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Video playback problems can stem from your internet connection, device settings, or temporary account issues. Most problems are quick to fix on your own — work through the relevant section below to get your stream running smoothly again. Before diving into specific issues, make sure your connection meets the baseline requirements for the quality you’re trying to watch: Run a speed test at fast.com or speedtest.net to check your current connection.

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Common Playback Issues

Buffering happens when your device can’t download video data fast enough to keep up with playback. Here’s how to fix it:1. Check your internet speed Run a speed test and compare your result to the table above. If your speed is below the minimum for your selected quality, try the steps below.2. Lower the video quality Open the player, select the Settings (⚙) icon, choose Quality, and drop to a lower resolution. The player can also be set to Auto, which adjusts quality dynamically based on your available bandwidth.3. Close other apps and browser tabs Other applications — especially video calls, cloud sync tools, or other streaming services — compete for bandwidth. Close anything you’re not actively using.4. Move closer to your router Wi-Fi signal weakens with distance and through walls. If possible, connect via an Ethernet cable for the most stable experience.5. Restart your router Unplug your router from power, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. Allow a full minute for the connection to re-establish before testing playback again.6. Try a different network If you’re on Wi-Fi, switch to mobile data (or vice versa) to determine whether the issue is specific to one network.
If buffering only happens at a specific time of day (e.g., evenings), your ISP may be experiencing peak-hour congestion. Lowering the quality setting is the most effective workaround in that scenario.
Freezing and stuttering are often caused by device performance issues or an unstable connection rather than pure speed problems.Restart the app or browser Close the app completely (don’t just minimize it) and reopen it. For browsers, close the tab and open a fresh one.Clear the app cache
  • Android: Go to Settings → Apps → [select the streaming app] → Storage → Clear Cache.
  • iOS: Uninstall and reinstall the app (your account data is stored in the cloud).
  • Smart TV / Streaming Stick: Navigate to the device’s app management settings and clear the cache there.
Update the app An outdated app version can cause performance issues. Visit your device’s app store and install any available updates.Disable hardware acceleration (browsers only) In Chrome, go to Settings → System and toggle off Use hardware acceleration when available, then restart the browser.Reduce background activity on your device Close other applications running in the background. On mobile, a quick restart of the device can free up memory.Check for overheating Devices that overheat throttle their performance. Make sure your device has adequate ventilation, especially streaming sticks and smart TVs.
When something goes wrong, the player displays a numeric error code. Use the table below to identify what’s happening and how to resolve it.
When contacting support about an error, take note of the full error code and the title you were trying to play — this helps the team investigate much faster.
A black screen usually means the video feed isn’t rendering, even though the audio may still play.Check your HDMI cable (TV/monitor setups) Unplug and firmly reseat the HDMI cable at both ends. Try a different HDMI port on your TV, or swap the cable entirely to rule out a hardware fault.Disable browser extensions Ad blockers and privacy extensions sometimes interfere with the video player. Try opening the player in a private/incognito window, which disables most extensions by default. If it works there, disable your extensions one by one to find the culprit.Check your display settings If you’re mirroring or extending your screen to a second display, try disconnecting the secondary monitor and playing back on the primary display only.Disable VPN or proxy Some VPN clients redirect video traffic in a way that prevents the player from rendering. Disconnect your VPN and try again.Update your graphics drivers (PC/Mac) An outdated GPU driver can prevent hardware-accelerated video decoding from working correctly. Visit your GPU manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) to get the latest driver.
If you see a black screen specifically on HDCP-protected content (4K or premium titles), your display or HDMI cable may not support HDCP 2.2. You’ll need a compatible cable and display to watch this content.
Lip-sync issues — where the audio doesn’t match the on-screen action — are frustrating but usually fixable without contacting support.Reload the player The simplest fix: refresh the page or exit and reopen the video. The player re-syncs audio and video streams on load.Pause, then resume Pause playback for 5–10 seconds, then press play. This gives the buffer time to re-align the streams.Check your audio output device External Bluetooth speakers and soundbars introduce processing latency. If you’re using Bluetooth audio, try switching to your device’s built-in speakers to confirm the issue is with the Bluetooth device.Adjust audio delay on your TV Many smart TVs have an Audio Sync or Audio Delay setting in the sound menu. Consult your TV manual for the exact location. Incrementally adjusting this value can compensate for A/V offset.Lower the video quality At very high resolutions on slower devices, the decoder can fall behind, causing progressive desync. Dropping to 1080p or 720p often resolves this on older hardware.Restart the app and device A full device restart clears memory and resets audio drivers, which often resolves persistent sync problems.
If subtitles or closed captions aren’t showing up — or showing up incorrectly — the steps below will help you get them working.Enable subtitles in the player Select the Subtitles (CC) icon in the player controls and choose your preferred language. Subtitles are off by default on some devices.Check your account subtitle preferences Go to Account → Playback Settings → Subtitle Language to set a default language that applies across all content automatically.Verify subtitle availability Not all titles have subtitles available in every language. Open the title’s detail page and look for the subtitle badge or language list in the content information section.Switch subtitle tracks Some titles have multiple subtitle tracks (e.g., SDH, forced, full). Open the subtitle menu during playback and try a different track if one is available.Clear the app cache or reinstall Corrupted cached data can prevent subtitle files from loading. Clear the cache (see the Freezing section above for steps) or reinstall the app on mobile.Adjust subtitle appearance If subtitles appear but are hard to read, go to Account → Accessibility → Subtitle Style to change font size, color, and background opacity.
If subtitles are missing for a specific title but you believe they should be available, use the Report an Issue button on the title’s detail page to let the content team know.