Do you experience playback issues on Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime is an excellent alternative to Netflix and HBO Max. It features some of the best shows and offers some great exclusives as well.
Despite offering what the competition lacks, Amazon Prime isn’t perfect. From time to time, you will encounter errors on the platform, which could get in the way of your movie night and ruin your experience.
One of the most common problems on Amazon Prime is playback issues.
When this occurs, you won’t be able to watch shows or movies on your device. Although this is isolated to specific shows, there are instances when all content on the platform refuses the play on the app.
After some research, we’ve found out that playback issues on Amazon Prime are usually caused by slow network connections.
However, it can also be due to faulty servers or outdated app versions.
To help you out, we’ve decided to make a guide on what to do if you encounter playback issues on Amazon Prime.
Let’s get right into it!
1. Check for Outages.
Before tweaking your configurations, you might want to check first where the issue is coming from. There might be an issue with the servers, which causes the playback issues on Amazon Prime.
To confirm this, you can use third-party tools like Downdetector to check the status of Amazon’s servers.
If there are reported issues with the service, the best thing to do is wait since server-related problems can only be fixed on Amazon’s end.
On the other hand, you can head to the next method below if the servers are up and running.
2. Restart Your Device.
While this might look like a very simple solution, restarting your device is one of the most effective ways to fix most issues on Amazon Prime or any other application. This will reload your system resources and ensure that your apps are initialized correctly.
If you’re using an Android device, here’s what you need to do:
- Locate the Power button on your Android phone.
- Now, hold it down until the selection screen shows up.
- Finally, tap Restart.
On iOS devices, see the steps below to restart it:
- Access the Assistive Touch on your iPhone.
- Next, tap on Device and go to More.
- Lastly, choose the Restart option.
Once done, go back to Amazon Prime to check if the problem is solved.
3. Check Your Network Connection.
Unstable network connections could also be the reason for playback issues on Amazon Prime. When streaming online, you have to ensure that your internet is working correctly to avoid buffers and other playback problems.
To confirm this, run a test on your network using Fast.com to measure its current upload and download bandwidth.
If the test result indicates a problem with your network, reboot your modem to re-establish the link with your ISP’s servers. Unplug your router from the outlet and wait for 5 to 10 seconds before reconnecting it.
Once done, perform another test to check if the problem is solved. If not, contact your ISP and ask them to fix the issue.
4. Turn Off Your VPN.
VPNs are third-party tools that protect your network and system from hackers and other entities. They can also bypass regional restrictions, which allows you to access applications and services that are not available in your country.
While they work great for security purposes, they do not offer the best performance for your network. Unfortunately, VPNs can negatively affect your network, which can cause playback issues on Amazon Prime.
If you can’t watch movies or shows on your device, we suggest turning off your VPN first before accessing the platform.
5. Re-Login Your Amazon Account.
Forcing the Amazon Prime app to refresh your account data might also help resolve this issue on the platform. There are cases when your data gets corrupted due to random bugs and glitches on the app.
If this happens, see the steps below to stop your current session:
- First, open the Amazon Prime app on your device.
- After that, tap on My Stuff in the bottom navigation bar.
- Now, tap on the Gear icon to access Settings.
- Lastly, tap on ‘Signed In as (Name)’ and choose Sign Out.
Once done, wait for at least five minutes before logging back into your Amazon Prime account.
6. Clear App Data (Android).
For Android users, you can try clearing Amazon Prime’s app data if you can’t watch any title on the app. This will clear your app cache, which might contain corrupted data that causes the playback issue.
Here’s what you need to do:
- On your home screen, hold down Amazon Prime’s app icon until the selection menu shows up.
- After that, tap on App Info and access the Storage tab.
- Finally, tap on Clear Cache, then Clear Data.
Restart your device afterward, re-login to your account, and check if the playback issue is solved.
7. Update Amazon Prime.
Outdated versions of Amazon Prime could also cause playback issues. If you haven’t updated the app for a while, we suggest doing so to patch potential bugs and glitches on the Amazon Prime app.
Head to the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android) on your mobile device and update Amazon Prime. While you’re in there, take the time to download all the pending updates for all of your applications as well.
Go back to Amazon Prime after the update and check if the problem is solved.
8. Reinstall Amazon Prime.
If the update did not resolve the issue, you might need to reinstall Amazon Prime on your device. Some of its installation files may have gotten severely corrupted, and the update can no longer fix it.
In this case, you can follow the guide below to delete Amazon Prime:
- First, go to the home screen or app drawer on your phone.
- Locate Amazon Prime and hold down its app icon.
- Finally, tap on Uninstall (Android) or Remove App (iOS) to delete Amazon Prime.
Once done, reinstall the app on your system and check if the problem is solved.
That brings us to the end of our guide for fixing playback issues on Amazon Prime. If you have questions or other concerns, please voice them out in the comment section, and we’ll do our best to help.
If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂
