If you are trying to stream content and notice your LG TV keeps buffering, it can ruin your enjoyment of the content.
We look into what causes buffering issues on LG TVs and how to fix them.
Why does my LG TV keep buffering?
Your LG TV keeps buffering because of an unoptimized internet connection or software configuration issue.
Slower internet connections and using older software applications and/or firmware are the leading causes of LG TV buffering issues.
Here are some tips on how to stop LG TVs from buffering:
- Restart your LG TV
- Reset your Router
- Update your LG TV firmware
- Disconnect other devices in your home from the internet
- Close any other apps that are running
- Decrease Streaming Playback Quality
- Use an Ethernet cable rather than a Wi-Fi
- Upgrade your Internet Connection
- Disable VPNs or Ad blockers
- Upgrade your Router
- Contact the LG TV Support
How to stop LG TV from buffering
Method 1: Reboot your LG Smart TV(All LG Models)
Rebooting your LG TV can be helpful in stopping buffering.
The reboot clears the LG TV RAM and cache, which can slow the performance of your TV and lead to buffering.
Unplug your LG TV from the socket for 60 seconds before plugging it back in, to complete a power cycle.
When you plug your TV back in, see if the buffering issues on your LG TV have been fixed.
Method 2: Reset your Router
I often reboot my router when I run into buffering issues on my LG TV, it’s the most effective quick fix.
How do I reset my router?
The easiest way to reset your router is to simply unplug it from the wall socket for 30 seconds before plugging it back in.
This will “power-cycle” your router and provide more bandwidth to your LG TV, which can prevent buffering.
When you start up your router, you will get a fresh connection to your LG TV, which should improve your internet speeds and bandwidth allowances.
Method 3: Update your LG TV firmware
Let’s face it, if you have older LG TV firmware, you are more likely to experience buffering issues on your TV.
I recommend that you update your LG TV firmware to ensure that you have the latest software, access to new apps, and an improved viewing experience.
Most LG TVs have automatic updates enabled by default, and the updates should install automatically assuming that your TV is connected to the internet.
It is possible, even with this setting enabled that updates can be missed or an installation can be interrupted and thus cause issues with your TV.
How to update your LG firmware
Assuming your TV is already turned on, hit the settings button on the remote.
Now you will see the settings menu appear on the left-hand side of the TV (please note that this may vary depending on the model of your LG TV).
At the bottom of the row of icons, you should see the all settings button. Please select this option to proceed to the next menu.
Now navigate down to “SUPPORT” on the new menu that appears and then select “SOFTWARE UPDATE”
Now you can activate the automatic update feature and also check for new updates.
Once the updates have been installed, restart your TV and see if you still experience buffering issues.
Method 4: Disconnect other devices in your home from the internet
If you are experiencing buffering on your LG TV, it’s a great idea to disconnect other devices from your home internet.
Homes can have a lot of devices connected to the router at the same time.
Your internet bandwidth can significantly deteriorate if someone is watching online videos or downloading games and apps on another device.
Every device that you can disconnect from your internet connection will help in reducing buffering on your LG TV.
Method 5: Close any apps that are running
If you followed the step of restarting your LG TV, then this step would have been completed for you, otherwise please continue to close any running apps.
How does having open apps cause your LG TV to buffer?
The more apps that you have open on your LG TV reduces both the performance of your TV and the internet connection.
This degradation of performance can cause your LG TV to buffer when streaming content.
Method 6: Decrease Streaming Quality
Reduce the video quality of the content that you are streaming, this can usually be done within the app that you are using.
The higher the quality of content that you play, the more likely it is that buffering will occur on LG TV.
Try and decrease the video quality, especially if you have the quality set to 4K.
Method 7: Use an Ethernet cable rather than Wi-Fi
To reduce LG TV buffering issues, an ethernet cable is a better option than using a Wi-Fi connection.
Wired connections transmit data quicker and with less interference. There are also fewer variables that can hinder the quality of connection.
Wi-Fi connections are slower and generally have a slower response time.
The distance from your playback device, along with the walls, floors, and ceilings, can all deteriorate the quality of your internet connection, causing LG TV buffering issues.
I always use a wired connection when it is available, and you should too!
Method 8: Disable any Ad blockers or VPNs
When you run either a VPN or ad blocker they can impact your ability to fastly stream content and this can lead to buffering issues on your LG TV.
Your connection to a VPN will always limit the speed at which you can play content.
We understand that using a VPN can be a sensible choice, mainly due to privacy concerns.
Unfortunately, by using a VPN, you are creating another dependency that can cause LG TV buffering issues if there are any problems or limited speed.
Method 9: Upgrade your Internet Connection
Not everyone has access to high download speed through their ISP (Internet Service Provider), but for those that do, consider upgrading your internet connection.
It is pretty straightforward that a 100mbps connection will have a slower download rate than a 1gbps connection.
Method 10: Upgrade your Router
If you have consistently upgraded your internet speed through your ISP but are still using an older router, you may wish to check what the maximum download speed of your router is.
It’s good having a 1gbps connection, but if your router can only download at 100mbps, you’ve got a bottleneck and a possible explanation for why your LG TV is buffering.
Method 11: Contact LG TV Support
If you have tried all of the steps and your LG TV is still buffering, then it may be time to contact LG support for more assistance.
The support team will be able to take a closer look and offer alternative ways to resolve this issue.
Conclusion
There are common causes for LG TV buffering issues, we hope that our troubleshooting guide helped your streaming performance.
