If you’re like me, you’re probably feeling frustrated trying to figure out why Prime isn’t working on your TV. After hours of research and trial-and-error, I’m here to share with you the tips and tricks I’ve learned to finally get Prime working on my TV. In this blog post, I’ll be breaking down why Prime isn’t working on your TV, the solutions to this issue, and how to avoid it in the future.
If your question is: Why is Prime not working on my TV? The quick answer to it is you have a slow internet connection and low bandwidth. Amazon Prime Video requires an internet speed that’s at least 1Mbps for Standard Definition and 5Mbps for High-Definition Content.
| Issue | Possible Causes | Recommended Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Not Working on TV | Subscription Ended | Check your subscription status and payment details; update payment method if necessary |
| Multiple Devices Using the Account | Unlink unwanted devices in your account settings | |
| Internet Speed | Check your internet speed; move your router closer to the TV; disable other devices on the network; restart your Wi-Fi modem and router | |
| Amazon Prime Video is Down | Search online for the platform’s status; wait for the service to be restored | |
| Additional Troubleshooting | TV Issues | Restart your TV; test other video streaming services to identify the issue |
| App Data and Cache | Clear data or cache of the Prime application in your TV’s settings |
Table of Contents
Possible Reasons Why Prime Is Not Working On Your TV
The following are the reasons why your Amazon Prime Video isn’t working.
- Subscription Ended
Amazon Prime is a subscription-based streaming platform. As such, you should check whether your subscription is still active. They usually send out an email informing you that your access to the platform has ended.
However, you can also check it manually through their website by following these instructions:
- Log in to the Amazon Prime Video website.
- Click on your Amazon Prime Video profile.
- In the dropdown menu, click Account & Settings.
- When it redirects you to your Amazon account, look for Prime Membership.
- Check your payment details and payment method.
- You’re good to go if there’s nothing wrong with your payment.
- If your payment failed, click Edit on Amazon.
- Edit your payment method or add a new Debit or Credit card.
Once you’ve followed these instructions, kindly refresh your Amazon Prime Video. It should be working by then.
- Multiple Devices Using the Account
According to Amazon Prime’s Terms of Use, subscribing, renting, or purchasing a video only grants you a limited license. It’s due to the limitations their content suppliers imposed on them.
As such, they’ve also imposed restrictions on their users. One of which is limiting the number of devices that can watch simultaneously.
For purchased videos, a maximum of two devices can stream them simultaneously. On the other hand, only one device can stream rental videos.
Amazon Prime Video subscribers can stream with two devices, while Third-Party Add-On video subscribers (or those who subscribed to Prime Video Channels) can use only one device.
To check the devices linked to your account, follow these instructions:
- Log in to Amazon Prime Video.
- Go to the Account & Settings menu.
- Select the “Your devices” tab.
- Feel free to unlink unwanted accounts by clicking the “Unregister” button right next to the device name.
- Internet Speed
Amazon Prime Video uses the Internet for it to work. That said, you need a decent bandwidth to download videos and stream video content. Prime uses three video quality options: Good, Better, and Best.
The minimum bandwidth needed for Good quality is 1Mbps. If your internet speed is lower than that, Prime won’t work because the data will load longer than usual. As a result, you’ll experience constant buffering.
Although, if your internet passes the required speed to stream videos on Prime, you can try moving your router closer to your TV. If that doesn’t work, temporarily disable devices using your network, because a congested network often leads to reduced bandwidth.
You can also restart your Wi-Fi modem and router by simply unplugging and plugging them back after a minute.
- Amazon Prime Video is Down
There are rare instances wherein the server of Amazon Prime Video goes down. When this happens, all users can’t use the app, hence why it’s not working on your TV. However, they don’t release any information whenever the platform crashes, so you should search for its status online.
Luckily, tons of sites tell whether a service is down, and you can quickly look for them by searching “Is Amazon Prime Down?” The sites collect all of the reports from people who are experiencing the same issue.
Other Troubleshooting Guides
If you’ve checked your internet speed, your Prime subscription, and the devices connected to your account but still can’t find the problem, there are other troubleshooting you can do.
- Restart Your TV
There’s a chance that your TV is acting up, so a reboot is necessary.
Simply close the Prime Video app or the website and unplug your appliance for a minute. After that, plug it back and check whether your Prime is working.
If not, try using other video streaming services if they work. When other video streaming platforms work, it means that Amazon Prime is currently down, and your TV isn’t the problem.
- Clear Data or Cache of the Prime Application
You can also restart the Prime app by clearing the data and cache. Most Smart TVs allow clearing the data and the cache of any application when they’re not working correctly. You can do this by following these simple steps:
- Go to your TV’s Settings menu.
- Select Apps, then click See all apps.
- Select the Amazon Prime Video app.
- Click Clear cache or Clear Data, then press OK.
Takeaway
So, why is Prime not working on my TV? Most of the time, it’s due to your slow internet connection or because there’s an issue with your Prime subscription.
By following the troubleshooting tips we’ve mentioned, you’ll be able to fix the issue in no time!
