Have you ever sat down to watch your favorite show on Amazon Prime Video, only to be greeted by a frustrating black screen? As one of the most popular streaming services today, occasional technical issues are bound to happen. But don’t worry – in most cases, this problem can be easily fixed with a few simple troubleshooting steps.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the top 10 solutions to try when encountering the black screen of death on Amazon Prime Video across various devices. Follow along to quickly get your video playback up and running again.
What Causes the Amazon Prime Black Screen Issue?
Before jumping into solutions, let’s first understand what might cause Amazon Prime Video to suddenly display a black screen. Here are some of the most common culprits:
- Slow/unstable internet connectivity
- Software bugs or crashes
- HDMI connection problems
- Incompatible browsers or apps
- Outdated graphics drivers
- Using VPNs or ad blockers
- Amazon server outages
The good news is that most of these have an easy fix, as we’ll cover next.
Fix #1: Check Your Internet Connection
Since Amazon Prime Video relies on streaming content from Amazon’s servers, an intermittent or slow internet connection can interrupt video playback and cause black screens.
To rule this out, test your internet speeds at Fast.com or Speedtest.net. For smooth 1080p streaming, you’ll want speeds above 5 Mbps. 4K streaming requires minimum speeds around 15 Mbps.
If speeds check out, try rebooting your router and modem. Or connect another device to verify it’s not an issue local to one device. Switching wifi bands (2.4GHz vs 5GHz) can help too.
Fix #2: Restart or Reinstall the Amazon Prime App
App crashes or software hangs are common causes of streaming problems like black screens. Simply closing and reopening the app often helps. For Smart TVs, game consoles or streaming devices, restart your device completely.
If that doesn’t work, uninstall and reinstall the Prime Video app from your device’s app store. This will clear out any corrupted files or caches causing conflicts. Just be sure to backup any downloaded video content first. Check out this guide on fixing the loading screen issue with Amazon Prime.
Fix #3: Update and Relaunch Your Web Browser
When watching Amazon Prime Video through a web browser, using an outdated browser version can lead to codec and compatibility issues.
Open browser settings and ensure you’re running the latest updates. Also try clearing your browser cache and cookies to wipe out any faulty data.
As an extra step, try a different modern browser like Chrome or Firefox to see if problems persist. Safari has certain playback limitations, so switch if relying on it as noted in this guide on Amazon Prime Video not working on Apple TV.
Fix #4: Troubleshoot HDMI Connections
For those streaming Amazon Prime Video to a TV screen, HDMI connectivity problems are a common source of black screens and playback failure.
First, ensure cables are properly plugged in at both ends, then try connecting devices to different HDMI ports on your TV. If you use an AV receiver, connect source devices directly to the TV as a test. See tips on getting Amazon Prime Video to work on LG TVs.
Bad cables cause issues too, so substitute HDMI cords to rule them out. For 4K HDR viewing, upgrade cables to Premium Certified options.
Fix #5: Clear Your Amazon Prime Viewing History
Over time, gremlins in your viewing history or recommendations can affect playback. Clearing out this data resets things, potentially fixing the issue.
On the Prime Video website, visit Account and Settings > Watch History. Click “Delete Movie from Watch History” to wipe the slate clean. In the Prime Video app, find Settings > Clear All Viewing History.
Fix #6: Update Software and Firmware
Failing to keep system software up-to-date is one of the most preventable causes of technical glitches.
Check for pending updates to your TV’s firmware, your streaming device OS, graphics drivers, the Prime Video app itself, or other critical software. Install the latest upgrades, then reboot.
For Fire TV users, go to Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for Updates.
Roku owners, head to Settings > System > System Update.
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Fix #7: Adjust Video Quality Settings
Amazon Prime Video automatically adjusts streaming quality based on your device and connection capabilities. But sometimes limiting video quality manually can resolve buffering and playback problems.
In the Prime Video app, visit Settings > Streaming and Download > Stream Quality. Select Good, Better or Best streaming depending on your capabilities. Turning off auto quality can also help.
Fix #8: Disable VPNs and Browser Extensions
When watching via a web browser, VPN connections and ad blockers/privacy extensions interfere with video streaming, often causing black screens.
As a test, disable any active VPN connections and switch to pure direct internet access. Also temporarily disable extensions like AdBlocker and tracker blockers to see if they help.
Fix #9: Update Graphics Drivers
On Windows PCs specifically, outdated or corrupt graphics drivers can wreak havoc on video playback in Prime Video.
Open Windows Update and install the latest recommended display adapter driver upgrades for your GPU. Or visit the Nvidia/AMD website to get drivers directly from the source.
Fix #10: Contact Amazon Customer Support
If you still see the Prime Video black screen after trying the above fixes, reach out to Amazon’s customer support for personalized troubleshooting help.
Live chat agents are available 24/7 and can request diagnostics from your device, escalate technical issues, or process refunds if problems persist.
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FAQs About Amazon Prime Video Black Screen
Why does Amazon Prime Video keep buffering/freezing?
Frequent buffering is also caused by spotty internet connections or wifi interference. Try the speed test tips above, move closer to your router, or connect via ethernet cable to resolve buffering problems.
Why does Amazon Prime Video say “no internet connection”?
This error points to a total loss of connectivity preventing video streaming. Double check that other sites/apps work fine to confirm it’s not a device-level network failure.
Why does my Prime Video say “this video is unavailable”?
Certain titles can become unavailable temporarily or region-restricted based on licensing rights. Search online to see if others report the same issue. If widespread, wait for Amazon to regain streaming access.
How can I download Amazon Prime movies to watch offline?
Amazon Prime members can download select movies, TV shows, and other content using the Prime Video app on mobile devices, Fire tablets, or Fire TV products. Downloads let you watch offline when internet is unavailable.
So there you have it – whether you’re seeing the black screen on your Fire Stick, Roku, smart TV, computer or tablet, this comprehensive troubleshooting guide will help restore your Amazon Prime Video to full working order.
