Prime Video Not Playing
Amazon Streaming Service
Severity: ModerateWhat Does This Error Mean?
Prime Video isn't playing because of a slow connection, app glitch, or account issue. Most fixes take less than two minutes. Start by restarting the app and checking your internet speed.
Affected Models
- Amazon for iPhone
- Amazon for Android
- Amazon Web
- Amazon Fire Tablet
Common Causes
- Internet connection is too slow or unstable for streaming
- The Prime Video app or browser needs to be refreshed
- Your Amazon Prime membership has lapsed or isn't active
- The video or device app is out of date
- Amazon's servers are experiencing a temporary outage
How to Fix It
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Close the Prime Video app completely and reopen it.
On a phone, swipe the app away from your recent apps list, then relaunch it.
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Check your internet speed at fast.com. You need at least 5 Mbps for HD video.
If your speed is low, move closer to your router or restart it.
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Sign out of Prime Video and sign back in.
Go to Settings in the app and choose 'Sign Out'. Then log back in with your Amazon account.
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Update the Prime Video app to the latest version.
Open your device's app store, search for Prime Video, and tap Update if available.
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Check if your Amazon Prime membership is still active.
Go to amazon.com, click your account name, and look for 'Prime Membership'. A lapsed membership stops video access.
When to Call a Professional
If the issue only happens on one device and nothing fixes it, contact Amazon support. They can check your account and escalate device-specific playback problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prime Video worked yesterday — why won't it play today?
Amazon may have had a brief outage, or your membership may have renewed (or failed to renew). Check your Prime membership status first.
Why does Prime Video buffer constantly even with good Wi-Fi?
Other devices on your network may be using bandwidth. Try pausing downloads or streaming on other devices while you watch.
Why is there a black screen but I can hear audio?
This is usually a display driver or HDMI handshake issue. Try unplugging your HDMI cable and plugging it back in, or restart the app.