Suddenly, Amazon Prime Video stops working. Staring at a blank screen is not usually a great start to watching an awesome show. Here is what you can do to fix the mess.
First, check your account status to determine if Amazon Prime is working or not. Certainly, the Amazon Prime Video is not a completely free service. This means that you will have to access it via the annual Amazon Prime subscription, or you will have to access it through the monthly video-only subscription.
If you want to check if your account is active,
- visit Amazon’s Your Account page,
- then your Prime Video Settings (www.amazon.com/gp/video/settings). It is also in this site that you get to manage other aspects of your Prime Video subscription.
The next aspect to consider is if your device meets the minimum requirements. Here, you must confirm the minimum requirements for your device. The requirements for Smart TVs and set-top boxes remain unchanged – what this means is that if the device has an Amazon Prime Video app available, it should work. However, if it does not, you may need to contact the manufacturer. But, ensure you read the troubleshooting techniques on this article first.
For Desktop Computers
Your operating system must meet the minimum requirements:
- Windows 7 or a newer version.
- Mac OS 10.7 or a newer version.
- Linux/UNIX operating systems.
In the same vein, your internet connection should meet the following minimum requirements;
- 900 Kbits/sec for a Standard Definition (SD) video
- 3.5 Mbits/sec for a High Definition (HD) videos
Equally, your web browser is important. Just in case you have no dedicated Amazon Prime Video app for your OS, the browser will be needed to view videos. Your web browser should be:
- Google Chrome (version 59 or newer)
- Mozilla Firefox (version 53 or newer)
- Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 11 or newer)
- Microsoft Edge on Windows 10
- Apple Safari (version 10 or newer on Mac OS 10.12.1 or newer)
- Opera (version 37 or newer)
This article will also expose you to some Amazon Prime Video tips that are necessary to know.
The Microsoft Silverlight Problem
You could have adequate network speeds and also a suitable operating system and browser. Still, you could be facing Amazon Prime Video not working. For older PCs that don’t have HTML5 support in the browser, the video is played using Microsoft Silverlight.
Your media plugin can run into problems playing streamed video files from time to time. If you want to fix this properly, ensure the video window opens in your browser, then right-click and select Silverlight. Next, select Application Storage then Enable application storage. In the Website column, find the entry “http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/”—select this and Delete.
Are You Running Amazon Prime Video on Your Mobile?
Amazon Prime Video apps are made available for Android and iOS; meanwhile, Prime Video is built-in on tablet devices (and Fire TV).
You will find out by now, irrespective of the option you use, that the apps update automatically. It is usually updated to keep bugs and errors at bay, and you may have to do it yourself.
To Fix Amazon Prime Video on iOS.
Whether on your iPhone or on your iPad, you can fix issues with Amazon Prime Video that are unconnected with your network. You can do this simply by uninstalling the app.
- First, find the Prime Video icon and long-press it.
- Next, hit the X and wait for the app to be uninstalled.
- Restart and reinstall Prime Video from the App Store.
To Fix Amazon Prime Video on Android
If you run Amazon Prime Video on Android, you have two options for sorting out any problems with the app. For the first option;
- Go to the Home screen > Go to Settings > Application Manager > Prime Video.
- Then, tap Storage > Clear Data and confirm with OK. You can then retry the video.
For the second option; Here, you will have to try reinstalling the app if the first option does not work.
- Go to Settings > Application Manager > Prime Video > Uninstall.
- Restart your phone, then reinstall the app.
You should find that your Amazon Prime Video problems have ended with these methods. Or at least, the problem did not come from the mobile app.
How To Fix Amazon Prime Video on Your TV or Set-top Box
Fixing the Amazon Prime Video app on your TV or set-top box is quite different from reinstalling your mobile app. Things are a little different, but when you see the error messages appear, or playback is problematic, you should restart the TV.
This means you should switch off and power up again. To do this, you should find the power button on the back of your TV. You can also disconnect it from the main supply.
You can reset Amazon Prime Video apps on TVs and set-top boxes by clearing the data cache. This heavily depends on the platform, but you should have the option to access the app settings. Explore the menu or check the device manual for help with this.
Eventually, you should find the options to Clear data and Clear cache. You can use these to get the app to work. It is worthy of mentioning that you will need to sign in to the app again once it restarts.
How to Fix Amazon Prime Video Server Issues
Server issues are serious problems to contend with for Amazon Prime Video. They can bring about Amazon prime video not working.
Although they do not last long, they can wipe out the programs you have planned to watch.
If you want to check if your Amazon Prime Video problem is caused by Amazon servers, you can try the following steps;
- First, log onto Amazon Prime Video on a different device.
- If you notice that Amazon Prime Video is down on that device too, then the issue probably exists on Amazon’s end.
- You can use a service such as www.isitdownrightnow.com to check if Amazon is offline or experiencing problems.
Check For This Error Codes On Amazon Prime Video
Check for the following error code on your Amazon Prime video app.
Amazon Prime Video’s “Insufficient Bandwidth” Error
The minimum network speed for Amazon Prime Video is 900 Kbits/sec. This will deliver a standard definition (SD) video, which is just right for smaller displays.
Connectivity issues can cause problems with Amazon Prime Video streams.
Amazon Prime Video quality settings
The “Insufficient Bandwidth” error displays if Amazon declares your connection to have low bandwidth. If this happens, you can check other streaming services, such as YouTube or Netflix.
If they work, you will have to restart your router. Once you are done with this, restart the device you’re watching Amazon Prime Video on (whether TV, mobile device, PC, or whatever).
To Fix Amazon Prime Video Error Code 1060
Error Code 1060 appears with “Wait” and “Retry” options. This is caused by low bandwidth, so ensure you check the connection of your device with your router. Note that other devices on your network could be using the bandwidth.
To Fix Amazon Prime Video Error Code 9074
Actually, Amazon is yet to release details of this code. We can just say if you encounter it, try the basic troubleshooting tips of restarting your device and clearing the cache. Also, consider restarting the router.
CDN Error on Amazon Prime Video Apps
This is usually found on the Fire Stick and Fire TV. The error is related to problems accessing Amazon’s streaming servers. To fix this, simply reboot the device using the remote. Next, hold the Select and Play buttons for a few seconds to prompt the device to restart. You can restart your router if the problem persists.
We hope this lengthy guide on how to fix Amazon prime video not working is useful. Kindly let us know your thought in the comment section.