Netflix is actually the most used app on my Firestick and I am pretty sure you all must be using the same. The app works perfectly on many platforms and you can find no glitches or problems with the app anywhere both on your TV and your smartphones. Netflix has stated in one of its press conferences that there are engineers working 24/7 on the app to keep its stability. Yet due to some technical issues, we see that there are some issues with the app when it comes to the Firestick.
Here in this post, we have compiled a list of issues with solutions. We have also included photos, so regardless of whatever model or platform you choose for your Firestick, it would clear all your woes. Depending on the cause why you are facing Netflix not working on Firestick, one of these solutions will definitely work for you. Before making any changes to your Firestick or its settings, we will recommend you to do a quick restart your device and the Netflix app to check if there were issues with the cache. Not only Netflix, but this will solve most of your problems with the Firestick app.
If you are watching Stranger Things (or any other show on Netflix) and suddenly eleven freezes over, you can restart the application and if the problem still exists, try stopping the application by force. Follow the steps below to force stop Netflix:-
There will be a settings icon on the Firestick.
Launch the same and click on ‘Applications’.
Click on ‘Manage Installed Applications.
In the list of the apps, you would find Netflix, click on the same.
There would be a list of commands available on the screen.
Click on Force Stop and then try starting the app.
Method #2. Restart Your Firestick Device
If eleven is still frozen and there is no help with the force stop, you can try rebooting or restarting your Firestick. This would eliminate any bugs and would also load every application from the start. To do this follow the procedure below:-
Launch the Settings application on the Firestick.
Click on ‘My Fire TV’.
Click on ‘Restart’ to reboot your Firestick.
There is also a cheat code for doing the same. You can use this code only if you feel that you can exit or clear anything off. Hold the Play/Pause button and the Select button for about 5 seconds. You will see a prompt saying that your Firestick is turning off. Open your app once again. A more rough alternative would be to just yank the power plug and then plug it back in.
Method #3. Clear Netflix App Cache
Cache files are made so that your app can load faster and so that you don’t have any issues with the speed at which it loads. But the accumulation of cache files over time corrupts the data present and thus it leads to performance issues. If you clear the cache files of Netflix, I am sure that it would take a few more seconds to load but it would work far better than before. To do the same follow the steps below:-
There will be a settings icon on the Firestick.
Launch the same and click on ‘Applications’.
Click on ‘Manage installed applications.
In the list of the apps, you would find Netflix, click on the same.
There would be a list of commands available on the screen. Select clear cache.
Launch the app again and check if it works now.
Method #4. Clear Netflix App Data (Format App)
Even after following everything that is mentioned above, if you still feel that your Netflix is getting hanged in the middle of a show and ruining your mood, you can just clear the app data. The app would start afresh as if it has just been installed in your Firestick. To be honest, sometimes cache files build up deep inside your RAM and you cannot access them and delete them too. Storage memory clogs up the performance process and thus makes your app quite slow. Once in a while, try to clear your app data and this would make sure that your app works just fine. To do the same follow the steps below:-
First of all, go to Firestick Settings from the home screen.
Launch the same and click on ‘Applications’.
Click on ‘Manage Installed Applications.
In the list of the apps, you would find Netflix, click on the same.
There would be a list of commands available on the screen.
Select clear app data.
Now every bit of data related to Netflix would be removed and you can re-launch the app and hopefully there won’t be any issues.
Note:- Even Netflix tweeted once that you shouldn’t fall for fakes and use someone else’s account as they do too. A recent study has confirmed that there are 207 million paid subscriptions for Netflix and about 400 million accounts. So if you belong in the latter category, please don’t curse this article after following the method mentioned above because you would be logged out of your account because you cleared all your data. You have to sign in again, we hope we have cleared ourselves.
Method #5. Update Netflix App
If you feel alienated after hearing this sentence, it’s okay. You are not alone. Many people don’t know that they have to update their apps not only on their phones but on their Firesticks too. If the app is buggy and has some software bugs, these bugs can be cleared off by updating your app. The reason why you may have probably never heard of this is that the Firestick updates your app automatically. But if due to some unforeseen circumstances, you have turned off auto-update in a hurry to watch your favorite show, then you need to manually update the app. Simply follow the steps below and you would be able to do so:-
There will be a settings icon on the Firestick.
Click on the same and select ‘Notifications’.
There would be a row of apps with notifications. If you don’t have any notifications for Netflix, jump to the next method. Otherwise, read on.
Click on the notification from the AppStore on Netflix.
Select ‘Netflix’.
An option of update would pop up and you can tap on the same. It will also show you a list of things that have been fixed or added to the app.
Method #6. Update Firestick Software
We hope you know that like your android device going from Android Oreo to Android Pie, you have to update your Firestick too. Since Firestick is used primarily for Netflix by many people, an outdated Firestick may cause the app to crash several times. To avoid this issue, you can update the OS. Amazon regularly updates its OS so that it can fix any issues related to its operating system. To do so, follow the steps below:-
There will be a settings icon on the Firestick.
Click on the same and select ‘My Fire TV’.
In the list below, you would find an option as ‘About’.
Click on ‘Check For Updates.
If at all there is an update available, you can install the same by clicking on ‘Install Update’.
Do not be okay with your Remote or the power plug during the installation process. Have patience, it would take up to 5 mins for the same.
Method #7. Reinstall Netflix App
If nothing helps and you have tried every option given above, there are two options left. There might be something wrong with either your app or your Firestick. The latter would be explained in the ‘H’ point. As for the Netflix part, you can delete the app and reinstall it again so that it would be started from the beginning. To uninstall Netflix, follow the steps below:-
There will be a settings icon on the Firestick. Launch the same and click on ‘Applications’.
Click on ‘Manage installed applications’.
In the list of the apps, you would find Netflix, click on the same.
There would be a list of commands available on the screen. Select the option ‘Uninstall’.
Reboot the Firestick and then Install the app again.
For reinstallation, search ‘Netflix’ in the Amazon app store and download the same.
Method #8. Reset Firestick Device (Only When Nothing Works)
This is the last resort if nothing works. If these steps also don’t work, try contacting customer care or yeeting the Firestick in the dustbin. Restore the Firestick to factory default settings or reset the same and hopefully, it would work just fine. If you want to reset your Firestick, hold the right button and back button on your remote for about 10 seconds and follow the instructions on the screen.
Final Words
Netflix usually doesn’t hang that much and there could be several reasons as to why your app is having glitches or is turning off. One of the major reasons why this is happening is because of the fact that there is an accumulation of cache files in your OS. Another major reason would be that your app isn’t updated yet. Hopefully, the 8 options to restore your Netflix app to how it was would work and help you with the same. Comment down below as to what option worked for you. Also if there are any questions regarding the topic, please comment the same too!
