Streaming Prime Video on your TV is one of those simple pleasures … until it isn’t. You press play and nothing happens, or you get a black screen, or the app crashes. Frustrating, right? Here’s a super detailed, user-first guide to diagnosing why Prime Video is not working on your TV — with real fixes that have solved things for others. Follow these steps, and by the end, you can often fix it yourself. If not, I’ll tell you what to tell support so you get help faster.
1. What “Prime Video Not Working on TV” Typically Looks Like
Before we troubleshoot, let’s define the symptoms. Knowing exactly what your TV/app is doing helps pin down the issue.
Common cases include:
- App launches but shows blank or black screen when you try to play something.
- Video loads but freezes, buffers endlessly, or errors out.
- Audio but no video.
- App crashes or won’t open.
- Login or account verification issues.
- Problem occurs only on certain titles, not all.
- Prime Video works on phone/tablet but not on TV.
If you note which of the above is happening, you’ll save a lot of time.
2. Basic Diagnostic Steps
These are fast things to try first. They often solve problems without getting technical.
| Check | What to do |
|---|---|
| Prime Video server/down issues | Check if Prime Video is down in your region (use Downdetector, Amazon’s status page, Twitter) because if it’s an outage, nothing you do locally will help. thescottishsun.co.uk+2Business Insider+2 |
| Internet speed & connectivity | Run a speed test. For HD content, you’ll want at least 5 Mbps; for 4K/UHD more. If Wi-Fi, see if the TV is too far from router or there are walls/interference. Smart Geek Home+2Android Authority+2 |
| Power cycle your devices | Turn off the TV, unplug it, wait 1 minute, plug back in. Sometimes it resets things that are stuck. Also reboot your router. Appuals+1 |
3. Device-Level Checks (TV, Streaming Device, Fire Stick, Roku, etc.)
If the basics didn’t fix it, now check the device itself.
3.1 App Version & Firmware / Software Updates
- Make sure your Prime Video app is up to date. Smart TVs often need app updates via their native app store.
- Also check for TV firmware or system OS updates. Outdated firmware can break compatibility.
3.2 Clear App Cache / Data
- On many smart TVs (or streaming devices), the app cache can become corrupted. Clear cache or app data for Prime Video. Then restart the app.
- On some TVs you may need to go to Settings → Apps → Prime Video → Clear cache / storage.
3.3 Uninstall / Reinstall App
If clearing cache doesn’t help, uninstall the Prime Video app, then reinstall it. That replaces possibly corrupted files.
3.4 Check Device Compatibility / Requirements
- Some older TVs or streaming boxes might no longer be fully supported. Check Amazon’s list of supported devices.
- For high-resolution (4K or HDR) content, ensure you are using HDMI cables that support the required HDCP version (for example, HDCP 2.2). If cable is old, low quality, or damaged, it may work for regular video but fail for HD/4K.
4. Network, Router & Streaming Factors
Even if TV and app are fine, networking is often the culprit.
4.1 Wi-Fi Strength & Position
- If the TV is far from the router or separated by thick walls, signal may be weak. Try moving router or using a wired connection (Ethernet) if possible.
- Sometimes switching from 5GHz Wi-Fi to 2.4GHz helps (or vice versa), depending on interference.
4.2 Router Restart and DNS Issues
- Power-cycle router + modem. Unplug for ~30 seconds then bring back. Lots of users report this fixes streaming issues.
- Check DNS settings — some custom DNS setups, VPNs or blocking services (ad blockers at network level) can interfere with Prime Video. If you’re using something like that, disable it temporarily.
4.3 Multiple Streams or Account Issues
- Amazon limits how many devices can stream simultaneously. If too many devices are using your account, new playback may be blocked.
- Also check your Amazon Prime subscription payment status & ensure it’s active. If payment has failed or subscription canceled, streaming won’t work.
5. TV-Specific Fixes
Depending on your TV brand/model, there can be quirks.
Samsung / LG / Android TV / Roku Specific
- Samsung TVs: Clear cache, update firmware, uninstall/reinstall app.
- Android TV: Some users find toggling IPv6 off helps. Also force-stopping the app then relaunching.
- Roku: Remove and re-add the Prime Video channel; ensure Roku OS is updated. Sometimes Roku version of Prime Video has channel-specific issues.
6. When None of the Above Works: Next Steps & Support
If you’ve tried most of the above and Prime Video still fails on TV, here’s what to do before giving up.
- Try another device (phone, tablet, laptop) on the same network. If it works there, problem is with TV or its settings.
- Note any error codes or messages you see — they help a lot when talking to support.
- Screenshot or record the issue (black screen, crash behavior).
- Contact Amazon Prime Video Support: give them your TV model, OS version, app version, error message, what you’ve tried already.
7. Common Error Codes & What They Mean
Here are a few often-seen error codes and what people found when fixing them:
| Error Code / Symptom | Likely Cause | What Has Helped Others |
|---|---|---|
| 1060 / slow / buffering issues | Internet bandwidth low or unstable, Wi-Fi interference | Test speed, switch to wired or better Wi-Fi, close background devices hogging bandwidth. |
| Black screen after pressing play, but sound / menus work | HDCP issue, corrupted app cache, app version bug | Clear cache, reinstall app, check cable or TV compatibility. |
| App won’t open | Outdated firmware, account subscription / login issue | Update TV software, check account active, sign in again. |
| “Something went wrong. Try again later” on selected titles | Content rights / regional restrictions, app version or server issue | Try other titles, check region, see if Amazon has announced downtime. |
8. Preventing Future Breaks
Once you get everything working, do things to reduce the chance of problems coming back.
- Keep TV firmware / app updated.
- Use a strong, reliable internet connection. Wired if possible.
- Don’t overload your Wi-Fi network with too many devices or heavy downloads/streams while watching.
- Avoid using third-party apps or tools that interfere (VPNs, DNS hacks, ad blockers), unless you know they are compatible.
- Periodically “power cycle” your TV/streaming device — turning off for a minute can clear out glitches.
9. Conclusion
Prime Video not working on your TV can be annoying — but most issues are fixable with methodical troubleshooting. Start from checking for outages, then network & TV basic fixes (cache, updates, app reinstall), then device and account factors. With patience (and maybe some fiddling), you’ll usually get it back to working.
If after all this, your TV still fails, it’s likely an app compatibility bug, or something Amazon/TV-maker needs to patch. At that point, support is your best move — armed with the info you’ve collected, you’ll likely get a quicker resolution.
FAQs
Q1: My Prime Video app opens but I get a black screen when I press play. What’s wrong?
A: Usually this means either the app’s cache/data is corrupted, or the content requires HDCP compliance and your HDMI cable/port doesn’t support the needed version. Try clearing cache, reinstalling the app, or using a different HDMI port/cable (especially if you want 4K content).
Q2: Other streaming apps (YouTube, Netflix) work but Prime Video doesn’t. What does that indicate?
A: That often points to issues specific to the Prime app: outdated version, app-bug, account/subscription issue, or regional/content licensing restrictions. Since other apps work, your internet is likely fine.
Q3: Will switching off VPN or custom DNS settings help?
A: Yes. Prime Video checks location and sometimes blocks or misbehaves if it detects VPNs or non-standard DNS settings. Turning them off (or using trusted ones) often resolves issues.
Q4: How much internet speed do I need to stream Prime Video smoothly on TV?
A: For standard definition (SD), ~3-4 Mbps is usually fine. For HD, at least ~5 Mbps, ideally more. For 4K/UHD, ~25 Mbps or more depending on the content. If your internet fluctuates or many devices are using it, you’ll need headroom.
Q5: How long should I wait if the issue is a Prime Video outage?
A: Usually outages are fixed within a few hours. Keep an eye on Amazon’s status pages or social media. If nothing changes after, say, 3-4 hours, then it’s probably not your network — consider contacting Amazon support with your setup details.