Buffering happens when video arrives more slowly than your device plays it. The cause is almost always one of three things: your home network, your device, or the app’s settings. Work through the steps below in order. Most problems are solved in the first few.

1. Restart everything

Unplug your router and your streaming device for 30 seconds, then plug them back in. This clears temporary faults and is the single most effective fix.

2. Test your speed on the device you watch on

Run a speed test on the TV or stick itself, not on your phone. As a general guide you need about 10 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K, per screen. If the result is much lower than what you pay for, the problem is between the router and the device.

3. Improve the connection to the device

• Use Ethernet if you can. A cable removes Wi-Fi interference completely.
• Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi, which is faster and less crowded than 2.4 GHz at short range.
• Move the router closer, higher up, and away from thick walls, microwaves and cordless phones.
• Use an HDMI extender with a Fire Stick so it sits clear of the back of the TV.

4. Reduce the load on your network

Large downloads, game updates, cloud backups and video calls on other devices all compete for the same connection. Pause them and try again.

5. Check the app

• Clear the cache in the device’s application settings.
• Update the app to the latest version.
• Change the video player or decoder. Many IPTV apps let you choose between hardware and software decoding; switching often fixes stutter on a particular device.
• Increase the buffer size if the app offers the setting.
• Try a second app. If another player runs smoothly, the first one was the cause.

6. Check the device

• Free up storage. Devices slow down noticeably when nearly full.
• Close apps running in the background.
• Install system updates.
• Older or entry-level sticks may not cope with 4K streams. Try the HD version of the channel.

7. Work out whether it is one channel or all of them

If only one channel buffers, the issue is with that stream, and it is worth reporting to your provider. If every channel buffers at the same time, particularly in the evening, the cause is more likely your connection or your internet provider’s peak-time congestion.

When to contact support

If you have worked through the list and playback is still not smooth, send support the following so they can diagnose it quickly: your device model, the app you use, your speed test result, and which channels are affected and when.

Contact our support team any time.