Netflix Freezing? Here’s The Fix!

Are you trying to figure out why Netflix is freezing on your device? 

Netflix has provided a way for people to watch movies on the go comfortably. Their platform is well optimized for content consumption so that it doesn’t require a lot of internet bandwidth to stream HD movies. 

Their library is composed of thousands of movies and TV shows, plus original releases from Netflix themselves. Currently, Netflix is arguably the best on-demand movie streaming service with a few competitors like Amazon Prime and HBO Max. 

Now, if you are here, you’re probably having a hard time watching your favorite titles on the platform because Netflix is freezing randomly. 

Usually, this problem is caused by an issue on your device’s operating system, or Netflix’s installation files got corrupted. It is also possible that Netflix’s servers are down for maintenance or an unexpected error occurred. 

To help you, we’ve decided to make a detailed guide on what to do if Netflix is freezing on your device. 

Without further delays, let’s get started! 

1. Check Netflix Servers. 

Since Netflix is an online app, there’s a good chance that its servers are the culprit. Netflix’s servers can encounter issues occasionally, or their team is performing preventive maintenance. 

If you experience any issues on the platform, please visit their Help Center and go to the status page to check the current situation of Netflix. You can also use third-party sites like Downdetector if Netflix’s website is not accessible. 

Check the website occasionally so that you’ll immediately know once Netflix’s servers are up and running. 

2. Check and Reset Your Internet. 

A slow internet connection could also cause Netflix to freeze randomly. If your network is unstable, your device may have difficulty communicating with Netflix’s servers and could not process your request.

To verify if your connection is the problem, perform a speed test using Fast.com to ensure that your network meets the minimum 1.5 Mbps speed required by Netflix. 

If your network is running slow, restart your router to re-establish the link with your internet service provider. Remove your router’s power cable from the wall outlet and allow it to rest for 10 seconds. Once done, plug back in the power chord to restart your network router. 

After restarting your router, run another speed test to check if your network is now running correctly. Contact your ISP if you continue to experience your network problems and ask them to address the issue. 

3. Test on Another Device. 

You can also try streaming on another device if you experience random freezes. If you are using a mobile phone, try accessing Netflix on a browser and see if the problem persists. 

If Netflix is freezing on any device, proceed to the final method below to report the issue to Netflix’s support team. 

4. Re-Login to Your Netflix Account. 

Temporary bugs and glitches can occur on Netflix and cause your user data to be corrupted. If this happens, you can experience random errors like Netflix freezing and streaming problems on your current session. 

To fix this, sign out of your Netflix account and log back in to refresh your account data. 

On Android and iOS devices, follow the guide below to sign out your Netflix account: 

1. First, open the Netflix app from your home screen. 
2. After that, tap your Profile icon from the top right corner of your display. 
3. Lastly, scroll to the bottom of the page and tap the Sign Out button. Follow the prompts afterward to confirm your action. 

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For Windows users, you can sign out your Netflix account by doing the following:

1. On Windows, launch the Netflix app from the desktop.
2. Next, click on More Options. 
3. Finally, click the Sign Out button and follow the on-screen prompts to proceed. 

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If you are on a browser or macOS computer, check out the steps below to sign out your Netflix account: 

1. Open your preferred browser and access the Netflix website. 
2. Now, point the cursor to your Profile to access the drop-down menu. 
3. Lastly, click Sign Out of Netflix to log out of your account. 

After logging out of your Netflix account, wait for 2-3 minutes before logging back in. 

On the other hand, visit Netflix’s Help Center and find the dedicated guide for you if you don’t see your device from the list above. 

5. Turn Off VPN. 

Although Netflix has many titles in their library, some movies and TV shows are not available for some regions due to licensing issues. Other users use VPN services to bypass these restrictions, which can cause Netflix to face legal actions. 

To prevent this, Netflix flags down users who run VPNs on their devices. If you are using VPN services, please turn them off before accessing Netflix. 

On the other hand, you can also use other alternatives like PureVPN if you don’t want to go online without protection. Unlike other VPNs, it doesn’t interfere with your connection and works well with Netflix. 

6. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies.

If Netflix keeps freezing on your browser, the problem could be with its caches and cookies. 

Search browsers store temporary data on your computer to improve its overall performance. However, these data can accumulate over time and slow down your browser. 

To fix this, clear your browsing data to free up memory on your system. Follow the steps below to guide you on the process: 

1. First, open your preferred browser and click the Options button at the top right corner of your display. 
2. After that, click on Settings and scroll down to the Privacy and Security tab. 
3. Next, click on Clear Browsing Data. 
4. Change the Time Range to All Time and include caches and cookies in the process. 
5. Lastly, click the Clear Data button to start the process. 

After clearing your browsing data, go back to Netflix and see if you would still experience random freezes. 

7. Disable Browser Extensions. 

Browser extensions are third-party applications that provide extra features to specific websites. However, there are extensions not compatible with some websites and cause them not to work correctly. 

If you cannot use Netflix on your browser, turn off your browser extensions first and see if the problem goes away. 

See the steps below to disable browser extensions: 

1. On your browser, click on the Options button and access the Settings tab. 
2. After that, click the Extensions button from the side menu. 
3. Lastly, disable all extensions installed on your browser. 

8. Run Malwarebytes. 

Viruses and malware could’ve infected your system and caused other applications to malfunction. They can also eat up your system resources and negatively affect your device’s performance. 

To check your device for viruses, download Malwarebytes and run a full system scan. It is antivirus software that automatically scans and removes malware and other viruses from your device. Malwarebytes can also help prevent viruses from infecting your device in the future. 

9. Restart Your Device. 

Whenever you encounter problems on Netflix or other platforms, you should always try restarting your device. Temporary errors can occur on your operating system and cause programs to malfunction. 

To fix this, simply restart your device to reload all of its resources. Check out the guide below to reboot your operating system. 

On Android devices, follow the steps below to restart it: 

1. First, unlock your Android device and press its Power button to access the selection menu. 
2. After that, tap the Restart button to reboot your device. 
3. Wait for your device to reboot, which can take several seconds. 

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For iOS users, you can restart your device by doing the following: 

1. On your device, press the Power button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ screen shows up. 
2. Next, drag the slider to the right until your display turns off. 
3. Lastly, tap the Power button again to restart your iOS device. 

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If you are using a Windows computer, check out the guide below to restart your device: 

1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard to access the Start Menu. 
2. After that, click the Power button to access the Power Options menu. 
3. Lastly, click on Restart and wait for your operating system to reboot. 

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For macOS devices, you can restart them by doing the following: 

1. On your Mac, click the Apple logo at the top left corner of your display. 
2. Now, click the Restart button from the drop-down menu. 
3. Finally, click on Restart again inside the dialog box. 

Once done, go back to Netflix and see if you would still encounter random freezes on the platform. 

10. Clear Netflix App Data (Android). 

If you are using an Android device, you can also try clearing Netflix’s app data if it keeps freezing. Random errors can occur in its application files and cause the platform to malfunction. 

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

1. On your home screen, find the Settings app and launch it. 
2. Next, scroll down and tap on the Apps tab. 
3. Find Netflix from the list and tap its app icon. 
4. Lastly, access the Storage tab and tap the Clear Data button. 

After clearing Netflix’s app data, go back to the app and see if it would still freeze. 

11. Update Netflix. 

Netflix releases frequent updates on its platform to improve its performance and patch any errors that may have occurred. If you experience issues on Netflix, try updating the app on your device. 

On Android, you can update the Netflix app by doing the following: 

1. First, open the Google Play Store from your app drawer and tap the Menu button to access the side drawer. 
2. After that, prompt the Play Store to check for updates by tapping on My Apps & Games. 
3. Find the Netflix app from the list and tap the Update button beside it to install the latest version. 

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For iOS users, see the steps below to update Netflix: 

1. On your device, go to the home screen and open the App Store. 
2. Next, tap on your Profile icon to access the list of applications with an available update. 
3. Finally, tap the Update button next to Netflix if there’s a newer version available. 

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

1. On your computer, open the Start Menu and launch the Microsoft Store. 
2. After that, click on your Profile and open the Downloads or Updates tab. 
3. Now, click on Check for Updates. 
4. Lastly, click the Download button beside Netflix to install the update. 

If you don’t see your device from the list, go to Netflix’s Help Center and find the dedicated guide for your device.

12. Update Your Operating System.

Your operating system could be the reason Netflix and other applications are not working correctly on your device. The version running on your system could have an issue, or some of its files got corrupted during use. 

Thankfully, most manufacturers occasionally release updates on their OS to patch these errors. If you encounter problems on your device, try updating its OS to the latest version. 

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

1. First, open the Settings app from your application drawer. 
2. Next, find the About Phone / About tab and access it. 
3. Finally, tap on Check for Updates and select Install if your device detected an update. 

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For iOS users, follow the steps below to update your operating system: 

1. On your home screen, tap on the Settings app to open it. 
2. After that, go to the General tab and tap on Software Updates. 
3. If there’s an update available, follow the on-screen prompts to install it. 

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If you are using a Windows PC, you can update your operating system by doing the following: 

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to access the Start Menu. 
2. Now, click on Settings and access the Update & Security tab. 
3. Finally, click the Download button if there’s an available update for your OS. 

After updating your OS, restart your device and check if you would still encounter problems on Netflix. 

13. Update Your Graphics Driver (Windows). 

If Netflix keeps freezing on your Windows PC, your system might not have the proper graphics driver installed. To play videos on Windows, you need the correct drivers installed on your system. 

To install or update your graphics driver, follow the steps below: 

1. First, open the Start Menu and search for the Device Manager. 
2. Open the Device Manager and click on Display Adapters. 
3. Lastly, click on Update Driver and follow the on-screen prompts. 

After updating your graphics driver, go back to Netflix and see if you would still experience issues on the platform. 

14. Reinstall the Netflix App. 

Netflix’s installation files may have gotten severely corrupted, and the update can no longer fix it. If this is the case, the best option you got is to reinstall the app on your device. 

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

1. On your home screen, find the Netflix app from the list. 
2. Next, tap and hold its app icon until the selection screen shows up. 
3. Lastly, tap on Uninstall to delete Netflix. 

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For iOS users, follow the guide below to delete Netflix: 

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

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If you are using a Windows computer, see the steps below to remove Netflix: 

1. Press the Windows + S keys on your keyboard and search for Add or Remove Programs. 
2. After that, open it and find Netflix from the list. 
3. Lastly, tap on Uninstall to delete the Netflix app. 

After deleting Netflix, reinstall the app on your device and check if Netflix is still freezing randomly. 

15. Report the Problem to Netflix. 

If you still can’t use Netflix, we suggest that you let the professionals take over. 

Visit Netflix’s Help Center and contact their customer service from there. Make sure to provide all the details regarding your problem to help their team address the matter faster. If possible, include a screenshot of the issue to make it easier for Netflix to understand the situation. 

This ends our guide in fixing Netflix if it keeps freezing randomly on your device. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below, and we’ll try our best to answer them whenever we can. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂