How to Fix a Fire TV Stick That Isn’t Responding

Here is a detailed guide containing solutions on what to do if your Firestick quit working.

What To Do When Your Firestick Quit Working

So one day you are using your Amazon Firestick and then, all of a sudden, your Firestick stops working. It worked fine before, but as of now, it is causing you a few problems. Whether you believe that your Amazon Fire TV Stick has stopped working or that your Firestick remote stopped working, here are a few common issues as well as the solutions you’ll need to get your Firestick or remote control back in order and working properly.

• Check out my guide on how to fix Firestick keeps restarting issues if your Firestick constantly turns off and on again
• Install a VPN on your Firestick to improve security and fix other Firestick issues

Some typical problems you may run into with your Amazon Firestick include app errors/crashing, audio and visual problems, and a blank or frozen home screen. To fix these types of issues (and often many others), try simply restarting your device. A device restart can often act as a cure-all to many common issues and all it requires is unplugging the power cord from the back of the Firestick and plugging it back in.

You can also restart your device using your stick remote by holding the Select and Play/Pause buttons at the same time. Another way to restart your Firestick is by selecting the Settings option from your Amazon Firestick menu (if you are able to), selecting Device, and then hit Restart.

Restart Your Fire Stick 

So, is your FireStick not working? This might seem a bit too good to be true, but usually, common FireStick issues can be solved simply by restarting.

How to Restart FireStick

1. The first method is done by going to your Fire TV settings with your FireStick remote. Go to Settings > My Fire TV > Restart. Then, your device should shut off and come back on. 
2. If you hold down the Play/Pause and Select buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds, your FireStick will restart automatically. 
3. If all else fails, you can just disconnect your FireStick from the TV. Note: this should not be done if an update is installing! 

Fix Screen Mirroring Issues On The Fire Stick 

If you’re trying to mirror the screen of a certain device to your TV through FireStick, you may run into some issues if you’re not using the right device, or your FireStick doesn’t support screen mirroring at all. 

It’s important to note that if you’re using an iOS device, it is not compatible with FireStick’s screen mirroring feature. 

Otherwise, the problem may lie in the FireStick itself. To check for screen mirroring support, long-press your remote’s Home button. If the Mirroring option isn’t there, your FireStick edition, unfortunately, doesn’t support it, and you’ll ultimately have to use an HDMI cord. 

Fix The Blank Screen Issue With The Fire Stick

If you find your FireStick not working due to a blank screen showing when it shouldn’t, there are a few potential fixes for it. Normally, the problem is a corrupted cable or loose connection. 

In general, it is likely to be due to these problems:

• You are using cables that did not come with the FireStick/aren’t compatible.
• Your HDMI cable is loose and needs to be adjusted into good positioning.
• The HDMI cable itself is broken and needs to be replaced.

If none of these problems are the case, we recommend restarting your FireStick one or two times. Often, these fixes will solve the notorious FireStick blank screen problem.

Fix Buffering Issues On The Fire Stick

If you’re streaming content on your Amazon FireStick, you definitely know the pain of increased buffering times. The good news is that this is usually due to Data Monitoring, which is a setting you can deactivate.

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Here’s how to disable Data Monitoring on FireStick:

1. Navigate to your Fire TV settings. 
2. On the right-hand side of the menu, select Preferences.
3. Here, you’ll see Data Monitoring. 
4. Click on it to disable it, you can come back to toggle it on or off as you please.

This setting exists to save you data, so when you’re not experiencing problems, it’s alright to keep this setting on. In a pinch, disable it and your content might run faster.

Fix App Crashes On The Fire Stick 

If you find your FireStick not working due to multiple apps crashing on a regular basis, you’ll need a quick solution. 

Here’s the best way to fix app crashes on FireStick:

1. Go to your Fire TV’s settings from the FireStick homepage. 
2. Once you’re in Settings, click Applications.
3. To view all your apps, click Manage Installed Applications.
4. Choose the app that keeps crashing to see its options. 
5. Now, you can clear the cache and/or its data. 

Once you finish clearing the cache or data, launch the app once again. This time, it shouldn’t crash. However, if it does you might want to completely uninstall it and download it fresh.

Stop The Fire Stick From Reading Your Screen 

This is a less common problem, but if you’ve bought a previously-owned FireStick you might find that it’s reading the screen aloud to you. The feature is great for accessibility, but pretty bothersome if you don’t need it.

Here’s how to disable it:

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1. Go to your Fire TV settings from the home screen.
2. To the right, you’ll see Accessibility. Click on this.
3. From here, click on VoiceView to toggle it on/off. 

Now that you’ve turned off VoiceView, your FireStick will stop reading everything on your screen to you. Hope this has helped!

Fix Internet Issues On The Fire Stick 

If you’re having internet problems with your FireStick, the most likely scenario is that your connection has lapsed. Most of the time, you can resolve this by disconnecting and reconnecting to your wireless network. 

Luckily, this is very easy to do. Here’s how to fix FireStick internet connections:

1. Go to your Settings from the main screen of your FireStick.
2. Next, select Network from the options menu. 
3. You’ll see your Wi-Fi network. Choose it, and then press the remote button with three horizontal lines. 
4. From there, reconnect to the network.

 There! If you do this, your network should be up and running again. Otherwise, you might need to restart your router or call support. 

Fix The Fire Stick Remote Issues 

If your remote is having issues, more often than not this is because the batteries are not working. Or, they could just be running out of juice.

Here’s how to check the battery life in your FireStick remote:

1. Go to your Settings.
2. Choose Remotes & Bluetooth Devices from the options menu.
3. Select Amazon Fire TV Remotes.
4. You’ll see your remote in the list. Click on it to see its info.
5. From there, it will tell you how much battery level you have left. 

If your batteries are low, just replace them and this problem should go away ASAP.

Update Your Fire Stick

Sometimes, bugs and other performance issues can be solved with updates from Amazon. So, if you see your FireStick not working you should check if there’s an update you didn’t know about that would fix them. 

Here’s how to check for updates on FireStick:

1. Go to your settings from the home screen.
2. Select My Fire TV from the menu options.
3. On the next screen, click About.
4. Hover over Install Update. If there is one available, it will tell you to the right of your screen. Install it if there is, and hopefully, your issue will resolve. 

Reset Your Amazon FireStick

Sometimes, there will be issues that can only be remedied by resetting your Amazon FireStick. This should be a last resort, but it can definitely help in a lot of ways. 

Here’s the clean way to reset your FireStick and resolve your issue:

1. Go to your Settings from the home screen of your FireStick. 
2. On the right side of the next menu, click on My Fire TV. 
3. Here, you can select Reset to Factory Defaults. 
4. Of course, it will confirm with you first. If you’re sure, click Reset.

Now, your FireStick will reboot to the state it was in upon purchase, and hopefully, any performance problems will be fixed.

Summary Of Ways To Fix Firestick Quit Working

See the full list of ways to fix Firestick not working below.

Issues With The WiFi Connection

If your Firestick won’t stay connected to the internet, it can be due to a bad connection, power outage, password error, the setup of your device, or your modem/router. If you believe it is a simple password error, then it is important to remember that your WiFi password is not the same as your Amazon prime account and that most passwords are case-sensitive.

• If a password error isn’t the case and you believe it may be a problem with how your Firestick is setup, then make sure there are no physical obstacles in the way of your Wi-Fi signal and that your Amazon Firestick is clear of any interference. This is often the culprit when your Firestick quit working.

Did your Firestick quit working? It could be a network (WiFi) issue.

If you think the problem is with your modem and router, follow these steps to fix Firestick quit working issues:

• Make sure that your modem and router is compatible with your device and meets the specific criteria.
• Your modem or router should have the following specifications: B, G, and N routers on 2.4 GHz or A and N routers on 5GHz.
• If you have additional complications with your modem and router, then seek additional aid for getting your Firestick to work.  This is in regards to your router/modem, so it may be best to contact your network administrator, Internet Service Provider (ISP), or the manufacturer of your modem or router.

Firestick Network Usage Tool

If you think the Firestick quit working problem may be with your wireless network, you can utilize your Firestick’s network usage tool to diagnose any problems with your wireless connection that may have caused your Firestick quit working problems.

To get to the network usage tool, go to Settings and then Network from the Fire TV menu and then press the Play/Pause button on your Fire TV remote. The tool is able to check if your Firestick is connected to the correct wireless network and if that connection is active. The tool is also able to display if there is any problems or errors with your internet connection and will even provide solutions for you to try to get your Firestick connected and working again.

• If none of the above solutions regarding your wireless connection work, a simple Firestick restart may fix the issue if your Firestick quit working. You can attempt to restart your Firestick or your router and modem to see if it resolves your Firestick’s issues. To restart your Fire TV Stick, unplug the power adapter for three seconds and then plug it back in.

You can also restart your device with your remote. To do so, press and hold the select button and the Play/Pause button at the same time for 5 seconds or until you see your device restart. Lastly, you can restart your device by going to Settings→ Device→ and hitting Restart from your Fire TV menu.

Issues With Physical Connection

If your TV won’t recognize your Amazon Firestick, the issue could be with the way your Firestick is inserted into your TV’s HDMI port. Check and make sure your Firestick is fully inserted into your TV HDMI port, as a loose connection can prevent your Firestick from being recognized. This is one of the easiest ways to fix Firestick quit working.

Another issue could be a low battery on your Firestick remote or not enough power getting to the Firestick. Make sure your Firestick remote batteries are fully charged and the Firestick is plugged into the official (included) USB power block / charger before attempting to use it.

Re-Plug in your Firestick into the HDMI port of your TV

If you still have problems getting your Firestick to be recognized and you’ve ruled out all other problems, the issue could be with your Firestick’s motherboard. Sometimes, the Firestick can be permanently damaged if it overheats too many times.

A new Amazon Firestick is $49

In the case of a faulty motherboard aka “fried Firestick“, you will have to just buy a new Firestick ($49 from Amazon, sometimes on sale!). It’s kind of the nuclear option, but if your Firestick quit working completely, this might be the solution.

Issues With Fire TV Remote

If you’re experiencing issues with your Fire TV voice remote or your screen won’t respond to your remote, there could be a pairing error. Sometimes Firestick quit working issues are the result of the remote and not the Firestick. One solution is to try a reboot of both your Firestick and Fire TV remote and initiate a re-pairing process. To reboot your Firestick, simply unplug it for a few seconds and then plug it back in.

After re-plugging your Firestick, hold the home button on your remote for 5-10 seconds and the remote should pair with your Firestick. It is important to note that during this process, your Firestick should be fully charged.

Issues with the Firestick Remote? Check this.

If you think the problem for why your Firestick quit working with your remote is the remote’s batteries, open the back of your remote and make sure the batteries are in full contact with the metal spring. If you simply think the batteries may be low, swap out the batteries for new ones.

Replace the Firestick remote batteries if your Firestick quit working

Perhaps the problem is with the remote itself and it has faulty buttons. If this is the case, you can replace/fix the buttons on your remote. For a complete instruction on fixing the buttons in your Fire TV remote, check out this article.

Issues With Firestick Audio

In cases where the audio on your Firestick quit working, you can first start by checking to see if your TV isn’t accidentally on mute by reviewing your volume settings. Try that first, and if that doesn’t fix things then try these Firestick audio fix tips:

1. If you think it’s possible that your external speakers are not compatible with your Firestick, then you can switch your audio settings to default mode to see if that resolves the issue.
2. If that resolution does not work, then your Firestick could be set to the wrong audio settings. To adjust your audio settings, go to the Settings option on your Fire TV main menu and select the Dolby Digital Output option.
3. The Dolby Digital Plus option should be set to “off.”
   

   Check the Dolby Digital options

4. If none of the previously mentioned solutions fix the audio of your Firestick, then the issue could be your TV’s HDMI port. Try plugging your Firestick into another device to see if it emits sound.
5. In the case that the Firestick still does not produce audio, then the issue could be with the HDMI port in your Fire TV Stick.

If none of the Firestick audio fixes above worked, then check all the cables in your Home Theater system. For example, if you use external speakers for your Firestick audio, then check all the cables in your speaker system to make sure they’re nice and snug!

Issues With The Image

If your Firestick quit working and isn’t producing an image on your TV screen, the issue could be with your HDMI cable. Check to see if your HDMI cable is correctly connected and that it has no faults in it. Also, try unplugging the cable for a few seconds and then re-plugging it to see if it fixes Firestick quit working. If your HDMI cable has a shortage, for example, it can cause errors with your Firestick’s ability to produce an image on your screen. In the event of a shortage, you will want to replace your cable.

If your HDMI cable doesn’t have a shortage, but the problem isn’t resolved, you can try plugging the cable into another HDMI port on your TV. If the problem isn’t the cable, but perhaps the image resolution, press the Up and Rewind buttons on the Fire TV remote at the same time and hold them for five seconds. This will let your device toggle through a list of image resolutions from 480p to 1080p. Once you get to the correct resolution, select “Use Current Resolution.”

If all of the aforementioned solutions do not work, then the HDMI port in your Fire TV Stick could be faulty. In this case, your Firestick should be replaced.

• Press the Play button on the video above to see an example of how to fix a zoom issue in Kodi for Firestick

If your Firestick is producing a screen, but the words are going off the screen or the image seems to be cropped, the issue could be with your screen resolution. To fix that, use your voice remote to change the formatting of the screen. Click the format button until you reach the correct screen resolution. Often, when this problem occurs, it is because the format is set to “Zoom.”

You can fix Firestick quit working by adjusting the scaling of the display by going to Settings→ Display→ and then Calibrate Display on the Fire TV menu. For more information on fixing your screen, check out this video tutorial:

Issues With Turning On Fire TV Stick

If you are unable to get your Fire TV Stick to turn on, it could be due to a couple of reasons. One such reason is if the white indicator light is not on. When this happens, check to see if your power cord is plugged in correctly and inserted firmly into the back of the device. A loose connection can result in your Firestick not turning on.

• If you try this solution and your Firestick still won’t turn on, the issue could be a damaged power cord. If your power cord has a shortage or other damages, you can easily resolve this issue by replacing the power cord.

Fix Firestick quit working issues with this Samsung power supply

We hope that if your Firestick quit working due to one of the aforementioned issues, the solutions provided in this guide can be helpful!

KFTV offers helpful guides and tech tutorials for Firestick, Kodi, and more!  So visit KFireTV for more Firestick tutorials ;).