Frozen firesticks can be a real pain in the neck. But there are numerous fixes and settings you can adjust to resolve this issue quickly and easily.
Common causes of Firestick freezing include: Cache issues, apps running in the background, slow internet speed and lack of storage.
1. Restart
Many Fire Stick issues can be solved with a simple reboot. Resetting your device returns it to its factory default settings and clears out any temporary caches taking up space on its RAM memory, allowing your Fire Stick to run at peak performance once again.
One of the first steps you should take is to force stop any background apps running on your device. These usually include popular services like YouTube or Netflix and can take up a lot of processing power. To do this, go to SETTINGS > PREFERENCES and turn off “Allow Featured Content to Play”.
Another thing you can do is clear your cache. Doing this will clear any data stored on the device, making it run much faster.
Your Fire Stick’s processor is relatively small, so it cannot handle many tasks at once. This is especially true of background apps which run in the background and consume precious processing power.
Clearing your cache on your Fire Stick is easy: just go to Settings and click on the button labeled “Clear Cache”. After doing so, your device should run at its optimal speed once more!
If your Fire Stick remains frozen even after resetting it, a full factory reset may be the only solution. Resetting your Fire Stick to its factory defaults wipes all information from it – including saved apps and settings – so this can often be the only way to get it working again.
Our experience has shown that generally, this will solve most issues you’ll run into with your Fire Stick. However, there may be instances when resetting won’t help. For instance, if you have installed a VPN app on it, resetting may make installation difficult; especially if the application isn’t available through Amazon App Store.
2. Factory Reset
If your Firestick device is freezing or restarting randomly, factory reset it may be the only solution. This will wipe all data stored on it and return it to its original state – an extreme measure but sometimes necessary if you want your firestick device working again.
This will also clear any memory leaks that might be causing your Firestick to freeze. Many apps on Firestick run in the background, which consumes memory and causes laggy or frozen performance. To stop this process from occurring, run a free app which shows which applications are using RAM on your Firestick and choose which to close out of use.
You can even install a tool that will help you identify the applications taking up too much memory on your Firestick and uninstall them. Doing this gives your apps a fresh start in terms of memory usage so that all applications run at optimal performance once again.
Another advantage of a factory reset is that it helps prevent malware from installing onto your device. Malware usually reconfigures your system, causing it to malfunction incorrectly. With a factory reset, all files and settings will be cleared out – making it impossible for any malicious software to reinstall themselves or alter their configurations.
Before selling or recycling your firestick, performing a factory reset is the best way to guarantee that the new owner cannot access any private data stored on it. This is especially crucial when sharing devices between family members or corporate employees.
A factory reset can also help to eliminate viruses or other hard-to-remove software that may be affecting your device. Some types of malware are persistent, meaning they will reinstall themselves or change their settings every time you turn on the device. By eliminating these viruses and updating the operating system, you can help ensure your Firestick is back running optimally once more.
A factory reset not only wipes away viruses, but it can also significantly enhance your device’s performance and speed. This reduces lag and buffering, making for a much smoother streaming experience with the Firestick.
3. Reinstall Apps
If you’re having issues with an app on your Firestick, restarting it may help solve the problem. But if that doesn’t solve it, reinstalling may also work; this frees up storage space on the device and improves performance.
Alternatively, you can use the Firestick’s Settings menu to uninstall and reinstall apps. Doing so frees up some RAM on the device, making it easier for applications to run smoothly without freezing.
The process is straightforward, but it can be a little frustrating. To start, locate the app causing your issue in Settings > Manage Installed Applications. Once found, close out of that app to resolve issues.
From here, you can view how much memory and data each app consumes as well as its cache size. By keeping these numbers in mind, you can identify which applications are the biggest drains on resources.
Some apps will download data without you knowing, which can cause your device to run slowly and even freeze. If the apps in question are downloading a lot of information without clearing their cache, this usually fixes the issue.
Another possible explanation for why your Firestick may be freezing is because it’s running hot. Since the processor in a Firestick isn’t very powerful, it could be under strain when other processes are running in the background.
One of the best ways to prevent your device from freezing is to close all background apps after you’re finished with them. You can do this by opening “Background Apps and Processes.”
You can clear your Firestick’s cache by going to Settings and clicking the “Cache” option. Select which applications are giving you trouble and click on “Clear Cache.”
If your Firestick continues to freeze, a factory reset may be the next best step. Resetting your Firestick back to its defaults will delete all applications and data on the device – just be sure to read all warnings before pressing that button! Hopefully this will restore your device back to its original state and enable normal operation again.
4. Check Your Internet Connection
Are you having difficulties using the Fire TV interface or viewing video content? Your internet connection may be the culprit. While this can be frustrating, there are steps you can take to restore your streaming device’s connectivity.
Restarting your firestick and allowing the router to restart can often resolve this problem. Additionally, testing your internet speed by running a speed test on another device connected to the same WiFi network as your Fire Stick can provide valuable insight.
Another way to enhance signal strength between your router and firestick is by moving them closer together and eliminating any obstructions between them. This should improve connectivity for your Fire Stick, so it can better mirror content on television screens.
You can check your Wi-Fi signal strength by going to Settings > Network and selecting your network. Alternatively, you could try connecting the Fire Stick to a different network if your modem offers both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies; switching between them may help determine which works best.
When possible, it’s wise to connect your Fire Stick via wired Ethernet connection. This will provide a stronger and faster connection. If the issue persists, you may need to factory reset your firestick.
Finally, you can try resetting your Amazon account to see if that helps resolve your problems. Logging into your Amazon account and going to Settings may do the trick.
Other features on your firestick may also cause it to slow down, such as app notifications and automatic updates. These can be disabled in the device’s Settings menu and it’s best to do so if buffering issues are occurring.
If none of these options work, factory reseting your firestick might be necessary in order to restore it back to its default settings. Be aware that this process is irreversible if the problem cannot be solved; so be sure you have another device connected to the internet beforehand in case any data loss occurs.