How To Stop Buffering on Firestick or Fire TV

Firestick Buffering Fix Overview

In this article, we will be discussing the root causes and how to stop buffering on Firestick and Fire TV.

The Amazon Firestick is arguably one of the best streaming devices we can ever find because of how affordable it is and how easy it is to use.

Whether the streaming apps you use are from the app store or third-party sources after you have apps installed, you can enjoy streaming Movies, TV Shows, and Live TV. But there is one inevitable thing that we will encounter, buffering. There are a plethora of reasons why this happens.

The good thing is, we know how to identify and solve them accordingly. 

 

What Causes Buffering Problems on Firestick?

If the apps installed buffer on Firestick, there are a multitude of reasons as to why.

Here we have listed all of the possible causes of why buffering occurs on your Amazon Firestick.

 

ISP Throttle

As we have mentioned earlier, the Amazon Firestick is one of the best streaming devices but it is also prone to attacks including your ISP. One of the major reasons you encounter Firestick streaming problems is ISP Throttling. FYI, Streaming takes up a huge amount of data and this is a red flag on their end. Once this is noticed, your ISP will surely throttle down your internet connection. 

Slow-Moving Internet Connection

To give some perspective regarding how a slow internet connection contributes to buffering on Firestick, We would like to inform you that you need at least 5MB to play SD (Standard Definition) Quality Videos, 10MB to watch 1080p videos, and 25MB and above to stream 4k content.

So, if you have a 5MB internet connection, you cannot play videos that are high definition. 

 

Physical Distance between Modem and Firestick

One of the reasons why the Firestick buffer is the distance between the modem and the Firestick. If there are obstacles between the two, surely there will be buffering problems.

 

Full Memory Storage

As we all know, the Amazon Firestick does not have robust storage, unlike other Android devices that go as high as 128GB. The Firestick is only capable of storing apps up to 8GB. It is not recommended to maximize the storage because it will cause the Firestick to buffer and experience lags.

 

RAM is Running Low

The Firestick only has a RAM of 1.5GB and it can only accommodate two to three apps at a time. If multiple apps are running in the background, the Firestick will highly likely buffer.

 

Firestick Overheating

Just like any device, the Firestick is susceptible to overheating after prolonged use. Just think of it like a car running for more than four days without stop. The car will surely stop functioning properly.

 

The OS of the Firestick is not Updated

Whenever a new version of the operating system is released, there are crucial patches that are needed in order to make the Firestick work properly. If said patches are not installed, then other apps will likely malfunction as well, thus, the Firestick will buffer.

 

Multiple Devices Connected to the Wifi

If you have a 5MB connection and are trying to stream a 1080p video, it will buffer, right? What more if you have multiple devices connected to that connection all at the same time and performing data-intensive activities? Do you get it? The Firestick will experience buffering problems for sure. 

 

Virus Infections

The Firestick is prone to cyber-attacks like viruses and malware if you utilize untrusted third-party sources. Whenever one gets into the system of your device, it will definitely affect the performance of your streaming device.

 

Corrupted Links in Apps

Bad Links will result in buffering. This can be fixed by using a premium link generator like Real-Debrid.

 

Hardware Issues

This has to do with your other hardware like the modem/router, TV, ethernet cable, and others. They might need some updating or replacement.

 

 

Install Surfshark on Firestick

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Best Solutions to Stop Buffering on Firestick or Fire TV

 

 

For Kodi users, there is a popular Kodi Add-on that helps in buffering issues and that is the Ares Wizard. If you are experiencing buffering on Kodi, our Kodi Buffering Issues Solution Article will help you out.

Now that we have covered the possible reasons as to why your Firestick is buffering, in this next section we will provide you the optimal ways on how to stop buffering on Firestick or Fire TV.

 

Solution 1 – Use A Good VPN to Stop Buffering

We mentioned that watching videos with streaming devices like the Firestick requires a hefty amount of data. Once your ISP notices this type of activity, it will throttle down your connection speed. In order to prevent this from happening, you will need a premium VPN service like Surfshark. It will prevent all of the attempts of your ISP to throttle your connection speed down. Aside from this, Surfshark will also hide all of your online activity by rerouting all of your traffic to another server. It will also give you access to geo-restricted content and give you online anonymity.

Note: We are offering one of the best Surfshark deals in town.

 

Install Surfshark on Firestick

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How to Install Surfshark VPN on Firestick

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

Follow our screenshots below to install the SurfShark VPN app on your Fire TV stick.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

 

2. Navigate towards the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

 

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

 

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

 

5. Press the Download (You own it) button.

 

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

 

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

 

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

 

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

 

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

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Install Surfshark on Firestick

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Solution 2 – Oversee your Internet Connection Speed

We are assuming that you already have a top-notch internet broadband subscription and you do not have issues regarding your speed. But as an SOP, you have to check out signal strength to verify that it is you are really getting your money’s worth.

It usually takes 5MB for SD Quality Videos, 10MB for 1080p Videos, and 25MB for 4k Videos. If you are not receiving the commensurate MBs, contact your ISP and find out why this is happening.

Test your Internet Speed

If you find out that you are not being fairly given the internet speed that you paid for, here is what you do after-

Verify Wifi Signal Strenght

Signal Strenght is a major player when it comes to streaming. If it is high, the viewing experience will be superb. But if it is low, then buffering and other issues will arise.

Here is how you verify your Firestick’s Wifi Signal Strenght:

1. Go to the Home menu. Scroll to the right and click settings.

 

2. Select Network

 

3. Scroll to your Wifi name and Address.

 

4. Press this button on the remote to reveal the status of your wifi connection.

 

5. The necessary information regarding the Signal Strenght will be provided.

 

It will say Very Good if you are receiving the appropriate Wifi Signals Strenght If not, then there is something to be concerned about.

The most ideal distance between your Firestick and modem is about 15 to 30 feet to get the best Wifi Signal Strenght. For wider coverage, you can use as Wifi Extender.

 

Opt for Wired Connection via Ethernet Cable

Wired connections are faster than Wifi Connections. If you have the necessary hardware to pull this off, As long is it helps fix buffering on Firestick or Fire TV, then, by all means, do it.

 

 

Solution 3 – Restarting the Firestick

You may be thinking that it is hard with how to reboot the Firestick. Let us tell you, it is not. Here are the simple steps on how to reboot the Firestick:

1. Go to the Home menu. Scroll to the right and click settings.

 

2. Next is to select My Fire TV.

 

3. Select Restart.

 

4. Confirm by clicking on Restart.

 

5. Just wait until the Restart finishes.

Solution 4 – Reboot Your Router

This is one of the easiest ways of trying to fix buffering issues. Either you press on the restart button of your router or unplug it. After that, wait for at least 30 seconds to a minute before powering it up again. Check if this process improves your streaming experience and eliminates buffering issues.

 

Solution 5 – Make sure that the Firestick is within arm’s reach to your modem/router.

Physical obstacles such as other electronic devices surrounding the Firestick and modem interferes with the Wifi Signal Strenght. Be sure to clear other electronic devices between the two.

 

Solution 6 – Purge all running apps in the background

The Firestick only has a 1.5GB RAM. It was never built to sustain multiple apps running all at the same time.

Unlike Android smartphones and tablets which you can manually close applications, the Firestick does not have the same feature.

In order to kill apps running in the background, we must install an app called Background Apps and Processes List which is downloadable directly from the Amazon App Store.

Just make sure that you have an Amazon account to be able to download the app.

 

Here are the steps to download and install Background Apps and Processes List on your Firestick:

1. Turn on your Firestick.

 

2. From the Firestick Home Screen, click Find and select Search.

 

3. Using the Search Button, type in Background Apps and Processes List and scroll down and click on it

 

4. Click on the Background Apps and Processes List Icon

 

5. Choose Download

 

6, Click on Open to launch the app

 

7. After loading, a prompt will appear. be sure to unclick the box that says Open app on boot.

 

8. Select Got it!

 

9. Choose Close All Apps.

 

10. Click on Force Stop for the first app that appears during the process.

 

11. Click on the back button of the Firestick remote and repeat step 9 until all of the apps are forcefully stopped.

 

Aside from Background Apps and Process List, you can also use SD Maid Pro and DBTV Assistant to clean up and purge apps on the Firestick.

Here are the individual reviews and installation guides for them:

Install SD Maid Pro on Firestick

Install DBTV Assistant on Firestick

 

 

Solution 7 – Delete Cache and Data For Streaming Apps

Progress for streaming apps like Cinema APK, Cyberflix, and TV Zion was noticeable after their cache have been deleted.

Some reports claim that deleting the cache for streaming apps have greatly reduced buffering issues on the Firestick.

You can also choose to delete the data of streaming apps which will result in restoring the app into its default factory settings.

The process is this:

1. Go to the Home menu. Scroll to the right and click settings.

 

2. Select Applications.

 

3. Click Manage Installed Applications.

 

4. The list for Installed Applications will now appear.

 

5. Select the streaming app that has buffering problems.

 

6. There are two things you can do once the app is highlighted, you can either Clear Cache or Clear Data.

 

Clear Data will erase any relevant information including sign-ins while Clear Cache will delete the cache of the app and retain any relevant information.

 

Solution 8 – Make Sure that the Firestick has enough Breathing Space.

Just like any device, the Firestick tends to be worked up during prolonged usage which results in Firestick overheating. To remedy this, be sure to put a sufficient breathing room for the Firestick. You can also use an HDMI extender or a cooling unit to prevent the Firestick from overheating.

 

Solution 9 – Firestick OS Upgrade with Screenshots

It is a rare occurrence when you have to manually update the OS of your Firestick. It usually updates the OS on its own once there is a new version. If and when the auto-update fails, here is what you do:

1. Go to the Home menu. Scroll to the right and click settings.

 

2. Next is to select My Fire TV.

 

3. Choose About.

 

4. Select Check for Updates or if there is an update available, Install Update.

 

5. Wait for the update to finish.

 

Solution 10 – Reinstall Streaming App

There are rare instances when the installation of an app lacks certain patches which lead to buffering. What you can do is to reinstall the app. Here is how you do it.

1. Go to the Home menu. Scroll to the right and click settings.

 

2. Select Applications.

 

3. Click Manage Installed Applications.

 

4. All installed application will be shown.

 

5. Select the streaming app that you want to uninstall.

 

6. Click Uninstall.

 

7. Click Uninstall.

 

8.  From the Home page, click FIND.

 

9. Click Search.

 

10. You can either say Downloader to your Alexa voice-enabled remote or start typing it. If you typed it, click on the suggestion when it appears.

 

11. Click on the Downloader icon

 

12. Click Download

 

13. Click on Open.

 

14. Click on Allow.

 

15. Open Downloader App. Type https://reviewvpn.com/tp and click Go.

 

16. Click on Install and you should be all set. Remember to delete the APK file after installation to save space.

 

17. Click Open

 

18. Enjoy your Theater Plus APK on a Firestick.

 

You can verify if the buffering issue is resolved by clicking on a movie or TV show of your choice.

 

Solution 11 – Make Sure That The Firestick is the only device connected to the Internet

Having multiple devices connected to the Wifi will ultimately result in buffering problems. If you are not using your other streaming devices, be sure to turn the Wifi off. In this way, you are assured of a smooth streaming experience.

 

Solution 12 – Scan your Firestick for Viruses and Malware

This happens most of the time when we use untrusted streaming apps. It opens up the Firestick for cyber-attacks which we rarely notice. These attacks will most likely yield buffering issues. So, the most important thing to remember when using third-party streaming applications is to always scan your Firestick for viruses and malware. Hence, this method is applauded as How To Stop Buffering on Firestick. The best antivirus app for the Firestick is Virus Total and here is how you download and install it on Firestick:

1. Go to Settings and select Device.
2. Choose Developer Options
3. Turn on the ADB Debugging and Apps From Unknown Sources
4. After turning these options on, launch the Amazon App Store on your device
5. Search and Download Downloader
6. Install Downloader and launch it after installing it.
7. Choose Allow and Select Ok
8. Type in https://reviewvpn.com/vir and select Go
9. Wait for it to finish and then select Virus Total
10. Select Done
11. This will automatically take you back to Downloader. Select Delete
12. Choose Delete one more time
13. Head back to the home screen and under the Your Apps & Channels select Choose All
14. Scroll down and select Virus Total and select the Options.
15. Then select Move to Front
16. Virus Total will be moved forward to Your Apps and Channels
17. After this, you will see Virus Total and click it to launch.
18. There you go, you can now enjoy using Virus Total.

 

Screenshots with Step by Step Instruction to Install Virus Total Antivirus on a Firestick

1. Go to the Home menu. Scroll to the right and click settings (gear icon).

 

2. Scroll down and to the right until you get to My Fire TV. Click on it.

 

3. Select Developer options.

 

4. Turn on ADB debugging and Apps from Unknown Source.

 

5. Click Turn On when the pop-up appears.

 

6.  From the Home page, click FIND.

 

7. Click Search.

 

8. You can either say Downloader to your Alexa voice-enabled remote or start typing it. If you typed it, click on the suggestion when it appears.

 

9. Click on the Downloader icon

 

10. Click Download

 

11. Click on Open.

 

12. Click on Allow.

 

13. Open Downloader App. Type https://reviewvpn.com/vir  and click Go.

 

14. Click on “Click here” to start download quickly

 

15. Click Install.

 

16. Click Open.

 

17. Enjoy your Virus Total Antivirus,

 

Solution 13 – Troubleshoot your Hardware

There are times when the Firestick nor the streaming app is at fault. It can be because your hardware like your modem/router is not plugged in properly or it requires an upgrade. The same thing goes for your wires, be sure that they are intact and do not have dents on them. These simple things that we may overlook might cause buffering issues on the Firestick. So, this solution is considered as one of the best ways on How To Stop Buffering on Firestick. There is no harm in checking every nook and cranny right?

 

 

Solution 14 – Tinker with your Privacy Settings

There is one secret about the Amazon Firestick that never came in with the instruction manual and that is, collecting and monitoring your data in the ruse of marketing and upgrades. That is not the case fellas. This move actually gives the Firestick buffering issues but it can be resolved quickly. Thus, we consider this as one of the ideal options on How To Stop Buffering on Firestick.

Disable Data Monitoring and Collection

1. Go to the Home menu. Scroll to the right and click settings (gear icon).

 

2. Choose Preferences.

 

3. Select Privacy Settings.

 

4. Select Device Usage Data and click on Turn off.

 

5. Choose Collect App Usage Data and select Turn Off

 

6. Head back and click on Data Monitoring.

 

7. Shut off Data Monitoring.

 

That’s it easy peasy lemon squeezy.

 

Solution 14 – Real Debrid

Real-Debrid is a premium link generator that is compatible with the Best Firestick Apps and a bunch of the Best Kodi Add-ons.

Usually, streaming apps and Kodi Add-ons utilize public sources that end up having a great influx when it comes to traffic. This will lead to a number of problems like buffering issues.

Integrating Real-Debrid to your streaming apps and Kodi Add-ons is one of the ways on how to stop Buffering on Firestick. Once you obtain exclusive membership, you are assured of nothing but the best streaming links possible.

Real-Debrid is compatible with the most popular streaming apps like Cyberflix, Cinema HD APK, TV Zion, Bee TV, Viva TV, and a whole lot more.

 

Integrate Real-Debrid on Exodus Redux

1. Open Exodus Redux on your Kodi device

 

2. Select Tools from the main menu

 

3. Scroll down and chose ResolveURL Settings

 

4. Click once to the left and down to get to Universal Resolvers

 

5. Press the right button on your remote and scroll down to get to Real-Debrid

 

6. Click on (Re)Authorize My Account

 

7. After receiving the code, be sure to memorize it.

 

8. Launch a web browser on your laptop or mobile device and type in real-debrid.com/device. Input the code you were given earlier and select Continue

 

9. Wait for the authentication to finish

There you go, you now have integrated Real-Debrid on Exodus Redux!

 

Conclusion

The solutions we have featured in this article are the best ways How To Stop Buffering on Firestick. Should you encounter issues not stated above please let us know briefly.

 

Final Thoughts

We hope that this article helps you with How To Stop Buffering on Firestick or Fire TV. Comment down below for suggestions and ways on how we can improve on how to help you with How To Stop Buffering on Firestick. Thank you for reading and stay safe!