If you turned on your TV only to find your Firestick not working, you might be wondering what to do. While the Fire TV Stick is a clever piece of kit, it does, unfortunately, go wrong from time to time.
And when things do go wrong, it's usually at an inopportune moment, that you'll only realise when it's time for you to sit down for movie night, or to catch the series finale of your favourite show, that you've been waiting for all day.
There's a lot to cover, so we're going to dive right in. We'll start with some basic troubleshooting steps that will fix a wide assortment of issues, before drilling down into some more specific challenges that you may encounter.
How To Fix Common Issues With Your Firestick
As we mentioned above, there are some common, catch-all solutions that are well worth trying whatever issue you encounter. So start with these, and see if they resolve your firestick woes.
Read More: How To Transfer An Amazon Gift Card Balance
- Restart your Fire TV Stick.
- Check for any pending updates. Go to Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for Updates.
Assuming these don't work, let's take a look at some of the most common issues that afflict Firestick users, and what to do about them.
Blank Screen
A blank screen is a very common problem for Fire TV Stick users. But usually, it's as simple as making sure your TV is tuned to the correct HDMI port.
It's also worth checking that all your connections are secure, as a loose wire could also be the source of the problem.
No Audio
Most obviously check that the volume hasn't been turned down, or muted. If this doesn't fix the issue, then as above, check that there are no loose connections. It's even worth visually inspecting your cables for any signs of damage.
Finally, look at the audio settings on your Fire TV Stick. Go to Settings > Display & Sounds > Audio > Dolby Digital Output. From here, turn off Dolby Digital Output and see if this resolves your issue.
App Crashes
Another common problem users face is apps crashing for no apparent reason. Often, this is a one-off that resolves itself as soon as you try loading the app again.
But sometimes, the app simply won't behave. In this situation, your first step is to check for any pending app updates, and install any that you find.
Alternatively, you can try clearing the cache of the app that is misbehaving. Go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications. Select the relevant app, then click on Clear cache.
This will clear all the cached data, including your login credentials. So make sure you know your username and password before doing this.
If clearing the cache doesn't work, you can repeat these steps but select Clear data.
And finally, if this doesn't help, try uninstalling and then reinstalling the app.
Remote Not Working
If you are trying to use the remote and it isn't working, the most likely culprit is the batteries. You can check the power level of your remote by going to Settings > Remotes & Bluetooth Devices > Amazon Fire TV Remotes. Click on your remote and it will display how much battery life remains.
You may find you can't actually do this, in which case try new batteries to see if this resolves the problem.
It's also possible to reset your Fire TV remote. The process varies depending on which generation of Firestick you have, so refer to the official Amazon page for guidance specific to your model.
Internet Connection Issues
One of the most common issues with a Firestick is related to internet connectivity.
You'll usually know if you're having internet connection problems because your Fire TV Stick won't be able to display the homepage, or will tell you that there is no internet connection.
Start by going to Settings > Network to check the network status, and see whether there is an active connection. Depending on where your TV is in relation to your router, a weak signal may be a factor.
You can address this by trying a few different fixes:
- Restart your router, and restart your Firestick.
- Disconnect and then reconnect to your WiFi network.
- If your router is far away, try and move them closer to each other to improve the signal strength. You should also look to minimise the number of electrical devices, walls, and other barriers that are between the router and the Firestick.
If All Else Fails
If you've tried all these troubleshooting options, but still find yourself struggling, then your last option is to perform a factory reset on your fire TV Stick. This will delete all your apps, login details and any cached data. But if your Firestick simply isn't working, then it's probably worth a try.
Go to Settings > My Fire TV > Reset to Factory Defaults > Reset
Once it has reset, see if it starts working again. If not, it may indicate that you need a new device. If you are still covered by a warranty, you may be able to get a new one from Amazon without charge.