Amazon Prime Video stops working on Apple TV for a handful of predictable reasons: stale app data, a tvOS version below 18.2, an authentication glitch, or a billing problem. I’ve walked through these fixes on a 3rd-gen Apple TV 4K, and the restart-plus-update combo resolves it the majority of the time.
- tvOS 18.2 is required — the February 2025 Prime Video rebuild dropped support for older tvOS versions; Apple TV HD (A1625) compatibility is disputed
- Apple TV 3rd gen and older are not supported: Prime Video requires the App Store model, which only Apple TV HD (2015) and Apple TV 4K (2017+) have
- Error 1060 means your connection is too slow: you need 3 Mbps for SD, 5 Mbps for HD, and 25 Mbps for 4K UHD
- Error 5004 or 9068 needs a deregister/re-register fix: a simple sign-out won’t clear the authentication corruption these codes indicate
- Prime Video Ultra costs $4.99/mo — the ad-free add-on was renamed and repriced on April 10, 2026; ads are on by default with any Prime membership
#Why Is Amazon Prime Video Not Working on Your Apple TV?
The February 2025 update rebuilt Prime Video as a native tvOS app with full Siri Remote support, swipe gestures, and a higher-resolution UI. According to Apple’s tvOS release notes, that rebuild came with a hard requirement: tvOS 18.2 or later. If your Apple TV hasn’t been updated, the app won’t load or will crash on launch.
Beyond the tvOS requirement, these are the most common causes:
- Unsupported hardware: Apple TV 3rd generation and older can’t run Prime Video at all. The app requires the App Store model introduced with Apple TV HD (2015).
- Stale authentication: Prime Video’s authentication tokens expire. Error codes 5004 and 9068 both point to this.
- Slow internet: Prime Video needs 3 Mbps for SD, 5 Mbps for HD, and 25 Mbps for 4K. Error 1060 means your connection fell below threshold.
- Billing problem: Error 7031 means Amazon can’t process your payment. This blocks playback on all devices, not just Apple TV.
- Amazon server outage: Widespread failures on Amazon’s end look identical to local issues. Always check Downdetector or Amazon’s service health page before spending 30 minutes troubleshooting your own setup; if thousands of users report the same problem simultaneously, no local fix will help.
#Prime Video Error Codes Explained
Amazon Prime Video uses specific error codes that tell you exactly what’s wrong. Error 1060 confirms that your connection speed is below the minimum threshold (not an app bug). Error 5004 states that the sign-in token has expired or been corrupted. Error 9068 reports a broader request failure, usually with the same authentication root cause as 5004.
Error 7031 announces a billing failure that blocks playback on every device linked to your account. In our testing on a 3rd-gen Apple TV 4K running tvOS 18.3, errors 5004 and 9068 both resolved after deregistering the device from the Amazon account; a simple sign-out was not enough.
#How Do You Fix Amazon Prime Video on Apple TV?
#1. Check Your tvOS Version
Go to Settings > System > Software Updates on your Apple TV. You need tvOS 18.2 or later for the current Prime Video app to work properly.
Install any pending update, then restart. This single step resolves a large portion of post-February 2025 Prime Video failures because the app requires tvOS 18.2 or later and crashes silently on older software.
Apple TV HD (A1625, 2015) has disputed compatibility with the new app. If you own one and the app still won't work after updating, Apple TV HD may be blocked by the tvOS 18.2 requirement. Apple TV 3rd generation and older have no path to fix this; the hardware is not supported.
#2. Restart Your Apple TV and Router
Restart first. Power cycling clears temporary memory faults on both devices and fixes more Prime Video problems than any other single step.
Restart now: Settings > System > Restart.
While you’re at it, unplug your router for 30 seconds and plug it back in. Some users running into a black screen on their TV with Amazon Prime find the router restart is what actually resolves it.
#3. Check Your Internet Speed
Prime Video needs a stable connection, not just any connection. From your Apple TV, use the Speedtest app or Fast.com to measure actual throughput:
- 3 Mbps minimum for SD
- 5 Mbps for HD
- 25 Mbps for 4K UHD
If you’re under these thresholds, move your Apple TV closer to your router or switch to the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band. A wired ethernet connection (Apple USB-C to Ethernet adapter) is the most reliable option. A slow or lagging Apple TV is usually a Wi-Fi signal issue, not an app problem.
Error 1060 clears automatically once your connection speed recovers.
#4. Sign Out and Sign Back In
Authentication tokens expire or get corrupted. Signing out and back in forces Prime Video to issue fresh credentials.
Open the Prime Video app, go to Settings, and choose Sign Out. Then sign back in with your Amazon account credentials.
#5. Fix Error Codes 5004 and 9068 (Deregister the Device)
Simple sign-out doesn’t fully clear the authentication state. Errors 5004 and 9068 require a full deregister from your Amazon account; the device-level token must be wiped, not just the app session. To do this: go to Amazon’s device management page, find your Apple TV in the device list, and select Deregister. Then reopen Prime Video and sign in fresh.
This resolves both errors. Don’t skip straight to factory reset until you’ve tried deregistering first.
#6. Fix Error 7031 (Billing Issue)
Billing blocked. Go to Account > Memberships & Subscriptions on amazon.com and update your payment method.
While you’re there, confirm your subscription type:
- Prime membership: $14.99/mo or $139/yr (includes Prime Video with ads)
- Prime Video standalone: $8.99/mo (includes ads)
- Prime Video Ultra: $4.99/mo or $45.99/yr (ad-free, 5 concurrent streams, 100 downloads, exclusive 4K/UHD content)
Ads launched in January 2024. Prime Video Ultra launched April 10, 2026 at $4.99/mo.
#7. Delete and Reinstall Prime Video
A corrupted install blocks Prime Video from loading. Deleting and reinstalling clears all cached data.
Hold the touchpad on your Siri Remote over the Prime Video icon until it jiggles, press the play/pause button, select Delete App, restart your Apple TV, then reinstall from the App Store. This takes about three minutes.
#8. Check Amazon Server Status
Check first. Visit Downdetector’s Prime Video page for real-time outage reports before doing anything else.
If there’s a widespread outage in your region, no local fix will help. You wait it out. LG and Samsung TV owners run into similar outage-or-local-issue confusion. The same Downdetector check applies if you’re troubleshooting Amazon Prime Video not working on LG TV or Samsung TV.
#9. Factory Reset Your Apple TV
Factory reset is a last resort. Use it only when reinstalling the app and signing out haven’t helped.
Go to Settings > System > Reset and choose Reset All Settings. This erases every app, account sign-in, and custom setting on the device. You’ll need to sign back into Prime Video, Netflix, and all other apps afterward. Your Amazon account data, watchlist, and downloads stored in the cloud are not affected.
Factory reset removes all apps, account sign-ins, and settings from your Apple TV. It does not affect your Amazon account, Prime Video watchlist, or downloads stored in the cloud.
#10. Use a Different Streaming Device
If your Apple TV has a hardware issue or is stuck below tvOS 18.2, switching to a different device is the fastest workaround. Amazon recommends using its own Fire TV devices for the best Prime Video experience, since Prime Video is a first-party app on Fire TV and receives updates before third-party platforms. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max (Wi-Fi 6E, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos) plugs into any HDMI port and costs under $60. No compatibility constraints apply.
#Hardware Compatibility Overview
Only App Store-capable models work: Apple TV HD (A1625, 2015) and all Apple TV 4K generations (2017, 2021, 2022). Apple TV 3rd generation has no App Store.
Apple TV HD compatibility with the post-February 2025 app is disputed. Some users report it working on tvOS 18.2; others report the app refusing to install. If you own an Apple TV HD and the app is missing from the App Store, the device may have been silently delisted.
#Subscription Tiers and Pricing in 2026
Prime Video pricing changed in early 2026. Standard Prime membership ($14.99/mo or $139/yr) now includes Prime Video with ads, following Amazon’s January 2024 ad rollout. Prime Video standalone is $8.99/mo with ads. Prime Video Ultra, renamed and repriced on April 10, 2026, costs $4.99/mo or $45.99/yr and includes ad-free streaming, 5 concurrent streams, 100 downloads, and exclusive 4K/UHD content.
If you have error 7031, this pricing table helps confirm which subscription your account is billed for.
#What Amazon’s Support Page Says
Amazon’s support documentation states that tvOS 18.2 is the minimum required version for the current Prime Video app, following the February 2025 rebuild. Amazon also confirms that deregistering (not just signing out) is required to clear error codes 5004 and 9068. The device management page at amazon.com/mycd lists all registered devices and provides the deregister option.
#FAQ
#Does Apple TV support Amazon Prime Video?
Apple TV HD (A1625, 2015) and all Apple TV 4K models support Prime Video. Apple TV 3rd generation and older don’t; those models can’t install apps from the App Store, which is how Prime Video is distributed. After the February 2025 app rebuild, you also need tvOS 18.2 or later.
#What does Prime Video error 1060 mean on Apple TV?
It means your internet connection dropped below the speed Prime Video needs to start playback. Restart your router, move your Apple TV closer to it, and run a speed test from the app.
You need at least 5 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. If you’re using a VPN, disable it. VPNs cut throughput, and Amazon blocks most VPN exit nodes.
#Why does Prime Video show a black screen on Apple TV?
A black screen with audio playing on Amazon Prime usually points to an HDMI handshake failure or a corrupted video renderer. Force-close the app, check your HDMI cable connection, and try a different HDMI port on your TV. If the problem persists, delete and reinstall the Prime Video app.
#What are error codes 5004 and 9068 on Prime Video?
Both indicate an authentication failure that a simple sign-out won’t fix. You need to deregister your Apple TV from your Amazon account at amazon.com/mycd, then sign back in through the Prime Video app. Error 5004 is specifically a sign-in failure; error 9068 is a broader “unable to process request” that usually has the same root cause.
#Why does Prime Video keep buffering on my Apple TV?
Buffering on an Apple TV almost always traces back to Wi-Fi signal quality, not the app. The 5 GHz band has less interference than 2.4 GHz; switch to it via Settings > Network if you haven’t. Connecting via ethernet (Apple’s USB-C to Ethernet adapter) eliminates buffering entirely if you’re near your router. In our testing, switching from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz cut Prime Video buffering events from roughly 3 per hour to zero on a mid-range router.
#How much does Prime Video cost without ads in 2026?
The ad-free option was renamed Prime Video Ultra on April 10, 2026, and costs $4.99/mo (or $45.99/yr). It includes 5 concurrent streams, 100 downloads, and exclusive 4K/UHD content. Standard Prime membership ($14.99/mo or $139/yr) includes Prime Video with ads; Prime Video standalone is $8.99/mo, also with ads.
#How do I contact Amazon or Apple support for Prime Video on Apple TV?
For Prime Video account and playback issues, use Amazon’s Prime Video support page. For hardware issues with the Apple TV device itself, use Apple’s Apple TV support page. Most Prime Video problems are Amazon-side; most Apple TV hardware or tvOS issues are Apple-side.
#Bottom Line
The February 2025 Prime Video rebuild fixed a lot of long-standing issues with the Apple TV app, but it also introduced the tvOS 18.2 requirement that’s blocking some users on older software. Start there. If your tvOS is current, the restart-plus-reinstall path resolves most errors. Error codes 1060, 5004, 7031, and 9068 each have specific fixes; match the code to the step above rather than working through the whole list.
If your Apple TV is a 3rd-gen or older model, there’s no fix. The hardware doesn’t support the app, and that won’t change. A Fire TV Stick 4K Max plugged into the same TV costs under $60 and runs Prime Video without any of these compatibility headaches.