You sit down to watch your show, hit play, and Paramount+ won't cooperate. The app might crash as soon as it loads, freeze at the ad break, or show an error code with no explanation. It's frustrating when the thing you wanted to relax with is the thing that breaks.
The good news is that most Paramount+ problems come from a handful of common causes, and the fixes are quick. The steps below cover phones, browsers, smart TVs and streaming sticks, with the fastest and most common fixes first.
Work through them in order and stop as soon as your stream comes back. You probably won't need to reach the bottom of the list.
Check Whether Paramount+ Is Down
Before you touch any settings, rule out a problem on Paramount's end. If its servers are down, no amount of restarting will help.
Check Downdetector.com for a spike in Paramount+ reports. If many people are reporting the same problem at the same time, it is likely a Paramount+ outage, so wait and try again later.
Test and Reset Your Internet Connection
A slow or unstable connection is one of the most common causes. Run a speed test on the same network your streaming device uses.
Paramount says you need at least 2 Mbps for on-demand video and live TV. It recommends 3 Mbps for HD (720p), 5 Mbps for Full HD (1080p) and 25 Mbps for 4K UHD and HDR. These numbers are for one stream, so allow more if others in your home are online at the same time.
If your speed is fine but playback still stutters, power-cycle your network:
- 1.Power off the streaming device.
- 2.Unplug both the modem and the router from power.
- 3.Wait about 1 minute.
- 4.Plug the modem back in first, then the router, and give them a few minutes to reconnect fully.
- 5.Relaunch Paramount+.
On a phone or tablet, you can also turn Airplane Mode on for about 1 minute, then off, to force the network to reconnect.
Restart the Device and Force-Close the App
A full restart often clears a temporary glitch or overloaded memory. On a phone, power off, wait about 1 minute, then power on. On a smart TV or streaming stick, power off and unplug it for about 1 minute before plugging it back in. Pulling the power clears far more than a soft restart from the on-screen menu.
Then force-quit the app before reopening it. On Android, tap the Recent apps button and swipe the Paramount+ card away. On iPhone or iPad, swipe up from the bottom and pause (or double-press the Home button on older devices), then swipe the Paramount+ card up to close it. Reopen Paramount+ and try again.
Verify Your Subscription, Then Sign Out and Back In
A lapsed subscription or an expired payment method causes playback and sign-in failures that look like app bugs. Before you assume anything is broken, check that your subscription is active and your card on file is current.
Then sign out and back in. In the mobile app, tap More, then Sign Out. On the website, click the profile icon in the upper-right corner, then the sign-out option. Relaunch the app and sign back in with the correct email and password. Passwords are case-sensitive, so check Caps Lock.
Update, Clear Cache, or Reinstall the Mobile App
An outdated app is a leading cause of crashing and freezing. Open the App Store (iPhone and iPad) or Google Play Store (Android), search for Paramount+, and install any pending update.
If the app still misbehaves, clear its stored files. On Android, touch and hold the Paramount+ icon, then choose App info, then Storage, then Clear cache. You can also get there from Settings > Apps > Paramount+ > Storage. Clear data on the same screen goes further but signs you out.
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Paramount+ > Offload App, then tap the app again to redownload it. If problems persist, uninstall and reinstall the app for a clean copy.
Disable Ad Blockers and Clear Cache in Your Browser
If you watch in a desktop browser, Paramount+ needs JavaScript turned on, cookies enabled, and pop-up and ad blockers turned off. Ad blockers and privacy extensions are a common cause of failures, including a show that starts fine and then crashes at the ad break (errors 4201 and 1200). In your ad blocker, pause it for paramountplus.com.
In Firefox, click the shield icon in the address bar and turn off Enhanced Tracking Protection for the site. In Chrome, open the three-dot menu, choose Delete browsing data, check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, then click Delete data. Clearing cookies also fixes session and login errors such as code 404, but you will need to sign in again.
Use a current version of a supported browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari), then reload the page. An outdated browser can trigger error 7.
Fix Paramount+ on Roku
On Roku, start with a restart: Home > Settings > System > System restart, or unplug the device for about 1 minute. If playback stops after a long stretch without pressing any buttons, that's Roku's Bandwidth Saver, which asks whether you're still watching after four hours without remote input and stops streaming if you don't answer. Turn it off in Home > Settings > Network > Bandwidth saver > Off.
To update the app, highlight Paramount+ on the Home screen, press the Star (Options) button, and choose Check for updates. If it still crashes, remove Paramount+ and add it back from the store on your Roku. If a password reset won't work from the Roku, reset your password in a desktop browser first, then sign in on the Roku.
Fix Paramount+ on Fire TV and Fire Stick
Clear the app's stored files first: Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Paramount+ > Clear cache. To also clear data, choose Clear data on the same screen.
To update, go to Home > Apps, highlight Paramount+, press the Menu button, choose More Info, then Update. If nothing helps, unplug the device for about 1 minute, then uninstall Paramount+ and reinstall it from the Amazon Appstore.
Fix Paramount+ on Apple TV and Android TV
On Apple TV, force-close the app and relaunch it, then update Paramount+ from the App Store and make sure tvOS itself is current. Switching the region can clear a stuck location state: go to Settings > General > Region, pick another region, then switch back. If it still fails, delete the app and reinstall it.
On Android TV and Google TV devices (Sony Bravia, Hisense, NVIDIA Shield and similar), clear the app's cache and data in the app settings. Check for system updates and for a Paramount+ update in the Play Store, then force-close and reopen the app. Clearing cache and data also fixes the error 6320 app-data conflict. Reinstall the app if it still won't load.
Fix Paramount+ on Samsung and LG Smart TVs
Update both the TV software and the app. On a Samsung TV, go to Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now. Then cold boot the TV by holding the remote's Power button until it turns off and back on, or unplug it for about 30 seconds.
If the app still fails, delete Paramount+ and reinstall it. As a last resort, reset the Smart Hub. On 2019 and newer Samsung TVs, go to Settings > Support > Device Care > Self Diagnosis > Reset Smart Hub. On older models, skip Device Care. Enter PIN 0000 if asked. The reset signs you out of your Samsung account and all of your apps, and you may need to download Paramount+ again afterward, so keep your logins handy.
On LG and other TVs, update the software and reinstall the app from the TV's app store. On older TVs, also check that your model still supports the current Paramount+ app, because the oldest smart TVs eventually lose support.
Turn Off Your VPN or Proxy
If you see "It looks like you're using a VPN or proxy, which prevents playing your video. Please disable this service and try again," Paramount has blocked your connection to enforce regional licensing.
The supported fix is to turn off the VPN or proxy and try again, because Paramount doesn't allow VPNs to be used to get around region limits. If you use a VPN while you're in the same country as your account, try a different server in that country and sign out and back in. Clear your browser cookies and cache before you sign back in, because they can store your old location and keep the error coming back. Keep your VPN app up to date.
Reset Your Password and Clear Login Blockers
If you can't sign in, reset your password. On the Paramount+ sign-in page, click Forgot Password, enter your account email, and follow the instructions in the reset email.
If no email arrives, check your spam folder, confirm the email address on file is correct, and try the reset from a desktop browser. If two-factor authentication is on, finish the verification using the link or 6-digit code sent to your inbox (check spam too), or you'll stay locked out. Also make sure you activated your account. A new account can't sign in until you confirm the activation email.
Decode the Error Code You're Seeing
Specific codes point to specific fixes:
- 3004 / 3205 / 1106: internet connection problem. Restart the router, then the device.
- 3200: device compatibility. Hard reset the device by unplugging it for about 30 seconds.
- 4201 / 1200 / 1001: an ad blocker, firewall or antivirus is getting in the way. Turn off ad blockers and make sure your firewall or antivirus isn't blocking Paramount+.
- 6320 / 6040 / 6100 / 6013: app-data problem on Fire TV or Android TV. Force-close the app, clear cache and data, update the OS, and reinstall.
- 3002 / 3005 / 6290 / 6310 / 6999: general app malfunction. Force-stop the app or reboot the device, then retry.
- 7: outdated browser. 14: outdated Windows (update and restart). 404: cookie problem (clear cookies). 60: too many streams at once (stop playback on other devices).
Contact Paramount+ Support
If nothing works, contact Paramount+ directly. In the US, go to the Paramount+ Help Center contact page and choose a contact option listed there. Outside the US, use the international Paramount+ support page.
If you pay for Paramount+ through a partner such as your mobile carrier, cable provider or an app store, billing questions may need to go to that company. Only use contact details you find on Paramount's own help pages or in the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
What internet speed do I need for Paramount+?
Paramount says you need at least 2 Mbps to stream. It recommends 3 Mbps for 720p HD, 5 Mbps for 1080p Full HD and 25 Mbps for 4K UHD and HDR, for each stream.
Why does Paramount+ crash right at the ad break?
An ad blocker or privacy extension is the usual cause (errors 4201 and 1200). The show can start fine and then crash when the ad loads. Pause your ad blocker for paramountplus.com and reload the page.
Does clearing app data log me out?
Yes. Clearing data signs you out of Paramount+, so you'll need to sign in again afterward. Clearing cache alone doesn't sign you out, so try that first.
Why can't I sign in to Paramount+ on my Roku?
Password resets started from the Roku don't always go through. Reset your password in a desktop browser first, then sign in on the Roku with the new password.
Can I use a VPN with Paramount+?
Paramount doesn't allow VPNs to be used to get around region limits, and it blocks VPN and proxy connections. The supported fix for the VPN or proxy error is to turn the VPN off.
How many devices can stream Paramount+ at once?
You can link as many devices as you like, but only three can stream at the same time. If you get a too-many-streams error (code 60), stop playback or sign out on your other devices and try again.