Are you wondering why you cannot watch anything on Hulu?
Hulu is an on-demand movie streaming service that is probably the one closest to Netflix. Its platform is well-optimized for most devices and doesn’t run into errors often compared to other competitors.
They have a generous amount of titles in the library with some of the best series on various stations like ABC, AMC, CBS, and more.
If you have a few bucks lying around, you can also add services like HBO Max, SHOWTIME, Cinemax, Starz and more to increase the amount of content available on your account.
However, this all comes to waste if you cannot watch anything on Hulu, right? Since you are paying your hard earned money for the subscription, it is understandable if you get frustrated when this happens.
In most cases, problems with Hulu are caused by their servers encountering unexpected issues or network connectivity issues due to poor internet service.
To help you address this issue, we’ve decided to make a guide on what to do if you cannot watch anything on Hulu.
Let’s get started!
1. Check Hulu Servers.
When you encounter issues on Hulu, the first thing that you should always check is its servers. Since Hulu is an online platform, its servers play a significant role in keeping everything in order. If the app is not working correctly, its servers are probably down or offline.
To verify this, you can visit third-party sites like Downdetector, where you can view the current situation of the servers and the past issues they encountered.
If Hulu’s servers are down, the best thing to do for now is to wait for their team to address the issue. On the other hand, proceed to the following method below if there’s nothing wrong with Hulu’s end.
2. Lower Your Stream Quality.
Streaming videos online can consume a lot of internet bandwidth. If shows on Hulu are not loading on your end, your internet connection could be struggling to keep up with the demand coming from Hulu.
To fix this, change the stream quality on your device to reduce the load on your network.
Check out the guide below to lower the playback quality on Hulu:
- First, open Hulu on your device.
- After that, go to your Profile and access the Settings page.
- Lastly, tap on Cellular Data Usage and change it to Data Saver.
Once done, go back to Hulu and check if you can now play your favorite shows on the platform.
3. Re-Login to Your Account.
Your account may have encountered a temporary issue that caused the platform to malfunction and videos not to load. To fix this, you need to log out of your account and wait for several minutes before logging back in to reload its data.
On Android and iOS devices, you can log out of your Hulu account by doing the following:
- On your device, access the application drawer and launch the Hulu app.
- Now, tap on your Profile from the bottom navigation bar.
- Finally, tap the Log Out button to close your current session.
If you are using a browser, follow the steps below to log out of your account:
- First, open your preferred browser and access the Hulu website.
- After that, point the mouse cursor to your Profile to view the drop-down menu.
- Lastly, click the Log Out button to sign out of your account.
After logging out of your account, wait for 2 to 3 minutes before re-accessing it. Try playing a random show on Hulu to check if the problem is solved.
If you still cannot watch anything on Hulu, proceed to the following method below to address the issue.
4. Check and Reset Your Internet.
Network connectivity problems could also be the reason why you cannot watch anything on Hulu. To check if your internet is the problem, run a speed test using Fast.com to measure your network’s upload and download bandwidth.
If the result indicates that your network is unstable or running slow, restart your router to re-establish your internet service provider’s connection. Unplug your router’s power cable from the outlet and wait for 10 seconds before plugging it back in.
Once your router has restarted, run another test to confirm if it is now working correctly. On the other hand, contact your ISP if you continue to experience network-related issues and ask them to fix their service.
You can also consider upgrading your current plan if your network speed is below the 3 Mbps bandwidth requirement of Hulu.
5. Turn Off Your VPN.
If you are running VPNs on your device, it can also be the culprit for this issue on Hulu. VPNs are third-party services that protect your network from hackers and other entities. They make changes to your IP address to keep your identity and location private and filter the data going out of your device to hide sensitive records online.
However, some VPNs don’t work that well and could interrupt your network connection, making it difficult for your device to communicate with Hulu’s servers.
To fix this, turn off your VPN first before using the platform on your device.
On the other hand, you can also try other services like PureVPN if you don’t want to go online without protection. Compared to other VPNs, it keeps your network stable and works well with other applications.
You can also visit our dedicated guide if you want to access Hulu outside the US using VPNs.
6. Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies.
Browsers store temporary data on your device called caches and cookies. Your browser uses this data to boost its performance and enhance your overall experience. However, caches and cookies accumulate over time and could slow down your browser.
If you cannot watch anything on Hulu, try clearing your browsing data to free up some storage space:
- First, open your preferred browser and access its Settings.
- After that, scroll down to Privacy and Security and click on Clear Browsing Data.
- Now, click on the Time Range tab and select All Time from the drop-down list.
- Lastly, include caches and cookies in the process and hit the Clear Data button.
Once done, go back to Hulu and check if you can now watch your favorite movies and TV shows.
7. Disable Your Browser Extensions.
Extensions are mini-programs installed on your browser that add functionality to some websites. However, not all websites are compatible with browser extensions, and they could malfunction if these extensions get in the way.
If movies and TV shows on Hulu are not playing on your browser, disable your extensions to fix the issue. Check out the steps below to turn off browser extensions:
- On your browser, click on the Options button at the top right corner of your display and select Settings.
- Now, click on the Extensions tab from the side menu to manage your browser extensions.
- Finally, turn off your browser extensions, especially those related to video playback.
Restart your browser afterwards and go back to Hulu to check if the problem is solved.
8. Run Malwarebytes.
Malware and other viruses could have infiltrated your system and caused other applications not to work correctly. Viruses consume your system resources and network bandwidth, making it very difficult for your device and other applications to function.
To check for viruses, download Malwarebytes on your device and run its full system scan tool. This will prompt the program to search your entire storage for infected files and remove them automatically from your device.
9. Clear Hulu App Data (Android Only).
If you are using an Android device, you can try clearing Hulu’s app data before making any significant changes to your system. Some of Hulu’s application data may have gotten corrupted during use, which explains the issue.
To clear Hulu’s app data, follow the steps below:
- First, access the Settings app on your device.
- Scroll down to the Apps tab and open Hulu.
- Lastly, open the Storage tab and tap the Clear Data button.
Once done, re-login to your Hulu account and check if the problem is solved.
10. Update the Hulu App.
Hulu releases timely updates to its platform to ensure that errors are being patched and that the app is running smoothly on most devices. If you cannot watch anything on Hulu, try to check for updates to fix the issue.
On Android, you can update Hulu by doing the following:
- First, open Google Play Store on your device and access the side menu.
- After that, tap on My Apps & Games.
- Lastly, tap the Update button next to Hulu to install the latest version on your device.
For iOS users, see the steps below to update Hulu:
- On your device, tap on the App Store to launch it.
- Now, access your Profile to view the applications with available updates.
- Finally, hit the Update button beside Hulu to update the app.
If you are using other devices, check the guides below to help you out:
- Fire TV and Fire Stick
- Apple TV 2nd and 3rd Generation
- Apple TV 4th Gen and Newer
- Nintendo Switch
- Roku
- Playstation 4
- Xbox One
After updating Hulu, go back to the app and try watching a random movie or TV show to check if the problem is solved.
11. Reinstall Hulu.
If the update did not work, try reinstalling the Hulu app on your device. Some of its installation files may have gotten corrupted, or the app is not installed correctly on your device.
On Android, you can reinstall Hulu by doing the following steps:
- First, open your application drawer and find Hulu.
- Tap and hold its app icon and select Uninstall from the options menu.
- Lastly, go to the Google Play Store on your device and reinstall Hulu.
For iOS users, check out the guide below to reinstall Hulu:
- On your home screen, find Hulu and press its app icon to access the selection screen.
- After that, tap on Remove App to delete Hulu.
- Finally, open the App Store and reinstall the app from there.
If you are using other systems, please visit the guide dedicated for your device below:
Once done, go back to your account and check if you can now watch movies and TV shows on Hulu.
12. Report the Problem to Hulu.
If you still cannot watch anything on Hulu, we suggest that you visit the Help Center and get in touch with their customer support. When reporting an issue, be sure to provide a screenshot of the problem to help their team assess the situation faster.
You can also visit the posts on Hulu’s Community page and see if other users experienced the same problem.
This sums up our guide on what to do if you cannot watch anything on Hulu. If you have any questions or other concerns, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to help you out.
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