Streaming on your Firestick is fun but buffering makes it annoying. So, here in this article, we will consider how to stop buffering on your Firestick while streaming. However, you need to understand the basis behind buffering in other to stop it completely on your Firestick.
You refer to buffering as a process where a device preload data into the reserve area of the device memory, so, this prompts the device to download part of the video or audio before it starts playing.
However, buffering on Firestick implies that the Firestick device has to download part of the video or audio you want to stream before streaming instead of streaming instantly.
Although the strength of your network contribute to the buffering on the streaming device but other factors also contribute to it as well.
So, before we consider how to stop buffering on Firestick, let’s quickly go over some of the reasons why your Firestick keeps buffering.
What causes Buffering on the Fire TV stick(Firestick)?
Buffering is a process that continuously occurs when streaming videos, as Video data is usually downloaded in a reserve memory area called the buffer.
The streaming device, which in this case is the Firestick, then plays the video downloaded to the buffer on your screen.
However, the buffering process is meant to be seamless and not show on your screen. Still, in situations where the video plays faster than the rate it is being downloaded into the buffer, the video will pause for more content to download.
This can occur for a couple of reasons, some of which are:
- Slow internet connection: For 1080p streaming, you should have at least 10 Mb / s, and for 4K streaming, you should have at least 20 Mb / s. You may experience buffering if your internet connection is slower than that.
- Distance of WiFi modem or Router from the Firestick: If the distance between your WiFi modem or router is too far from your Firestick, this will reduce the WiFi signal strength on your Firestick and cause you to experience buffering when streaming.
- Throttling by your ISP(Internet Service Provider): If your ISP detects too many streaming activities, they may reduce your connection speed. As a result, your Firestick’s streaming speed will be affected.
- Overheating of the FireStick: If your FireStick is overheating, it will most likely cause buffering problems.
- Outdated FireStick OS: If your FireStick is running on an outdated operating system, you may suffer buffering issues.
- Running out of storage space: This is a typical occurrence among FireStick users. The device only has 8GB of storage, much of which is already taken up by the operating system. This could lower the available download space in the buffer, causing buffering when streaming.
- Random Access Memory(RAM) is running low: It’s not unusual for FireStick to run out of memory. There could be a lot of unnecessary apps running in the background. This can impact the performance of the Firestick and cause buffering.
Check out How to Turn off Firestick
Ways to Stop Buffering on Your Firestick
Now that you know what’s causing your Firestick to buffer, there are a few things you can do to stop buffering on your Firestick. The solutions are listed below.
Restart Your Firestick
Restarting or rebooting the device is one of the most popular and straightforward remedies to practically any technical problem. This can also help to stop buffering on your Firestick. Whether in the foreground or background, all current apps and services will be terminated when you restart your Firestick. To restart your Firestick, go through the procedures below:
- Open your Firestick.
- Go to the Firestick menu.
- Then select My Fire TV.
- Now, click Restart.
- To confirm, click Restart.
After that, the Firestick will reboot. It usually just takes a few minutes to complete the process. You can try streaming again after the reboot to see whether the buffering problem has been rectified.
Clear Application Cache and Data
Each app has its own permanent and temporary storage space on the Firestick. Some apps may wind up keeping too much data, which might clog up your Firestick’s limited storage capacity and cause storage issues. You should clear the temporary cache and any data that has been saved. To do so, simply follow the procedures below:
- To begin, go to the home menu and click Settings.
- After that, go to Applications.
- Next, Select Manage Installed Applications.
- Then choose an app from the drop-down menu.
- Finally, select either Clear data or Clear cache from the drop-down menu. If you choose Clear cache, this will merely clear the cache and keep the rest of your information and settings. If you select Clear data, the app will reset to factory defaults, and all app-related data, including your login information, will be cleared.
Make Changes to Your Preferences
You can tweak your Fire Stick’s settings to improve its overall performance, which may help with buffering issues. To change your preference, follow the steps below.
- To begin, go to the home menu and click Settings.
- Then choose Preferences from the drop-down menu.
- After that, choose Data Monitoring.
- Finally, disable Data Monitoring.
- Choose Notification Settings from the drop-down menu.
- Select App Notifications, then turn off any notifications you don’t require. Notification Settings should be closed.
- Turn off Allow Video Autoplay and Allow Audio Autoplay under Featured Content.
Turn off Collecting Application Data
Your Firestick captures data from all of your installed apps. This feature can be disabled to help with buffering issues.
- To begin, go to the home menu and click Settings.
- Then choose Preferences from the drop-down menu.
- After that, go to Privacy Settings.
- Finally, toggle off the option to collect app usage data.
Uninstall Unnecessary Applications
If you have many apps installed on your Firestick, it may start to run slowly and cause problems. If you’re experiencing performance issues, follow the instructions below to uninstall all of the apps you do not use.
- Launch your Firestick.
- Then, go to the home menu and click Settings.
- Select Manage Installed Applications after that. You can examine how much internal storage you have left in this section.
- Then choose an app. You’ll find information about the app, such as its size and cache data, here.
- After that, choose Uninstall.
- To finish, click Uninstall once more to confirm.
Then repeat this procedure to remove any additional unwanted apps. You can try streaming to see if this method has worked to stop buffering on your Firestick.
Free up some RAM on your Firestick.
Your device’s Random Access Memory (RAM) saves information that will be accessed soon. Your Firestick could be running multiple processes in the background, consuming a significant amount of RAM. Because your Firestick only has 1-1.5 GB of RAM, it will shortly run out.
After you close some processes or apps, they consume up a lot of RAM. You can solve this problem by using an app to locate and force-quit background programs. Background Apps and Process List is the app’s name, and it’s available for free on the Amazon Store. Follow the instructions below to get this app:
- To begin, go to the home screen and select the magnifying glass icon.
- Then, using the directional pad, type Background Apps and Process List.
- After selecting the app, select Get.
- Then, choose Open.
- Now, choose Got It!
- Then, in the top left corner, choose Close All Apps.
- Finally, select an app and press the Force Stop button.
Press the back button on the remote after you’re finished. After that, repeat the process for any other apps you want to force close.
After you’ve freed up some RAM, try streaming to see if the solution has helped to stop buffering on your Firestick.
Factory Reset Your Firestick
A factory reset should only be used as a last resort after you’ve tried all of the above options and your Firestick is still buffering.
Follow the steps below to perform a factory reset on your Firestick.
- To begin, go to the home menu and click Settings.
- Then choose My Fire TV from the drop-down menu.
- Select Restore to Factory Defaults.
- Finally, confirm that this action was taken.
Your Firestick would be restored to factory default settings if you followed the instructions above.
If you are still unable to stop buffering on your Firestick after trying all of the solutions given in this article, it is recommended that you seek expert assistance.