-Fi, Android TV update, installing a new soundbar, moving the TV, etc.?
The more specifics we have, the easier it is to fix Android TV not detecting devices on Wi-Fi, HDMI and Bluetooth instead of just rebooting randomly.
Customer
It’s a Sony Android TV in the living room. My phone used to see it instantly for casting, but now it usually shows “no devices found”. The TV also won’t find my Bluetooth soundbar or game controller anymore — the list of Bluetooth devices on Android TV stays empty. HDMI inputs work if I switch manually, but the TV doesn’t auto detect the PlayStation like before.
Technician avatar Technician
Got it — classic combo of Android TV not discovering casting devices and Bluetooth devices not found, plus flaky HDMI-CEC detection.
Usually one of these changed:
• The TV or router switched to a different Wi-Fi band or network, so the phone and Android TV with Chromecast built-in are no longer on the same LAN.
• A system update messed with Google Cast, Android System WebView or location permissions, so apps can’t see the TV and show “no cast devices”.
• Bluetooth on the TV glitched, or the soundbar/controller is trying to connect to another device first.
• HDMI-CEC (Bravia Sync, Anynet+, etc.) got turned off or confused, so the TV doesn’t recognise consoles and soundbars automatically.

We’ll first get Android TV to show up again as a cast target, then fix Bluetooth discovery, then tighten up HDMI device detection so it feels like before.
Customer
The TV is wired with Ethernet, the phone is on Wi-Fi. Same router though. The Google Home app sometimes sees the TV, but most streaming apps say “no devices found” or only show my bedroom Chromecast. In Android TV settings, scanning for Bluetooth devices just keeps spinning and finds nothing, even with the soundbar in pairing mode.
Technician avatar Technician
Perfect, let’s start with Android TV not showing up for casting — that also affects device discovery in some apps.
Step 1 — Put phone and Android TV on the same actual network
1) On your phone, open Wi-Fi settings and make sure it’s on the same main network as the TV (not Guest / IoT / 5G-Guest).
2) On Android TV, go to Settings → Network & Internet and confirm it’s online (via Ethernet or Wi-Fi) on that same router.
3) If you use mesh Wi-Fi, disable “AP isolation” or client isolation on the router — it can stop Android TV from discovering devices on the network.

Step 2 — Refresh Google Cast services on the TV
1) On the TV, open Settings → Apps → See all apps → Show system apps.
2) Find Google Cast and Android System WebView.
3) Force stop each, then clear cache (not data), and reboot the TV by holding the power button and choosing Restart.
4) After reboot, open a streaming app on your phone (YouTube, Netflix, etc.) and check if the cast icon now shows your Android TV as a device.
Customer
I restarted and cleared cache for Google Cast and WebView. Now YouTube sometimes shows the Android TV, but Netflix still only shows “bedroom Chromecast”. Bluetooth devices are still not listed — it just says “no devices found” when scanning on the TV.
Technician avatar Technician
Got it — casting is half-back, so let’s clean up Android TV not discovering Bluetooth devices next.
Step 3 — Reset Bluetooth on Android TV
1) On the TV, go to Settings → Remotes & Accessories (or Bluetooth).
2) Remove/forget any old entries for that soundbar or controller if they’re listed.
3) Toggle Bluetooth off and on if the option exists, then restart the TV one more time.

Step 4 — Put the accessory into true pairing mode
• On the soundbar/headphones, hold the Bluetooth or power button until you see a rapid flashing LED or “Pairing” indicator.
• On the controller, hold the pairing combo (often Home + Share or similar) until the light starts blinking quickly.
• Immediately on the TV, choose “Add accessory” and wait up to 30–60 seconds — Android TV can be slow to discover Bluetooth devices.

If no Bluetooth devices appear on Android TV after this, we’ll try a deeper system “Apps & permissions” reset that often fixes stuck scans.
Customer
After doing that, the controller finally showed up and paired, but the soundbar still doesn’t appear in the list. Also, my Android phone still can’t always see the TV as a cast device in some apps. It’s hit and miss.
Technician avatar Technician
Nice win on the controller — that means Bluetooth discovery on Android TV is working, but the soundbar may be bonded elsewhere. Let’s also stabilise Android TV not being found as a cast target from some apps.
Step 5 — Fix phone-side casting and permissions
• On your Android phone, go to Settings → Location and make sure Location is ON.
• Open Settings → Apps → Google Home and your main streaming apps, grant Location and Nearby devices permissions.
• Turn Wi-Fi off and back on, reopen Google Home and Netflix and check if your Android TV or Chromecast built-in now appears consistently.

Step 6 — Unpair the soundbar from other devices
• Turn Bluetooth off on any phones, tablets or laptops that the soundbar may have paired to before.
• Factory-reset the soundbar’s Bluetooth (check its manual — usually holding the Bluetooth button for several seconds).
• Put it into pairing mode again and repeat the scan from the TV. If it still won’t appear, we can try connecting it via HDMI-ARC/eARC instead of Bluetooth.
Customer
Google Home now sees the TV reliably and Netflix shows it too, so the casting part seems fixed. The soundbar finally paired after I reset it. The only remaining thing is HDMI: my PlayStation and Blu-ray player work, but the TV no longer auto switches inputs or shows their names. It stopped recognising them as “devices” after an update.
Technician avatar Technician
That last issue is Android TV not discovering HDMI devices via HDMI-CEC (Sony calls it Bravia Sync). The picture works, but the TV no longer “sees” the console as a controllable device.
Try this:
• On the TV, go to Settings → Watching TV → External inputs → Bravia Sync settings (or HDMI-CEC on non-Sony Android TVs) and make sure CEC is enabled for the HDMI ports you use.
• Turn off the TV and unplug all HDMI devices for 1 minute, then plug them back in one at a time.
• Power up the TV first, then the console, then the Blu-ray player — some TVs rebuild their HDMI device list in the order things are powered.
• In the TV’s Bravia Sync or CEC menu, run a “Device search” or “Refresh” so Android TV scans for connected HDMI devices again and labels them.
If Android TV still won’t discover a particular HDMI device, we’ll test a different cable/port and check for firmware updates on that device.
Customer
After re-scanning Bravia Sync, the PlayStation shows up again and auto switches the input when I turn it on. The Blu-ray still doesn’t show in the CEC list, but I can choose the HDMI input manually. Overall the TV is working way better. Is there anything else I should change so it doesn’t lose devices again after the next Android TV update?
Technician avatar Technician
Definitely — we can “future-proof” things so your Android TV keeps discovering devices reliably after updates.
Best practices for Android TV device discovery
• Keep the TV and phones on the same main Wi-Fi/VLAN; avoid guest networks for casting if possible.
• In the router, avoid client isolation options that block devices from seeing each other — they often cause no devices found when casting to Android TV.
• Use quality HDMI cables and leave HDMI-CEC enabled only on the inputs you actually use to reduce glitches.
• Every few months, update the TV firmware and system apps (Google Cast, Android System WebView) from the Google Play Store on the TV.
• When you notice Android TV not discovering Bluetooth devices again, quickly reboot the TV and re-scan before factory-resetting anything.
These small habits make Android TV and Google TV boxes much more stable in everyday use.
Customer
What if in the future my phone or laptop completely stops seeing the TV when I try to cast again? Is there a “nuclear option” to fix Android TV when it just refuses to show up as a device?
Technician avatar Technician
There is, but we only use it when basic casting fixes don’t work.
Step 7 — Reset network/casting components on Android TV
• On the TV, go to Settings → Apps → See all apps → Show system apps, select Google Cast and Android System WebView, and if available choose “Uninstall updates”, then reboot and let them auto-update from Play Store.
• In Settings → System → About → Reset, some Android TVs have a “Reset network settings” or “Restart TV” option that refreshes Wi-Fi and cast without erasing apps.
• Only if Android TV still does not appear in any cast list, consider a full factory reset — but back up login details and app list first because you’ll be setting it up like new.
As a fallback, you can always plug in an external Chromecast or streaming stick; Android TV will detect that via HDMI even if its built-in cast is misbehaving.
Customer
After all these steps, everything’s working: my Android TV shows up instantly for casting, the Bluetooth controller and soundbar connect, and HDMI devices are recognised again. This is exactly what I needed, thanks!
Technician avatar Technician
Summary: when Android TV is not discovering devices, first make sure the TV and phone are on the same network and refresh Google Cast services. Then fix Bluetooth discovery by resetting accessories and scanning from Remotes & Accessories, and restore HDMI-CEC device detection by turning CEC back on and re-scanning inputs. For stubborn cases, rolling back and re-updating Google Cast/WebView or resetting network settings usually brings back your Android TV in cast lists. Not sure which menu your TV has? Open the chat and an expert will walk you through it step by step.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when Android TV is not discovering devices: put the TV and phone on the same main network, then restart Google Cast services on the TV and grant location/nearby-device permissions on your phone. Re-scan for Bluetooth accessories from Remotes & Accessories, and re-enable HDMI-CEC/Bravia Sync to refresh the Android TV device list. Most casting, Bluetooth and HDMI detection problems clear after this.

Why Android TV stops discovering devices after updates or changes

Most Android TV device discovery problems come down to three things: network isolation, disabled or broken casting/Bluetooth services, or HDMI-CEC confusion. Router or mesh updates can silently put your TV on a guest network or block devices from seeing each other, so phones and laptops show “No devices found” when casting to Android TV. System updates can change Google Cast, Android System WebView or permissions, so apps can’t see the TV. HDMI-CEC changes can make Android TV stop detecting consoles, Blu-ray players and soundbars, even though the HDMI picture still works.

How to test if Android TV device discovery is really fixed

After you’ve applied the steps, test each type of connection separately. From your phone, open YouTube or Netflix and check if the Android TV or Chromecast built-in appears instantly in the cast list on the same Wi-Fi. On the TV, go to Bluetooth settings and confirm that your Bluetooth soundbar, headphones or controller shows as “Connected”. Finally, turn on your game console or Blu-ray player and see if the TV automatically switches inputs or lists these as HDMI-CEC devices in the external input menu. If all three work, your Android TV device discovery is stable; if just one area fails, you can focus on that part (network, Bluetooth or HDMI-CEC) instead of resetting everything.

Android TV not discovering devices — quick troubleshooting tips

Most cases are fixed by aligning networks, refreshing Google Cast, and re-scanning Bluetooth/HDMI devices.

Quick path: make sure your Android TV and phone use the same Wi-Fi network, disable guest or isolated networks, then restart the TV and clear cache for Google Cast and Android System WebView. On your phone, enable Location and Nearby devices permissions so apps can find the TV. For Bluetooth devices not found on Android TV, reset the accessory and scan from Remotes & Accessories. For HDMI devices not recognised, re-enable HDMI-CEC/Bravia Sync and let the TV search for devices again. If casting, Bluetooth and HDMI detection are still unreliable, a targeted app reset or network reset on the TV is usually enough — full factory reset is the last resort.

Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. For advice specific to your Android TV model, router and devices, please consult a verified expert on Whizz-Tech before making decisions.

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FAQ

Why is my Android TV not showing up as a cast device?

Usually your Android TV does not appear in cast lists because the TV and phone are on different networks, the router is isolating devices, or Google Cast/Android System WebView on the TV needs a restart or update. Putting both devices on the same Wi-Fi, disabling client isolation and refreshing those apps fixes most “no devices found” casting errors.

How do I fix Android TV not discovering Bluetooth devices?

On the TV, go to Remotes & Accessories, remove old pairings, toggle Bluetooth off and on, then restart the TV. Put the accessory (soundbar, headphones, controller) into pairing mode and scan again. If no Bluetooth devices appear, resetting the accessory and checking for Android TV system updates usually restores discovery.

Why doesn’t my Android TV detect HDMI devices like consoles or soundbars?

If the picture works but the TV doesn’t list the device, HDMI-CEC/Bravia Sync may be disabled or confused. Turn CEC back on in the external input settings, unplug HDMI cables for a minute, then let the TV scan for devices again. Using good HDMI cables and limiting CEC to the ports you use helps Android TV detect HDMI devices more reliably.

When should I reset Android TV to fix device discovery issues?

Try simple steps first: reboot TV and router, refresh Google Cast/WebView, and check Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/CEC settings. If Android TV still doesn’t discover devices or never appears in cast lists, a network reset or uninstalling updates for Google Cast/WebView may help. Only use a full factory reset if all other options fail.

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