One of our favorite inventions of the last ten years? Streaming services. If you think we’re just biased because we’re a tech review website— hear us out.
No longer do we have to worry about our family recording over the season finale of “This Is Us,” or “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” We can return to binge our favorite shows over and over again when we need a familiar story. We can skip around to all of our favorites, and change our minds as many times as we want.
With that said, it’s the absolute worst when those streaming services we love—and the tools we need to access them— don’t work the way we expect them to. If your Firestick keeps restarting (or similar issues), we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for our top Firestick troubleshooting recommendations, and get back to watching the things you love.
The Firestick Technology
The Amazon Fire TV Stick — also known as the Firestick — is a streaming device sold by Amazon. It was first released by Amazon in 2014 as Amazon’s solution to accessing all of your favorite streaming services without owning a smart tv.
Because of its size and its function as a full-featured streaming player, the Firestick turns any television into a “smart” tv. It’s very similar to a Roku, and gives you access to streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. If you have other Amazon smart devices, like an Amazon Echo, you can connect them together to unlock new features.
Unfortunately, for how advanced the technology is, common tech issues include:
- The Firestick shows a blank screen
- The Firestick stops responding to the remote
- Screen mirroring issues
- Firestick buffering issues
- The Firestick app crashes
- The Firestick can’t connect
- The Firestick remote stops working
- The Firestick keeps restarting
If any of these issues happen to you while trying to watch your favorite television shows and movies, it’s time to start troubleshooting. Start with the quick fix and work your way down the list!
The Quick Fix
Need to try something quick? Here’s what we recommend trying first if you’re experiencing a Firestick restarting issue:
- Unplug the Firestick
- Take the Firestick out of the TV slot completely
- Turn off your TV, and wait 5-10 seconds
- Restart your TV
- Once your TV turns back on, plug your Firestick back in and allow it to connect
- Restart the Firestick
Many times, this method has worked for our users since it basically resets the Firestick and gives it a fresh reboot. You can also reset everything by restarting the Broadband modem and Wi-Fi router:
- Turn off the Firestick and unplug it from its power outlet
- Turn of your modem and the Wi-Fi router (if you have a combined modem and router, you’ll only have to do this once)
- Wait for 60 seconds
- Turn on your Internet connection and wait for everything to reconnect
- Plug the Firestick back in
- Turn on the TV and try connecting
If this doesn’t fix the problem, read on for more solutions.
Firestick Keeps Restarting – Solutions
If a quick restart doesn’t do the trick, don’t panic. The troubleshooting possibilities are actually more simple than they appear! Try out all of the suggestions on this list before replacing your Firestick entirely.
1. Make Sure You’re Using Official Firestick Accessories
The official USB adapter for your Firestick has a specific amount of power it provides to the device in order for it to work successfully. An off-brand USB cable or power block might not be providing enough power to the Firestick, causing it to restart.
Instead of grabbing whatever USB cable or power block is laying around, use the power block and power cable that came with your Firestick.
2. Use a Brand New USB Cable If Firestick Keeps Restarting
Your Amazon Firestick uses what is called a MicroUSB cable to connect to power. These cables do not last forever, and will eventually start to malfunction.
If you think your MicroUSB cable has seen the end of its days, it might not be providing enough power to your device. Replace your USB cable with a brand new Micro USB cable that is compatible with your Firestick.
3. Try Using a 2 Amp Power Adapter
Be careful not to supply too much power to your device! This may harm the device even more than a simple restart issue.
However, if you think the device needs more power to stay powered on, try to use a 2 Amp power adapter. While your Firestick ships with a 1 Amp power adapter, certain devices may require a 2 Amp power adapter instead.
4. Plug The Power Adapter Directly Into a Power Outlet
Don’t plug your Firestick’s power cable into the USB port on the back of your TV. This will cause an inconsistent source of electricity to the device, causing it to restart. Instead, just plug your Firestick USB power cord directly into a power outlet for best performance.
5. Disconnect Any USB Extension Cables
Are you guilty of using a USB extension cable for your Firestick? Try to avoid this! The use of a USB extender is an extremely common cause for a Firestick restarting.
USB extension cables provide different amounts of power than what the core Firestick device needs to remain powered on and functioning. Using an extension cord may not provide the necessary amount of power for your Firestick, causing it to intermittently restart.
6. Remove Other Devices Connected To Your TV’s HDMI Ports
Most televisions have more than one HDMI port. Most television owners have more than one device plugged into their devices, because, well— why not?
Unfortunately, it’s possible that another device plugged into a neighboring HDMI port is interfering with the streaming “signal” coming from your Firestick. This results in your Firestick restarting issue, as not all televisions can handle these multiple signals equally.
If your Amazon Firestick keeps restarting, unplug all other HDMI devices you have plugged in so that your Firestick is the only connected HDMI device. If this fixes your Firestick restarting problem, you will know that the other devices caused an interference issue. You can continue to test this by plugging in devices one by one and seeing how your Firestick reacts.
7. Disable HDMI CEC
HDMI CEC means HDMI Consumer Electronics Control. It is an HDMI feature that many TVs have that allows the TV and TV remote to control your Firestick for navigation. It’s possible the HDMI CEC feature is interfering with your Firestick performance.
By navigating to your Settings and disabling the HDMI CEC on your Firestick, you may eliminate your Firestick restarting problem.
Need detailed instructions? Follow these steps:
- Go to Settings
- Select Displays and Sounds
- Choose “HDMI CEC Device Control” and make sure it’s switched OFF
Navigate back to your streaming services and see if everything functions as expected.
8. Make Sure Firestick Is Up-To-Date
If your Firestick isn’t functioning properly, be sure that its software is up to date. Updating your software helps to fix any bugs that developers have identified in the programming, and keep your hardware working effectively. Pay attention to system updates and “allow” your device to update automatically.
If your Firestick hasn’t been updated in quite a while, take the time to install the most recent version of its software to ensure that you’re using the latest software available for your device.
Here are the steps to follow to check for and install Fire OS (the Firestick operating system) updates:
- Launch the device and select Settings
- Select My Fire TV
- Select About
- Select Check for Updates instruct your Firestick to display the current version of Fire OS and the last date Fire TV checked for updates
- If an update is available, your Firestick will download the update and display the Install Update command
- The next time you aren’t using the TV, the Firestick will automatically install the update
- If you’d rather install the update right away, choose Install Update
- The Firestick will then initiate the update
During this process, leave your device on and don’t press any buttons on the remote. Make sure that you are diligent with these updates if they are not automatic.
9. Reset or Format Your Firestick to Remove Extra Applications
If you have too many apps downloaded, your Firestick may restart repeatedly. To wipe this problem, reset the Firestick (also known as Factory resetting or “reset to factory default settings.” To reset the Firestick:
- Go to Settings
- Select “My Fire TV”
- Choose “Reset to Factory Defaults”
- Wait for the device to reset
Once it has reset, you can re-add the apps you need. Just try not to overdo it!
10. Make Sure You’re Connected to Wi-Fi
Wireless networking can cause interference problems and affect your Firestick depending on device ranges and connectivity strength. We recommend starting with restarting your Wi-Fi router before looking into additional connectivity issues (which we will go over later in this article):
- Turn off your modem
- Turn off your Wi-Fi router (if your modem and router are combined, just turn off that singular device)
- Wait 10 seconds
- Turn the modem back on and wait until the modem reconnects to the Internet (this may take a few minutes!)
- Turn on your Wi-Fi router (if your modem and router are connected, just turn on that singular device)
If this doesn’t work, review our Wi-Fi connectivity section for more Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips.
11. Restart Your Firestick Using The Fire TV Remote – Soft Reset
This is known as a soft reset. Instead of restoring to factory defaults, soft reset your device using the Firestick. It’s an alternative to unplugging the power cord from the device. To soft reset:
- Press and hold down the Play button and Select button simultaneously
- Continue to hold them down until the screen displays a reset message
Once reset, test the Firestick to see if this fix was successful.
12. Restart Your Firestick Using The Fire TV Remote – Hard Reset
This is a slightly different reset that you can perform with the Firestick remote. To do this, follow these instructions:
- Press and hold down the Select button at the same time as the Right button, Back button, and Reverse (rewind) button
- The Firestick will display a message
Once you receive the message on the screen, the Firestick will have reset itself. It will restart, and hopefully, begin to function normally!
13. Replace The Fire TV Remote Batteries If Firestick Keeps Restarting
Low battery power in the Firestick remote can cause it to send a restart signal to the Firestick. If you have had the same batteries since you got the device, it’s time to replace them with fresh, brand new batteries.
Your Firestick uses two AAA batteries, which you should be able to find at any grocery, home, or hardware store. It could be that simple!
14. Check and Change Faulty Adapter
A common cause of your Firestick restarting is that your adapter for the Firestick is faulty. Check this by testing it on other devices that use a Micro-USB. If it doesn’t charge those devices, your adapter is likely the issue.
This problem can be easily fixed by just replacing the adapter for your FireStick.
15. Check if the HDMI Cable is Faulty
If your Firestick keeps restarting, it’s possible that you have a faulty HDMI cord.
To check if your HDMI connector cord is the problem, you can try using it with another device you have laying around. If that doesn’t work, you’ll likely have to replace your HDMI cord altogether.
16. Clear Cache of Installed Apps
A cache is a library of stored data and files. If your cache is full, your Firestick may continue to try and restart. You will need to free up performance space in order to get your Firestick working again. To clear your cache on your Firestick:
- Go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications
- Review your list of apps, and choose the one you want to clear
- Once you select the app, you’ll see the Clear Cache option
Repeat these steps for as many apps as you’d like. You can even clear them all to maximize performance.
17. Uninstall Extra Apps
If your Firestick is rebooting repeatedly, try to uninstall the extra applications that are eating up lots of memory and performance helpers in the background.
Uninstalling unneeded apps is a different process than just clearing your cache or wiping the entire device. Similar to clearing your cache, this process takes just an extra step to individually uninstall the apps you no longer need. To remove apps on a Firestick:
- Go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications
- Review the list of all your installed apps
- Select the app you want to remove
- Click Uninstall
You can remove as many apps as you’d like. We’d recommend looking at the download size and prioritizing the apps you use the least— however, you can also just remove the ones that are taking up the most space on the device.
18. Try a Different Firestick
Sadly, sometimes Firesticks are just out of commission. If your Firestick is suffering from constant overheating or other hardware issues, the device will likely keep failing and need to be replaced.
If repeatedly overheated, the hardware will eventually break down and stop functioning as expected. You can purchase a new Firestick online if you find yourself out of any other options.
19. Try a Different TV
Even if your TV is actually the problem, it can still cause the Firestick to keep restarting itself. This means that the TV is likely incompatible with your device, or that the TV is generating too much heat.
If your TV is decidedly the problem, you have two options here: replace the TV, or use an HDMI extension cord to create some distance between the Firestick and the television. We recommend trying the HDMI extension cord trick first, then trying the Firestick with another TV in your house (or a replacement) to see if that’s the real problem.
Wi-Fi Connectivity Tips
Still not working? If the issue lies with your Wi-Fi connection rather than the Firestick itself, there are a few things you can try to improve performance.
Check for Wi-Fi Interference
Household devices like cordless phones and baby monitors use the 2.4 GHz radiofrequency (RF) band. This can cause a lot of interference with wireless signals. If possible try moving or turning off these devices if they’re near your Wi-Fi router or Firestick.
It’s also important to keep your Firestick and Wi-Fi router away from microwaves, which can also jam signals.
Optimize Your Network
Many wireless routers enable you to set up a separate Wi-Fi network on the 5 GHz RF band. Because this network isn’t used by most household gadgets, it has less interference. Check your official router manual or browse the web to learn more about supporting a separate 5 GHz network.
Check Your Password
This one seems like a no-brainer, but it’s more common than you might think! Simply double-check to make sure you’re using the correct password to access your Wi-Fi network.
Check Your Range
You usually can’t get much farther than about 115-230 feet away from most modern Wi-Fi devices before the signal begins to degrade If you think your Firestick is too far away from the Wi-Fi router, try to move a little closer. You can also install a wireless range extender to improve the signal, depending on how easy it is to move your router or Firestick device.
Reset Your Router
You can try resetting your router to see if the connection improves. If you do this, keep in mind that you will need to set up your network again from scratch.
What If Your Firestick Keeps Blinking On And Off?
If your Fire Stick is blinking off and on, you’re probably not experiencing a typical startup loop. Instead, the lights on the Firestick blinking on and off could mean there is a problem with the video signal, the HDMI connection, or the refresh rate or resolution.
To fix this, you can try a couple of things:
- Try replacing your HDMI cable
- Make sure your Fire Stick is successfully connected to the internet
- Go to Settings > Display and Sounds > Display > Video Resolution on your Fire Stick to adjust the resolution settings so they are compatible with your TV
Blinking lights could also mean that your Fire Stick is in setup mode. Once you finish the setup process, the lights should stop flashing.
Issues With Certain Applications
Struggling with successfully launching Spotify or Hulu? If you find that your Firestick restarts when you’re using one application in particular, check out these tips.
Restarting While Launching or Using Hulu, Netflix, and Other Streaming Sites
The Firestick fully supports Hulu and other streaming sites— though sometimes running one of these applications can cause your Firestick to crash. To fix a streaming service causing the Firestick to restart, restart the app by going to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Select Your Streaming Service > Restart.
If restarting the app doesn’t work, try restarting the Firestick and clearing the cache.
Restarting While Launching or Using Spotify
If Spotify is not working correctly with your Firestick, it’s best to double-check the status of Spotify. Is it operating as expected? Are they experiencing an outage?
If not, check your Wi-Fi connection. Ensure that you’re not in airplane mode. Finally, check for any available updates to the Spotify app or the Firestick itself.
What to Remember When Factory Resetting Your Firestick
Remember– when you reset your Firestick, you’ll lose all the apps you’ve downloaded to your Firestick. Make sure you have time to add them again, and that you remember or have written down the usernames and passwords you’ll need to get connected.
Get Back to Watching What You Want
Feeling like a tech wiz yet? If not we hope you can follow our suggestions the next time your Firestick keeps restarting. Our goal is to simply get you back to watching what you want, as quickly as possible.
Have other streaming service-related questions? We’ve got answers. Learn how to watch all of your favorite shows and our most recommended tools in our blog archives.