It is a very frustrating experience when you find something interesting to watch on Netflix, and it keeps buffering. In most cases, slow loading and buffering issues happen when you are connected to a slow internet connection.
In this article, you can see different methods for resolving buffering issues. Of course, if they don’t work, you can always choose to watch live TV on Spectrum cable services or some other cable network. But in most cases, these fixes will solve your buffering and slow-loading issues for your on-demand entertainment needs.
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Why Does Netflix Sometimes Take Too Long to Buffer?
Netflix shows take longer than usual to load generally because of a slow internet connection. You can choose the same show again and again but sometimes, it won’t just load. But in addition to internet-related problems, you can face this frustrating issue due to some glitches in the application as well. Also, there can be other problems like the application freezing and not responding that can cause this problem. In the following, you can try the instructions to fix this eternal buffering issue.
Checking Your Internet Speed
If your internet speed is slow, the video will take too long to load. Weak internet connections like cellular data shared hotspots, and WIFI connections with poor connections are generally not good enough for a smooth streaming experience.
You can test your internet speed on Fast.com to see if the buffering issue is because of your internet speed. Remember, 5mbps is the appropriate speed you need to smoothly stream Netflix in HD. If you want to stream Netflix shows on your 4K TVs, you need faster internet to avoid slow loading. If the reading on Fast.com is lower than these figures, you can try different WiFi fixes or you can connect to a different network.
Restarting Your Router
If your internet connection is usually good but not getting you the same speed, you can try restarting it. You can cut the power by switching off the button or taking the power out of the socket. After cutting the power, wait for thirty seconds before turning on your router again.
You can try to watch the same video again and see if the problem is fixed. Usually, restarting the router fixes the WiFi signal issue. It is better to check the signal strength before and after restarting your router to see if there’s any improvement.
Contacting Your Internet Service Provider
When you have restarted your WiFi connection and checked issues from your end, you should report the problem to your Internet service provider. You can ask them if they know what the problem is like are other users facing the same issue. In this way, you may get updates on the issue and how long it will take to fix it. And if you are the only one facing the problem, you can ask them to come and fix your internet.
Asking if Your Connection Has Netflix Blocked
There are some places where your WiFi is working just fine but Netflix is not loading. It can happen because they have blocked Netflix on their internet connection. With such connections, users cannot simply connect to the application. So, if you are somewhere out with public WiFi and cannot connect, ask someone if they have the streaming platform blocked. When there is some other connection in range, you can connect your device and watch your show without buffering.
Pause All Downloads
Sometimes, your Netflix can take too long to buffer even over a fast internet. It can be because of some other application using the connection for downloading or uploading on your device. You can either wait for the downloads to complete or you can pause them to get a buffer-free Netflix experience. Also, if some applications are updating, cancel or reschedule updates.
Signing Out and Signing in Again
Sometimes your internet is working fine and there is no background data usage, yet your show may take too long to buffer. It could be because of some problem within the application. One way to fix this issue is to sign out of the application and then sign in again. After you are back in the application, check if the videos play smoothly afterward.
Restarting Your Streaming Device
Sometimes the Netflix application may crash while your show is buffering. In such cases, the icons and options may not work at all. You can restart your streaming device to get out of the crashed application. After restarting, get back into the application and stream your show without buffering. So, these are some methods that you can use to fix the buffering issue on Netflix.