Black Screen with Sound on Netflix? Here’s The Fix!

Do you see a black screen with sound on Netflix when playing a movie or TV show? 

No matter how optimized Netflix’s platform is, it’s not exempted from occasional errors and glitches. Since the platform is available for multiple devices, many problems can occur at any time. 

One of the most common problems on Netflix is the black screen with sound. Most of the time, this error is caused by a problem with your system files, an issue with Netflix servers, or corrupted installation files. 

Since there are several factors to consider, troubleshooting can be confusing, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. 

We’ve decided to guide you in fixing the black screen with sound issues on Netflix to help you out. 

Let’s jump right in!

1. Check Netflix Servers. 

Before making any changes on your device, the first thing that you should always do is to verify if the problem is with Netflix or your end. To do this, visit Netflix’s dedicated status page to check if there’s an issue with their servers. 

If the website is inaccessible, you can also use third-party sites like Downdetector, where you can view the current status of Netflix and the past issues it encountered. 

2. Check and Reset Your Internet. 

A problem with your internet connection could also be why the black screen with sound on Netflix occurs. Although Netflix does not require a lot of internet bandwidth, your network should meet the 1.5 Mbps minimum requirement. 

To check your connection speed, perform a test using Fast.com to measure your network’s upload and download bandwidth. 

If the result indicates that your network is slow, restart your router to refresh the link with your ISP’s servers. Find the power cable of your network router and unplug it from the wall outlet. After 5 to 10 seconds, plug back in the power chord to restart your router. 

Once done, re-run the test to check if the restart worked. If your network continues to run slow, contact your ISP and ask them to fix the problem. 

3. Test Using Another Device. 

If you cannot watch Netflix titles on your current device, you can also try streaming Netflix content on another device. 

The current device you are using could have an issue within its system files and causes Netflix to malfunction. Proceed to the following methods below if you cannot play shows on Netflix on a particular device.

 

4. Re-Login to Your Account. 

Your user data may have gotten corrupted during use or when Netflix’s servers encountered a problem. In this case, you need to sign out of your account and log back in to refresh your current session. 

On Android and iOS, you can sign out of your account by doing the following: 

1. First, open the Netflix app on your device. 
2. After that, tap on your Profile icon from the top right corner of your display. 
3. Lastly, tap the Sign Out button at the bottom of your screen. 

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For Windows users, follow the guide below to sign out your Netflix account: 

1. On your desktop, open the Netflix app. 
2. Next, click on More Options at the top right corner of your screen. 
3. Finally, click on Sign Out. 

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If you are on a browser or macOS device, see the steps below to sign out of your Netflix account: 

1. First, access the Netflix website using your preferred browser. 
2. After that, point the mouse cursor to your Profile icon. 
3. Lastly, click on Sign Out of Netflix from the drop-down menu. 

After signing out of your account, log back in after several minutes to check if the problem is solved. 

5. Turn Off VPN. 

VPNs are third-party services that provide security over your network and allow you to browse online in different parts of the world. Some use these services to access contents on Netflix that are not available for their region. 

Some titles on Netflix are not available to other countries due to licensing issues. If users from restricted regions can access those titles, Netflix could face legal charges. 

To prevent this, Netflix flags down users who run VPNs on their devices. If you have a VPN running on your device, turn it off before accessing the Netflix platform. 

You can also try other VPNs like PureVPN if you are not comfortable going online without protection. Compared to other services, it works well with Netflix and doesn’t interfere with your internet connection. 

6. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies. 

Search browsers use temporary data called caches and cookies to cut down the loading times of websites. Unfortunately, this data can accumulate over time and cause multiple problems on your system if it gets corrupted. 

If you experience a black screen with sound on Netflix, follow the steps below to clear your browsing data: 

1. On your browser, click on the Options button at the top right corner of your window. 
2. After that, click on Settings and open the Clear Browsing Data tab under Privacy and Security. 
3. Change the target Time Range to All Time and click the checkbox beside ‘Cached Images and Files’ and ‘Cookies and Other Site Data’. 
4. Lastly, click on Clear Data to start the process. 

After clearing your browsing data, go back to your profile and see if you would still encounter the black screen with sound on Netflix. 

7. Try Another Search Browser. 

Your current browser could be experiencing temporary problems and having difficulties loading content on Netflix. If this is the case, you can try using other browsers to stream movies or TV shows on the platform. 

Ideally, consider using popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, which rarely encounter problems. 

8. Run Malwarebytes. 

Malware and other viruses could also be why your system and applications are not functioning as they should usually. Viruses consume your system resources and could affect the performance of other applications on your device. 

If you experience other problems on your device aside from Netflix, download Malwarebytes and use its full system scan feature to eliminate infected files. Malwarebytes automatically searches your whole system for viruses and removes them with a press of a single button. 

9. Clear Netflix App Data. 

Compared to other operating systems, Android devices have more control over their application files. If you experience a black screen with sound on Netflix, you can try clearing its app data to fix the issue. 

Application data can get corrupted when an app encounters a problem or its servers unexpectedly go down. 

Follow the steps below to clear Netflix’s app data: 

1. On your device, access the application drawer and open the Settings app. 
2. Now, scroll down and open the Apps tab. 
3. Find the Netflix app from the list and tap it to access its settings. 
4. Lastly, go to the Storage tab and tap on the Clear Data button. 

After clearing Netflix’s app data, go back to your profile and try playing another title. 

10. Update Netflix App. 

Netflix rolls out frequent updates on their platform to ensure that errors are being patched and optimized for most devices. If you haven’t updated the Netflix app for a long time, now is the time to do so. 

On Android, you can update Netflix by following the steps below: 

1. First, navigate to your app drawer and launch the Google Play Store. 
2. Next, tap on the Menu button inside the search bar to access the side menu. 
3. After that, tap on My Apps & Games to see the list of applications with an available update. 
4. Lastly, tap the Update button beside Netflix to install the latest version. 

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For iOS devices, check out the guide below to update Netflix: 

1. On your home screen, locate the App Store and launch it. 
2. After that, tap on your Profile at the top right corner of your display. 
3. Finally, tap the Update button beside Netflix to install the update. 

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If you are using a Windows device, you can update Netflix by doing the following: 

1. First, access the Start Menu and open the Microsoft Store. 
2. Now, click on More Options and select Downloads and Updates. 
3. After that, find Netflix from the list of programs with available updates. 
4. Lastly, click the Download button beside Netflix to install the latest version. 

After updating the app, try playing another movie or TV show to check if you would still experience a black screen with sound on the Netflix app. 

11. Update Your Device. 

Your device could be lacking the latest system updates and causing compatibility issues on Netflix. It is also possible that an error occurred on your operating system, and an update is needed to patch it. 

If you experience playback issues on Netflix, update your device’s operating system to address the problem. 

On Android, you can update its OS by doing the following: 

1. First, open the Settings app from your home screen. 
2. After that, scroll down and tap on About / About Phone. 
3. Lastly, tap on Check for Updates and follow the on-screen prompts to install the system update. 

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For iOS devices, follow the guide below to update its operating system: 

1. On your home screen, tap the Settings app to launch it. 
2. Next, access the General tab and tap on Software Updates. 
3. Follow the on-screen prompts if your iOS device detected a newer version of its software. 

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If you are on a Windows computer, you can update it by doing the following: 

1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard and click on Settings inside the Start Menu. 
2. Now, click on Update and Security. 
3. Lastly, click on Windows Update and install the latest version of Windows. 

For other devices, please visit your user manual to install the update on your operating system. 

After updating your device, go back to Netflix and check if the problem would still occur. 

12. Reinstall Netflix. 

If updating Netflix did not work, some of its installation files may have gotten corrupted, and the update can no longer fix it.  In this case, we suggest that you delete the app from your device and reinstall a fresh copy. 

This way, you are sure that Netflix is installed correctly and its application files are working. 

On Android, you can delete Netflix by doing the following: 

1. On your app drawer, locate the Netflix app from the list. 
2. Now, press and hold its app icon until the selection menu appears. 
3. Lastly, tap on Uninstall to delete Netflix. 

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For iOS users, check out the guide below to uninstall Netflix: 

1. First, locate the Netflix app from your home screen. 
2. After that, press its app icon until the options screen shows up. 
3. Finally, tap on Remove App to uninstall Netflix. 

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If you are using a Windows PC, you can remove Netflix by doing the following steps: 

1. Press the Windows + S keys on your keyboard and search for Add or Remove Programs. 
2. Now, open it and locate the Netflix app from the list. 
3. Click on Netflix afterward and select Uninstall. Follow the on-screen prompts to remove the app from your computer. 

If you don’t see your device above, visit Netflix’s Help Center and look for the specific guidelines for your system. 

After uninstalling Netflix, reinstall the app on your device and check if the problem is solved. 

13. Report the Problem to Netflix. 

If you still encounter the black screen with sound on Netflix, we suggest that you seek help from the experts. 

Contact Netflix’s customer support and let them know about the issue you’ve experienced on the platform. Make sure to give the necessary information like your account details, the title you are trying to watch, and the device you use to help them understand the situation faster.

You can also browse the guides on their Help Center and see if anything works out for you. 

This sums up our guide on what to do if you encounter a black screen with sound on Netflix. If you have any concerns, please leave a comment below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
 

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