As a Firestick owner, I know how frustrating it can be when your device gets stuck on the home or startup screen. I recently experienced this issue myself and did some research to figure out what was causing it and how to fix it. In this blog post, I’ll share what I discovered and other solutions that may help you if your Firestick is stuck on the home/startup/loading screen.
A stuck Firestick can point to problems in the HDMI connection, device compatibility, or simple glitches. In worse cases, there might be something internally wrong with the device.
Just don’t throw in the towel just yet. In this article, we’ll help you get your Fire TV unstuck with some simple tips and tricks.
Table of Contents
Why Does the Firestick Screen Keep Getting Stuck?
Firesticks are no strangers to the occasional hiccup that causes them to get stuck or freeze on the startup screens. Sometimes waiting it out works, and sometimes you’ll need to tackle it yourself.
When your Firestick keeps getting stuck, it can be due to any of the following:
- Glitches or power supply issues
- Unstable internet connection
- TV incompatibility with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)
- Faulty HDMI connection
- Firestick hardware issues
As much as these are annoying to deal with, it only takes a few troubleshooting steps to get you back into streaming.
How to Fix a Firestick Stuck Home/Startup/Loading Screen
The next time you see your Firestick getting stuck, don’t throw your remote out of rage. Instead, give yourself a moment to breathe, then try these troubleshooting steps:
- Restart Your TV and Firestick
As always, you start with the proven and tested restart technique. This might help refresh any glitches going on with your Fire TV stick.
Here’s how:
- Turn off and unplug both the TV and the Firestick from their power sources.
- Wait for at least 30 seconds.
- Plug them back into outlets with a steady power supply.
- Test if the Firestick no longer gets stuck.
You can also restart by holding down the Select and Play/Pause buttons on your Firestick remote for up to 10 seconds.
- Restart Your WiFi or Router
An unstable internet connection can cause slow loading times. In some cases, you might even be looking at an unresponsive Fire TV.
The best way to fix this is by resetting your WiFi or router. You can also run speed tests to make sure you have a stable connection before trying to run your Firestick once again.
If it’s a connection issue and your other devices are affected, you might want to reach out to your ISP or internet service provider. It may be because there’s something wrong with your router, or they’re having some tech issues on their end.
- Check Your HDMI Connection
Another possible cause of freezing is a faulty HDMI connection. After all, it’s how your Firestick communicates with the TV.
So, try unplugging the device from your TV’s HDMI port and cleaning it up a bit in case there’s some dirt buildup. You can use a small brush to dust off the insides gently.
You can also try plugging it into a different HDMI port if your TV has multiple ports.
Keep in mind that your Firestick can run into some connection issues if you use an extender, splitter, and the like. To avoid this, you can directly plug the Firestick into your TV’s HDMI ports. If that’s not possible, try using a new extender in case the old one is faulty.
Read more: Firestick sleep timer
- Test Things Out With a Different TV
If possible, try to use a different TV to test your Firestick on. This will help you isolate the issue and determine if it’s the Firestick or your TV that’s acting up.
If it works on other TVs, it’s possible that the TV you were using has faulty HDMI ports. You can also confirm this by using other gadgets that require connection via an HDMI cable.
- Check if Your TV Supports HDCP
While most TVs nowadays support HDCP, there are a few older TV models that aren’t compatible.
As the Firestick is an HDCP-compliant device, it’ll also need a TV that’s HDCP compatible.
If you’re unsure if your TV is HDCP-compliant, here are a few ways to find out:
- Find the box your TV was packaged in and look for the HDCP label.
- Check the TV’s manual or user guide.
- Ask your TV manufacturer by reaching out to their support site or hotline.
- Reach Out to Amazon Support
If you’ve tried all the steps and nothing works, there might be something wrong with the device itself.
In this case, it might be best to get in touch with Amazon’s Fire TV Support to find the best approach to solve the issue.
The Takeaway
Read more: Blue light on Firestick remote
There are lots of users who have to deal with a Firestick that’s frozen or stuck on the home/startup/loading screen.
In most cases, this glitch can be quickly resolved by restarting and checking the stability of the HDMI connection. Just keep in mind that the TV needs to be HDCP-compliant in the first place.
