Are you wondering why Netflix is not opening on your device?
Today, Netflix is arguably the most popular on-demand movie streaming service with thousands of movies and TV shows on their library. They even produce films and TV shows that have received a lot of good feedback through the years.
The platform is subscription-based, so you have to pay a certain amount of premium each month to enjoy the vast library of titles on Netflix.
Given that the app receives thousands of users every day, it is impressive that Netflix has managed to handle that kind of traffic with minimal errors on the platform.
However, there are times when their servers go down, or an error occurs and stops the platform’s activities. If Netflix is not opening on your device, it can be frustrating, especially if you need to take off your mind from work or school projects.
Thankfully, you can relax now. This guide will show you a few troubleshooting techniques to fix Netflix if it is not opening on your device.
Let’s get started!
1. Check Netflix’s Servers.
Before making any changes on your device, you should verify first if the problem is with Netflix or your end. To do this, visit Netflix’s dedicated status page, where you can view their servers’ current status.
However, if the page is not accessible, you can use third-party tools like Downdetector. It is a website that shows the current status of various applications and the problems they encountered for the past 24 hours.
If Netflix’s servers are down, the best option you got is to wait until their team gets everything sorted out. Now, we still suggest that you continue with the rest of the methods below and see if anything can help you out.
2. Reset Your Account Password.
If you cannot open your Netflix profile, you could be using an old password or login credentials for a different website. In this case, we suggest that you reset your Netflix password to ensure that you are using the correct login details.
Check out the steps below to reset your Netflix password:
Reset Password via Email:
- First, visit the Netflix Log In Help page using your browser.
- After that, select Email and provide the email address you’ve used to register on Netflix.
- Now, click the Email Me button.
- Lastly, go to your email and follow the instructions sent by Netflix to reset your password.
Reset Password via Phone:
- On your browser, go to Netflix’s Log In Help website.
- Next, select Text Messages (SMS) and enter your mobile number. Make sure to choose the correct country code for your region.
- After that, click on Text Me and copy the code sent by Netflix to your phone.
- Finally, enter the code on Netflix’s website and follow the instructions to reset your password.
Once done, try to re-access your account and see if Netflix will now open.
If Netflix bills you through a third-party service, visit Netflix’s Help Center and search for the guide dedicated to your carrier.
3. Sign Out of Netflix on All Devices.
Netflix has a limit on the number of devices that could use your account simultaneously. If the Netflix app is not opening on your device, you may have reached that limit, and you need to remove some devices.
To fix this, sign out your Netflix account on all your devices. See the steps below to do this process faster:
- First, open Netflix’s website using your browser.
- After that, hover the mouse cursor to your Profile and click on Account.
- Now, under the Settings tab, click on Sign Out of All Devices.
- Finally, click on Sign Out.
Once done, go back to your device and try to open Netflix again.
4. Turn Off VPN.
Netflix restricts access to its users who run VPN services on their device. Some users use VPNs to bypass restrictions and access contents that are not available for their region. Due to licensing issues, Netflix’s library is not the same with all areas, and some titles may not be available.
If Netflix is not opening on your device, ensure that you are not using any VPNs before accessing the platform.
On the other hand, you can also use other VPNs like PureVPN, which works well with Netflix. You can also use it to watch titles that are not available for your region without problems.
PureVPN keeps your connection stable while protecting your data from hackers and other entities.
5. Clear Your Browsing Data.
Search browsers take advantage of temporary data on your device called caches and cookies to improve its performance when loading websites. However, if Netflix is not opening on your browser, some of its data may have been corrupted.
If this is the case, we recommend clearing your browsing data to eliminate any corrupted files.
Check out the guide below to clear your browser cache and cookie:
- On your browser, click on the Options button at the top right corner of your display and access the Settings tab.
- After that, click on Clear Browsing Data under the Privacy and Security tab.
- Now, click on Time Range and select All Time from the drop-down list.
- Finally, include caches and cookies in the process and hit the Clear Data button.
After clearing your browsing data, go back to Netflix to check if the problem is solved.
6. Run Malwarebytes.
If you cannot access Netflix or any applications on your device, your system may be suffering from a malware or virus attack. To confirm this, use Malwarebytes and run a full system scan on your device.
Malwarebytes automatically scans your storage for infected files and removes them from your system with a single button press.
It is available on major platforms such as Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
7. Restart Your Device.
Bugs and other problems may have occurred on your operating system and are now causing all sorts of issues with the applications you are using. We suggest restarting your device to reload its resources and eliminate any errors in the process.
On Android, follow the steps below to restart your device:
- First, locate the Power button of your device and hold it down to access the Options screen.
- After that, tap on Restart to reboot your device.
- Wait for your device to restart, which can take several seconds.
For iOS users, you can restart your device by doing the following:
- On your device, press the Power button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ screen shows up.
- Now, drag the slider to the right until your display turns black.
- Lastly, press the Power button again to restart your device.
If you use a Windows PC, check out the steps below to restart it:
- On your computer, press the Start button to access the Start Menu.
- After that, click on the Power button to open the Power Options tab.
- Finally, click on Restart to reboot your operating system.
For macOS devices, follow the guide below to reboot it:
- First, click the Apple logo on the top left corner of your display.
- Next, click on Restart from the drop-down menu.
- Lastly, click on Restart again from the dialog box to reboot your device.
If you are on another device, visit Netflix’s Help Center and find the dedicated guide to restart your device.
After restarting your device, go back to Netflix and see if it will now open without problems.
8. Clear Netflix App Data.
On Android, you can control your application files, which makes troubleshooting easier. If Netflix is not opening on your Android device, its application data may have gotten corrupted due to a failed update or user error.
To fix this, clear Netflix’s app data to eliminate any corrupted files. Check out the steps below to guide you:
- On your Android device, access the home screen and tap on Settings to open it.
- After that, scroll down to the Apps tab and open it.
- Now, tap on the Netflix app from the list of applications installed on your device.
- Finally, open the Storage tab and tap on Clear Data.
Once done, go back to Netflix to see if the problem is solved.
9. Update the Netflix App.
Netflix’s team releases timely updates on their platform to keep it optimized and ensure that errors are getting fixed. However, if you haven’t updated the Netflix app for a long time, it may be due for an update to patch the errors that may have occurred.
On Android, you can update the Netflix app by doing the following:
- First, open the Google Play Store from your application drawer and access the side drawer.
- After that, tap on My Apps & Games to prompt the Google Play Store to check for updates.
- Finally, tap the Update button beside Netflix if there’s an available update.
For iOS devices, you can update Netflix by following the steps below:
- On your device, access the home screen and launch the App Store.
- Next, tap on your Profile located at the top right corner of your display.
- Lastly, scroll down and find the Netflix app from the list. Tap the Update button to install the latest version of Netflix.
If you are using Netflix on Windows, check out the steps below to update the app:
- Access the Start Menu and open the Microsoft Store.
- Now, click on your Profile next to the Search bar and access the Downloads or Updates tab.
- After that, click on Check for Updates.
- Finally, click the Download button next to Netflix to install the latest version.
Visit Netflix’s Help Center if you don’t see your device from the methods above and look for your device’s dedicated guide.
After updating Netflix, go back to the app and see if you can now access it without issues.
10. Check and Reset Your Internet.
Since Netflix is an online platform, a stable internet connection is required to access it without problems. To check if your network is running correctly, perform a test using Fast.com to measure its current upload and download speed.
If the test indicates that your internet is slow, restart your router to re-establish your service provider’s connection. Find your router’s power cable and unplug it from the outlet for around 10 seconds. After that, plug back in the power cable to restart your network router.
Once done, re-run the test on your network to check if you are reaching the correct upload and download speed indicated on your monthly subscription. If you continue to experience network problems, contact your ISP and ask them to fix their service.
11. Report the Problem to Netflix.
If Netflix is still not opening on your device, we suggest that you let the professionals handle the troubleshooting process.
Contact Netflix’s support and report the problem you experience on the platform. Make sure to provide your account details, the device you use, and a screenshot of the problem if possible to help their team address the situation faster.
On the other hand, you can also try finding possible solutions on the articles on Netflix’s Help Center.
This brings us to the end of our guide in fixing Netflix if it is not opening on your device. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or concerns, and we’ll do our best to answer them.
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