When you notice Samsung TV buffering, it can be both annoying and disrupting to your ability to stream content.
Let’s take a look at what causes buffering on Samsung TVs and how to prevent it from occurring!
Why does my Samsung TV keep buffering?
When your Samsung TV keeps buffering, it is commonly caused by an unoptimized internet connection or software issue.
Slow internet connections (which can be fixed) and using older software versions are the leading cause of Samsung TV buffering issues.
Here are some tips on how to stop Samsung TVs from buffering:
- Restart your Samsung TV
- Reset your Router
- Update your Samsung 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 Samsung TV Support
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How to stop Samsung TV from buffering
Method 1: Reboot your Samsung Smart TV(All Samsung Models)
Restarting your TV can clear any potential software conflicts causing your Samsung TV buffering problems.
This step will also clear the RAM and cache, when these become full, it can cause content to buffer on Samsung Smart TVs.
Unplug your Samsung TV from the socket for 60 seconds before plugging it back in, to complete a power cycle.
Once you’ve plugged the TV back in, turn it on, and then check to see whether you can now play content on your Samsung TV without buffering.
Method 2: Reset your Router
Resetting your router can be an effective trick to preventing your Samsung TV from buffering.
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 your Samsung TV which can prevent buffering.
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 your Samsung TV and subsequently throttle your download speed, which in turn creates buffering.
Method 3: Update your Samsung TV firmware
We have found that older unsupported Samsung TV firmware cause buffering when streaming content on your Samsung TV.
I recommend that you update your Samsung TV firmware to ensure that you have the latest software, access to new apps, and an improved viewing experience.
How to update your Samsung TV firmware
Assuming your TV is already turned on, hit the HOME or MENU button on the remote.
Now you will see the setting menu appear on the left-hand side of the TV (Please note that this may vary depending on the model of your Samsung TV).
You should scroll down to SUPPORT and then select SOFTWARE UPDATE from the menu on the right-hand side
Once the updates have been installed, restart your TV and see if you still experience buffering.
Method 4: Disconnect other devices in your home from the internet
If you are experiencing buffering on your Samsung TV, it’s a great idea to disconnect other devices from your home internet.
Is someone in your home streaming on 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 reducing buffering on your Samsung TV.
Method 5: Close any apps that are running
If you followed the step of restarting your Samsung 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 Samsung TV to buffer?
The more apps that you have open on your Samsung TV reduces both the performance of your TV and the internet connection.
This degradation of performance can cause your Samsung 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 Samsung 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 Samsung 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 Samsung 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
VPNs and Ad blockers can negatively affect the playback performance of your Samsung TV and cause buffering.
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 Samsung 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 all good having a 1gbps connection, but if your router can only download at 100mbps, you’ve got a massive bottleneck and a solid explanation for why your Samsung TV is buffering.
Method 11: Contact Samsung TV Support
If you have tried all of the steps and your Samsung TV is still buffering then it may be time to contact Samsung support with your problem.
The support team will be able to take a closer look and offer alternative ways to resolve this issue.
Conclusion
I hope that the steps above helped resolve your Samsung TV buffering issues!
