You’ve settled in to watch the latest Amazon Prime show, but Amazon Prime Video has suddenly stopped working. The show is no longer playing, and you are now staring at a blank screen.
What are your next steps? In some cases, you may be able to repair Amazon Prime Video yourself. We’ll try to help you fix Amazon Prime Video if it stops working in this article.
Is your Amazon Prime Video subscription active?
The first thing to check if Amazon Prime isn’t working is your account status. You’re probably aware that Amazon Prime Video isn’t completely free. You’ll be able to access it through either an annual Amazon Prime subscription or a monthly video-only subscription.
Go to Amazon’s Your Account page, then your Prime Video Settings page, to see if your account is active. Other aspects of your Prime Video subscription can also be managed here.
Does Your Device Meet the Minimum Requirements?
Following that, you must confirm the minimum device requirements. The requirements for smart TVs and set-top boxes will remain unchanged. This means that it should work if the device has an Amazon Prime Video app. If not, and you’ve exhausted all other troubleshooting options on this page, you should contact the manufacturer.
Check that your operating system meets the following minimum requirements for desktop computers:
- Windows 7 or newer
- Mac OS 10.7 or newer
- Linux/UNIX operating systems are also supported
In the meantime, your internet connection should be at the very least:
- 900 Kbits/sec for Standard Definition (SD) video
- 3.5 Mbits/sec for High Definition (HD) videos
Your web browser is also important. If your operating system lacks a dedicated Amazon Prime Video app, you’ll have to watch videos in your browser. Your internet browser should be:
- Google Chrome (version 59 or newer)
- Mozilla Firefox (version 53 or newer)
- Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 11 or newer)
- Microsoft Edge on Windows 10
- Apple Safari (version 10 or newer on macOS 10.12.1 or newer)
- Opera (version 37 or newer)
If Amazon Prime Video meets the minimum requirements, you should also try these Amazon Prime Video tips and tricks.
Could this also be a Microsoft Silverlight issue?
Amazon Prime Video may not work even if you have adequate network speeds and a compatible operating system and browser Microsoft Silverlight is used to play video on older PCs that lack HTML5 support in the browser.
This media plugin occasionally encounters issues when playing streamed video files. To resolve this, right-click the video window in your browser and select Silverlight. Select Application Storage and then Enable Application Storage. Locate and delete the entry “http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/” in the Website column.
Silverlight will not be an issue in most cases because it is old technology.
Managing Amazon Prime Video Issues on Mobile
Do you have Amazon Prime Video on your phone? There are dedicated apps for Android and iOS, and Prime Video is built into tablet devices (and Fire TV).
Whichever option you choose, the apps will update automatically. This will usually keep bugs and errors at bay, but you may have to take matters into your own hands.
How to Resolve Amazon Prime Video Issues on iOS
Uninstalling the app on iPhone and iPad will resolve any issues with Amazon Prime Video that are not related to your network.
Locate and long-press the Prime Video icon. Tap Remove app, followed by Delete app. Finally, tap Delete to remove the app. After that, go to the App Store and search for Prime Video again.
How to Resolve Amazon Prime Video Issues on Android
Do you have Amazon Prime Video on your Android device? You have two options for dealing with any issues with the app.
- Go to Settings > Apps and notifications > Prime Video from the Home screen. Then, go to Storage > Clear Data and click OK. Retry watching the video.
- If this fails, try reinstalling the app. Uninstall Prime Video by going to Settings > Application Manager > Prime Video > Uninstall. Restart your phone before reinstalling the app.
How to Fix Amazon Prime Video on Your TV or Set-Top Box
It’s simple to reinstall a mobile app, but what if the app is on your TV or set-top box? Things are a little different, but you should restart the TV whenever error messages or playback problems appear.
By “restart,” we mean turn off and on the device again, rather than simply putting it in standby mode. To do so, locate the power button on the back of your television. It’s also a good idea to unplug it from the power supply.
Clearing the data cache on Amazon Prime Video apps on TVs and set-top boxes will reset them. The platform will determine how you do this, but you should be able to access the app settings. For assistance, look through the menus or consult the device’s manual.
You should eventually find the options to Clear data and Clear the cache. Use these to persuade the app to function properly. Keep in mind that once the app restarts, you will most likely need to sign in again.
How to Troubleshoot Amazon Prime Video Server Issues
General server issues can occasionally cause issues with Amazon Prime Video.
These usually don’t last long, but an incident like this can ruin your evening of binge-watching. To see if your Amazon Prime Video issue is being caused by Amazon servers, try the following:
- Log in to Amazon Prime Video on a different device: if Amazon Prime Video is unavailable on that device as well, the problem is most likely on Amazon’s end.
- Use a service like Is It Down Right Now? to see if Amazon is down or having issues.
Amazon Prime Video Error Codes to Look Out For
In other cases, problems with Amazon streaming video will result in error codes. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common.
As previously stated, Amazon Prime Video requires a minimum network speed of 900 Kbits/sec. This produces standard definition (SD) video, which is usually sufficient for smaller displays.
It should come as no surprise that connectivity issues can cause issues with Amazon Prime Video streams. While you can change the quality settings of a video (via the Settings option), other issues are possible.
The “Insufficient Bandwidth” error is a common issue. If Amazon declares your connection to have low bandwidth, this will be displayed. If this occurs, try other streaming services like YouTube or Netflix.
However, if they appear to be functional, restart your router. After that, restart the device on which you’re watching Amazon Prime Video (whether TV, mobile device, PC, or whatever).
How to Troubleshoot Amazon Prime Video Error Code 1060
Error Code 1060 is usually preceded by the “wait” circle and appears with “Wait” and “Retry” options. It’s usually caused by a lack of bandwidth, so double-check your device’s connection to your router. Other devices on your network, as well as neighbor properties on shared connections, may be using the bandwidth.
How to Troubleshoot Amazon Prime Video Error Code 9074
Amazon has yet to reveal the meaning of this code, so we can only speculate. If you encounter it, try restarting your device and clearing the cache as basic troubleshooting steps. Consider restarting the router as well.
How to Troubleshoot a CDN Error on Amazon Prime Video Apps
This error, which is most commonly seen on the Fire Stick and Fire TV, is caused by problems connecting to Amazon’s streaming servers.
To resolve the issue, use the remote to restart the device. Simply hold down the Select and Play buttons for a few seconds to restart the device. If the problem persists, you should restart your router.
These are some of the most vexing Amazon Prime Video issues, but the good news is that you can resolve the majority of them on your own.
Restore Amazon Prime Video Service
We’ve looked at several reasons why Amazon Prime Video has stopped working in this article. To get the best performance, keep the app up to date and subscribe to a fast broadband package. You should also place your streaming device near your router.
Hopefully, Amazon Prime Video is fully operational again, so you can enjoy all of its content and features, such as the ability to download videos to watch offline.
