You hit play on a show, and Prime Video stalls. Maybe it buffers endlessly, freezes on a black screen, throws a numbered error code, or never gets past the spinner. The picture might judder, or the app might insist it can't connect to the internet at all.
Most of these problems trace back to a handful of common causes: a temporary app glitch, a weak connection, a wrong date and time setting, an out-of-date app or browser, or hitting your account's stream limit. A smaller set comes from sign-in, payment, or content-protection issues that need a specific fix.
The fixes below are ordered quickest and most common first. Start at the top and stop as soon as playback returns.
Restart the App and Your Device
A clean restart is the first fix for freezing, buffering, and most playback error codes, including 1007, 1022, 5001, 7003, 7005, 7031, 7135 and 7202.
- 1.Close the Prime Video app on your device, or close your web browser if you're watching on a computer.
- 2.Check that the date and time on your device are correct and set to automatic. A wrong date or time can cause sign-in (authentication) errors that stop streaming apps working.
- 3.Turn off your computer or connected device, wait at least 60 seconds, then power it back on.
- 4.Confirm your device, browser and the Prime Video app have the latest updates installed.
- 5.Reopen Prime Video and try playing your title again.
If a clean restart fixes it, you're done. If not, the cause is more specific, so keep going.
Check and Strengthen Your Internet Connection
Slow or unstable bandwidth is one of the most frequent culprits. Amazon recommends a download speed of at least 1 Mb/s for SD content and 5 Mb/s for HD content.
Pause other internet activity, especially if other devices are using the network at the same time. Then restart your connected device and your modem or router. Wait for the router to come fully back online, then reconnect.
Prime Video automatically picks the best quality your connection can handle.
Update the App, Browser, or Device Firmware
An out-of-date app, browser, or operating system causes playback errors that a restart won't clear.
In Google Chrome, type chrome://settings/help in the address bar (or open the menu, choose Help, then About Google Chrome), let any update install, and relaunch. In Mozilla Firefox, open the menu, choose Help, then About Firefox, install any update, and relaunch.
On a Fire TV, go to Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for System Update. On a Fire Tablet, go to Settings > Device Options > System Updates > Updates: Check Now. On other connected devices, confirm the firmware or operating system is current in the device's own Settings menu, and update the Prime Video app from that device's app store.
Confirm You're Within the Stream Limit
Prime Video caps simultaneous streaming, and going over the cap stops playback even when everything else is fine. The limit has two parts that are easy to confuse: how many different titles your account can stream at once, and how many devices can stream the same title.
In the US, a standard Prime membership now allows up to 4 streams at once, and a Prime Video Ultra subscription allows up to 5. These limits count across all profiles on the account. In other regions the cap can be 3 streams. Everywhere, no more than 2 devices can stream the same Prime title at the same time, and rentals are limited to 1 device.
Check whether anyone else on your account is watching. Stop the extra streams, or pick a different title if two devices are already on the same one, then try again.
Force Stop or Clear the App's Cache
A corrupted app cache produces glitches that survive a normal restart. The steps differ by platform.
On Android, open the Settings app, select the Prime Video app, and tap Force Stop. If the trouble continues, go to Settings > Apps > Prime Video > Storage, tap Clear cache first, and only tap Clear data if needed (Clear data signs you out and resets the app).
On Fire TV, press Home, then go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Prime Video. Select Clear cache first, since this keeps your logins and settings. If the problem persists, select Clear data, which resets the app and signs you out. To clear every app's cache at once, go to Settings > Applications > Clear all Application Caches and confirm.
On iPhone or iPad, there is no in-app cache clear. First force the app closed: open the App Switcher and swipe the Prime Video preview up off the screen. If problems continue, delete the Prime Video app and reinstall it from the App Store, which is the iOS equivalent of clearing its data.
Uninstalling and reinstalling the app works on any device when nothing else helps. A factory reset of the device is the last resort.
Fix "Can't Connect to the Internet" on a Smart TV or Streaming Device
If a smart TV, set-top box, or streaming stick shows a connection error, first confirm it is actually online in the device's Settings menu. On Wi-Fi, make sure you entered the correct network password.
If the device is connected to your router but still shows an error, restart the device and your home network gear, including the modem and router. Then confirm the device's firmware or operating system is up to date.
If Prime Video works on another network but not yours, contact your internet provider and ask whether DNS traffic (port 53) is blocked on your network, and to help remove that block.
Disable Your VPN, Proxy, or Custom DNS
An active VPN or proxy server can interfere with playback. Turn off any VPN or proxy and try again.
If your other devices connect fine but one keeps failing, check that device's DNS settings, since bad DNS can block Prime Video specifically. In the device's network settings, look for a DNS option (often under Advanced or manual IP settings) and set it to Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1). Save the change and reconnect.
Remove and Re-add Prime Video on Roku
On Roku, removing and reinstalling the app clears a stubborn install. From the Roku Home screen, highlight Prime Video, press the Star (*) button on the remote, select Remove app, and confirm.
Next, restart the Roku: go to Settings > System > Power > System restart. If you don't see Power, select System restart directly under System. When it comes back, add Prime Video again from the Roku Streaming Store and sign back in.
Fix Sign-In Problems and Error 5004
Credential issues lock you out before playback even starts. Confirm you're using the correct email address and password for the account you want. If you've forgotten your password, click Forgot your password? on the sign-in page to reset it.
Try again after a moment, since temporary connection issues cause some sign-in failures. If you can't sign out of a device, open Account & Settings on the Prime Video website, select Devices, and click Deregister next to that device.
Resolve Content-Protection Error 7279 on Desktop
Error 7279 means something connected to your computer may not meet content protection (HDCP) standards. It's not a generic playback bug, so the fixes target your hardware rather than the app.
Update your web browser, then update your drivers, especially graphics card drivers. If you can, connect your monitor or TV using a different cable, and disconnect any secondary displays you aren't using. Restart your computer and try again.
More broadly, any external device should connect to your TV using an HDMI cable compatible with HDCP 1.4 for HD content, or HDCP 2.2 for UHD and HDR content.
Update Widevine for Error 7235 in Chrome
Error 7235 is Chrome-specific and is fixed by updating its content decryption module, not by reinstalling the app.
- 1.Make sure Chrome is fully up to date via the menu and About Chrome.
- 2.Type
chrome://componentsin the address bar, press Enter, find Widevine Content Decryption Module, and select Check for Update. - 3.If it still fails, open the Chrome menu (three dots) and go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Additional content settings > Protected content IDs.
- 4.Enable both Sites can play protected content and Sites can use identifiers, then restart the browser.
Sort Out Payment and Billing Errors
Codes such as 2016, 2063, and 7035 are billing problems, not playback problems, and they block purchases, rentals, or add-on subscriptions.
For memberships and add-on subscriptions, update your payment details in Account & Settings. For purchases and rentals, use the Update Your Payment Method option instead. Check that the card number, expiration date, and 3-digit security code are correct, and approve any verification request from your bank.
If it still fails, confirm the card supports online (e-commerce) transactions and has enough funds, then contact your card-issuing bank or try a different payment method.
If you pay through Apple on iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, the payment details that matter are in your Apple account's App Store settings, not your Amazon account, so update them there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Prime Video stop when someone else in my house is watching?
You've likely hit the stream limit. In the US, a standard Prime account can stream up to 4 titles at once (5 with Prime Video Ultra), but only 2 devices can stream the same title at the same time. Stop an extra stream or switch one viewer to a different title.
What internet speed do I need for Prime Video?
Amazon recommends at least 1 Mb/s for SD content and 5 Mb/s for HD content.
How do I clear the Prime Video cache on an iPhone?
There's no in-app cache clear on iOS. Force the app closed by swiping it up in the App Switcher. If that doesn't help, delete the app and reinstall it from the App Store, which resets its data.
The picture judders or looks like a soap opera. How do I fix it?
That's your TV's motion-smoothing setting, not Prime Video. Turn the Motion setting Off in your TV's menu. It's named differently per brand, such as Auto Motion Plus, TruMotion, MotionFlow, CineMotion, or Motion Picture.
Is Prime Video down right now?
If several devices fail at once after you've restarted them and your router, the issue may be a server-side outage. Wait a while and try again, or reach support through Prime Video Help.
I pay for Prime Video through another provider and have a billing problem. Who do I contact?
If you get Prime Video through a third party, that provider handles billing, subscription, and cancellation questions, not Amazon. Contact your provider directly.