Is Hulu freezing on your device?
Hulu is an on-demand streaming service that competes directly with Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+. Compared to Netflix, it is only available in the US and Japan, but it may be launched globally in the future.
While the Hulu app usually works fine most of the time, unexpected bugs and glitches can still occur on the platform and could get in the way of your watching experience.
If Hulu is freezing on your device, it usually indicates that your network connection is running slow or your system is struggling to run the platform. However, unexpected server problems could also be the reason for this issue.
Since several angles need to be checked, troubleshooting may take some time if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Luckily, you have come to the right place.
Today, we will show you what to do if Hulu is freezing on your device.
Let’s begin!
1. Check Hulu’s Servers.
Given that Hulu is an online platform, you must check the status of its servers first before making any changes to your system. You might be wasting your time tweaking various configurations on your device, not knowing that the issue is with Hulu’s end.
To check Hulu’s servers, you can use third-party tools like Downdetector. It is a website where you can view the current situation of applications and the past issues they encountered.
If the servers are down, we suggest that you sit this one out and wait for Hulu’s team to address the problem. On the other hand, continue with the rest of the methods below if their servers are working correctly.
2. Try Watching Another Show.
If Hulu freezes when you play your favorite shows, the problem could lie with the specific title you are trying to watch. Movies and TV shows on Hulu may become unavailable for some time due to technical issues, explaining why the platform freezes when you play them.
To confirm this, select a random show on the media library and play it on your device. If the same error occurs, it means that the entire platform is faulty.
On the other hand, proceed to the last method below if Hulu only freezes when watching specific shows to report the issue.
3. Check If Your Device Is Supported.
Another reason why Hulu is freezing on your device is if it’s not supported. When developers make an app, it is usually optimized for specific devices they plan to accommodate. If you are using an unsupported device, the Hulu app may not function correctly due to compatibility issues.
In this case, we suggest that you visit the Hulu Help Center to confirm if the Hulu app supports your current device.
4. Re-Login to Your Account.
Random errors occur on the Hulu app and could cause your user data to be corrupted. If this happens, unexpected issues may happen with your current session.
To fix this, close your current session by logging out of your account and wait for several minutes before signing in.
On Android and iOS, you can log out of your Hulu account by doing the steps below:
- Go to your app drawer and tap on Hulu to launch the app.
- After that, tap on your Profile located on the bottom navigation bar.
- Finally, tap on Log Out to exit your session.
For browsers, check out the guide below to sign out of your Hulu account:
- First, open the Hulu website using your preferred search browser.
- Point the mouse cursor to your Profile afterwards to access the drop-down menu.
- Lastly, click on Log Out to close your session.
Once done, wait for 2 to 3 minutes before accessing your account to allow your user data to reset.
5. Check and Reset Your Internet.
Hulu requires a minimum internet speed of 3 Mbps to enjoy their platform without issues. For 4K UHD content, your network should have at least 16 Mbps of bandwidth to load the movie or TV show.
If Hulu freezes when you’re watching movies, it may indicate that your network is running slow. Run a speed test using Fast.com to confirm if your internet connection is the problem.
Restart your router if the test result shows that your internet connection is the problem. Locate your router’s power cable and unplug it from the wall outlet for at least 10 seconds. After that, plug back in the power chord to reboot your network router.
Once done, run another test to check if the restart worked. If your network is still unstable, contact your ISP and ask them to address the issue or arrange an upgrade if your current plan is below 3 Mbps.
6. Turn Off Your VPN.
VPNs are third-party services that protect your data and network from hackers and other entities online. They work by making changes to your IP address to keep your location private and filters your data to remove sensitive information like bank records and credit card details.
However, some VPNs don’t work that well and could cause delays and interruptions to your network, making it difficult for your device to load contents from Hulu.
To fix this, make sure that your VPN service is turned off before accessing Hulu.
On the other hand, you can also consider using alternatives like PureVPN if your current VPN doesn’t work with Hulu. Compared to other services, PureVPN keeps your network stable and works well with apps like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Hulu.
If you live outside the US, please visit our guide on how you can access Hulu using virtual private networks.
7. Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies.
Search browsers store temporary data on your device locally, called caches and cookies. These data are used to speed up the loading times of websites and improve your browser’s overall performance.
Unfortunately, caches and cookies can accumulate over time and get corrupted. If this happens, your browser may encounter unexpected issues, and the sites you visit may not load.
To fix this, follow the steps below to eliminate corrupted data on your system:
- First, open your preferred browser and press the CTRL + H keys on your keyboard.
- Inside the History tab, click on Clear Browsing Data on the side menu.
- After that, a separate tab should open on your browser. Click on Time Range and select All Time from the menu.
- Lastly, ensure that caches and cookies are included in the process and click the Clear Data button.
Once done, go back to Hulu and check if the platform would still freeze when playing a movie or TV show.
8. Run Malwarebytes.
If your entire system is running slow and other apps are freezing, it may indicate that malware or virus infiltrated your device. These are malicious files that consume your system resources, making it difficult for other applications to function normally.
To fix this, download Malwarebytes on your device and run the full system scan tool. This will scan your entire storage for malware and other viruses and automatically remove them from your system without lifting a single finger.
9. Clear Hulu App Data (Android Only).
Similar to browsers, applications on Android store temporary data on your device to improve their performance. However, this data can get corrupted due to random bugs and glitches, which can negatively affect the app’s performance.
If Hulu is freezing on your Android device, follow the steps below to clear its app data:
- On your device, tap on the Settings app to launch it.
- After that, go to the Apps tab and tap on Hulu.
- Lastly, access the Storage tab and hit the Clear Data button.
Once done, log back into your Hulu account and check if the app would still freeze.
10. Update the Hulu App.
Applications need occasional updates to keep them running smoothly and ensure that bugs and glitches are getting patched. If you haven’t updated the Hulu app on your device, try checking for an update to fix the freezing issue.
On Android, you can update Hulu by doing the following:
- First, open the Google Play Store on your device and tap on My Apps & Games from the side menu.
- After that, find Hulu from the list of applications with pending updates.
- Lastly, tap the Update button next to Hulu to install the latest version.
If you are using an iOS device, check out the guide below to update Hulu:
- On your device, tap on the App Store to launch it.
- Now, tap on your Profile to access the list of applications with a newer version available.
- Finally, locate Hulu from the list and tap the Update button.
For other devices, refer to the guides below to update Hulu:
- Fire TV and Fire Stick
- Apple TV 2nd and 3rd Generation
- Apple TV 4th Gen and Newer
- Nintendo Switch
- Roku
- Playstation 4
- Xbox One
Once done, launch the Hulu app and check if it will still freeze while playing a movie or TV show.
11. Reinstall Hulu.
If the update did not work, you could try reinstalling the Hulu app on your device. The app may not be installed correctly, or some of its files got corrupted when the servers went down.
On Android, see the steps below to reinstall Hulu on your device:
- First, open your application drawer and locate Hulu.
- Tap and hold its app icon until the selection screen shows up.
- Now, tap on Uninstall to delete the app.
- Lastly, launch the Google Play Store on your device and reinstall Hulu from there.
For iOS devices, follow the steps below to reinstall Hulu:
- On your home screen, press and hold the Hulu app until the options menu shows up.
- After that, tap on Remove App to uninstall the application.
- Finally, go to the App Store on your device and reinstall Hulu.
If you are using other devices, please visit the dedicated guide for your system below to help you:
Try playing another movie or TV show on Hulu after reinstalling the app to check if the problem is solved.
12. Report the Problem to Hulu.
At this point, we recommend that you let Hulu take over if the app is still freezing on your device. Visit the Hulu Help Center and get in touch with their customer support to report the problem. Be sure to provide all the necessary details on your report, including your account information, to make it easier for Hulu to address the issue.
You can also browse the queries on the Hulu Community and see if you can find any solution from the comments.
This ends our guide on what you should do if Hulu is freezing on your device. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comment section below, and we’ll do our best to answer them.
If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂
