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5 Ways to Fix Videos Not Playing on Android TV

Quick Fixes
  • Clear the cache on your Android TV.
  • Free up Android TV storage.
  • Force stop the streaming or media-playing app and reopen it.

Common Fixes

  • Restart the Android TV: Long-press the power button on your Android TV remote and select Restart in the pop-up menu.
  • Check Internet Connection: Ensure you’re connected to stable internet for streaming videos. Check your internet speed online.
  • Check the app subscription status: Ensure your streaming app subscription (e.g., Netflix, Prime Video) is active.
  • Clear the app cache: Removing the app cache resolves issues when playing videos on Android TV.
  • Ensure your TV supports the video file format: Check your Android TV manual or visit the product’s brand page to check all playable video file formats.
  • Reboot the router: Press the physical Power button to restart your router. Alternatively, plug off its power, wait a few seconds, and plug it back in.
  • Update apps and Android TV OS: Open Google Play Store, search the app, and select Update. To update the Android TV OS, open Settings > Device Preferences > About > System update.

Fix 1: Force Stop and Reopen the App 

Force closing and reopening the app refreshes it, fixing glitches leading to the videos not playing error on Android TV.

Step 1: Open Android TV settings (gear icon at the top right) and select Apps.

1 Android TV settings

Step 2: Expand See all apps and select the app with video playback issues.

2 see installed apps

Step 3: Tap Force stop, wait a few seconds, and reopen the app.

4 force stop an app on Android TV

Fix 2: Clear the Cache on Your Android TV

Corrupt and obsolete app caches often cause issues when using basic app services, such as playing a video on Android TV. Manually clearing all cached data should resolve the problem.

Step 1: Open Android TV Settings and navigate to Device Preferences > Storage.

Step 2: Select Internal shared storage > tap Cached data.

Step 3: Tap OK to remove all the Android TV cached data.

clear cached data

Fix 3: Check and Clear Android TV Storage

Issues in playing videos and abrupt app crashes are common when your Android TV is running low on storage. Reviewing internal storage to delete unnecessary apps should fix it.

Step 1: Access Android TV Settings and select Device Preferences.

5 Android TV device preferences 1

Step 2: Tap Storage > select Internal shared storage. Check Available Space and delete all unnecessary apps.

Fix 4: Sign out and Sign Back into the App

To fix video playback issues in a subscription-based streaming app such as Netflix or Prime Video, sign out and log back into your account. This should fix account issues preventing you from watching the video.

To sign out of Netflix on your Android TV, expand the left sidebar and select Get Help. Scroll to the bottom and tap Sign out.

sign out of netflix

Fix 5: Reset the Android TV

If nothing works, reset your Android TV to fix the video not playing error and restore normalcy.

Step 1: Open Android TV Settings, select Device Preferences, and scroll down to tap Reset.

Step 2: Tap Reset to confirm your action.

10 confirm resetting Android TV

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Last updated on 21 May, 2024

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