The spinning wheel just as something exciting happens is the most common streaming complaint. The good news: buffering usually has a simple cause, and you can fix most of it yourself in a few minutes.
1. Test your speed on the right device
Run our speed test on the TV or stick you watch on, at the time you usually watch. As a guide, aim for 15–20 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps+ for 4K per screen.
2. Use a cable if you can
An Ethernet cable to the TV or box beats any Wi-Fi tweak. If a cable is not practical, a powerline adapter or mesh Wi-Fi is the next best thing.
3. Move or raise the router
Routers hidden in cupboards or behind the TV lose a lot of signal. Put it somewhere open and higher up, and switch your device to the 5 GHz band if available.
4. Restart everything
Turn off the router and the streaming device for 60 seconds, then start the router first. It clears memory and refreshes the connection.
5. Clear the app cache
On Android and Fire TV go to Settings → Applications → your player → Clear cache. It does not delete your login.
6. Lower the quality
If your speed is borderline, choose an HD version of the channel instead of 4K. A steady Full HD picture beats a 4K one that keeps stopping.
7. Free up the connection
Pause big downloads, game updates and cloud backups while you watch, and ask the household to avoid 4K streaming on other devices during big events.
8. Power the stick properly
Fire Sticks powered from the TV’s USB port can struggle. Use the mains adapter that came in the box.
9. Change the player settings
In TiviMate or IBO Player, try a different player/decoder (hardware vs software) and increase the buffer size if the option exists.
