Is your Amazon Prime Video slow? If so, it can be annoying when trying to navigate the menus or stream content.
We investigate what is the cause of Amazon Prime Video acting slow and how to fix it.
Why is Prime Video so slow?
The main cause of Prime Video being so slow is more than likely either a software or internet connection problem.
Are you running the most up-to-date Prime Video version and is your Prime Video account properly logged in and connected?
Here are some tips on how to make stop Prime Video from being slow:
- Check the Server Status of Prime Video
- Restart the Prime Video app
- Sign out of the Prime Video app
- Soft Reset your Streaming Source Device
- Reset your Router
- Update your Prime Video and your streaming device
- Disconnect other devices in your home from the internet
- Decrease Video Streaming Quality
- Close any other apps that are running
- Use an Ethernet cable rather than a Wi-Fi
- Upgrade your Internet Connection
- Disable VPNs or Ad blockers
- Upgrade your Router
- Contact the Prime Video app Support
How to stop the Prime Video app from being slow
Method 1: Check to make sure Prime Video servers are operational
When Prime Video is buffering or acting slow, most of the issues will usually be with your network or streaming device.
Before you go into the other fixes listed below, it is worthwhile to check that there are no issues or outages with the Prime Video platform.
Method 2: Restart the Prime Video app
It is a good idea to restart the Prime Video app if you are experiencing slow performance.
By restarting the Prime Video app, you give the opportunity for any updates to correctly install and establish a new connection with the Prime Video servers.
Method 3: Sign out of the Prime Video app
Another potential quick fix to Prime Video acting slow is to sign out of your account.
By signing out of your Prime Video account before your return and logging in, you may resolve any account-related issues with are causing the slowness problems to occur.
Method 4: Restart your Streaming Source Device
To access the Prime Video app, you will be using a streaming device to access the app.
The most common streaming devices for the Prime Video app are:
- Smart TVs
- Streaming Stick such as Apple TV, Firestick, or Roku
- Games Consoles such as PlayStation and XBOX
- A PC or MacBook Laptop
A power cycle of these systems is the standard recommendation for these devices and the initial step in attempting to resolve the Prime Video not loading difficulties.
To perform a power cycle of the devices, simply unplug them for 60 seconds before plugging them back in.
This restart allows any updates that have been downloaded in the background to install and start successfully, and it also clears the system cache.
Clearing the system cache and any lingering apps running in RAM can help in increasing the speed of the Prime Video app.
By reducing the number of apps running in the background, you give the Prime Video app the best performance.
Method 5: Reset your Router
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it is definitely effective in reducing the slowness of the Prime Video app.
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 action will “power-cycle” your router and provide more bandwidth to increase your ability to stream content faster on the Prime Video app.
Why does resetting your router reduce the Prime Video app being so slow?
Think of all the devices that are and have been connected to the router. I’m sure that in today’s digital world that quite a few devices are connected to the router.
Your router is like a mini-PC and will slow down as more tasks are added.
Having all of those devices connected will reduce the bandwidth available to the Prime Video app and subsequently throttle your download speed, which in turn creates slow playback.
Method 6: Update your Prime Video app
If you are streaming Prime Video using a device such as a Firestick, Roku or smart TV then I would recommend that you update the app if possible.
Method 7: Disconnect other devices in your home from the internet
If you cannot reset your router for any reason, I would try and disconnect none essential devices from the internet.
Is someone in your home watching Netflix? What about your phone? Is someone downloading games or apps on XBOX?
Every device that you can disconnect from your internet connection will help in stopping the Prime Video app is so slow.
Method 8: Close any apps that are running
If you have followed our first step of restarting your streaming device, then this step would have been completed for you, otherwise please continue to close any running apps.
How does having open apps cause the Prime Video app to be slow?
Imagine your internet connection to your Prime Video application like an artery in your body. The more games and apps that are running are like blockages in your arteries, sorry for the weird analogy!
Those blockages impede your ability to stream content faster, and then that results in the Prime Video app is slow.
Method 9: Decrease Video Quality
Check in the Prime Video app options when watching content if there is a toggle for video quality.
The higher the quality of content that you stream, the more likely it is that slow playback will occur.
Try to decrease the video quality, especially if the quality is set to 4K.
Method 10: Update your streaming device software/firmware before downloading
Whether you are using a TV, Streaming Stick, or Games console, updating your firmware or software to the latest version can help in preventing issues from arising over time.
Sometimes updates can be missed, or an installation can be interrupted and cause issues with your streaming device.
Old firmware or a partial firmware installation could cause the Prime Video app to be slow.
Ensuring that you have the latest software on your devices also gives you access to new apps and an improved viewing experience.
Method 11: Use an Ethernet cable rather than Wi-Fi
It is almost always true that when you use an Ethernet (Wired Connection) rather than Wi-Fi, you will get a better download speed.
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 streaming device along with the walls, floor, and ceilings can all deteriorate the quality of your internet connection, causing the Prime Video app to be slow.
I always use a wired connection when it is available, and you should too!
Method 12: Disable any Ad blockers or VPNs
VPNs and Ad blockers can negatively affect the streaming performance of the Prime Video app.
Your connection to a VPN will always limit the speed at which you can stream content.
We understand that using a VPN can be a sensible choice, especially due to privacy concerns.
Unfortunately, by using a VPN, you are creating another dependency that can cause Prime Video to be slow.
Method 13: 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 14: Upgrade your Router
This option will not apply to everyone, but for some gamers, the router could be the bottleneck in their home network, causing the Prime Video app slowness problems.
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 all good having a 1gbps connection, but if your router can only download at 100mbps, then you’ve got yourself a massive bottleneck and a solid explanation as to why the Prime Video app is so slow.
Method 15: Contact Prime Video Support
If you have tried all the tips above and nothing has worked, then you can contact Prime Video app support for further assistance.
Conclusion
If you have followed the guide, then you would have been successful in stopping the Prime Video app from acting slow.
We hope that you enjoy faster streaming.
