Why Is My Firestick So Slow?

Hi, this is Poppy! Are you frustrated with a slow FireStick? Don’t worry—you’re not alone. In this guide, I’ll share simple tips and tricks to fix the issues causing your FireStick to lag, helping it perform like new again.

The Amazon FireStick is a fantastic streaming device that offers many entertainment options. However, many users occasionally experience slow performance, which can be annoying. Fortunately, this issue is easy to fix, so you don’t have to settle for a sluggish experience.

There are several quick tricks that can help speed up your FireStick. Let’s dive into them!

Why Is My Firestick So Slow?

Before we jump into the solutions, it’s important to understand why your FireStick might slow down in the first place. This will help us pinpoint the right fix and optimize your device for the best performance.

In most cases, a slow FireStick is caused by one of three things:

1. Overheating – If your FireStick gets too hot, it can cause performance issues.
2. Too Many Apps – Having too many apps installed can overwhelm and slow the device.
3. Background Processes – Apps and processes running in the background can drain your device’s resources, leading to lag.

If your FireStick is running slow, don’t worry!

There are several troubleshooting techniques you can use to speed it up. Here are some common solutions to help improve your FireStick’s performance and get it running smoothly again.

1. Keep the FireStick from Being Overheated

One of the most common reasons FireStick becomes sluggish is overheating. When the device gets too hot, its processor slows down, causing app freezes and slow navigation.

To prevent this, use the HDMI extender to keep the FireStick away from the TV and allow for better airflow. It’s also a good idea to give your FireStick a break by turning it off for a while and letting the device cool down.

2. Reboot FireStick

A lot of us keep our FireStick plugged in and running all the time. An occasional restart gives the FireStick a fresh start.

Read More: How to Restart or Reboot My FireStick

You can force a restart by simply unplugging the FireStick and plugging it back in. Alternatively, you can restart it directly from Settings. Here’s how:

1. From the top menu on the FireStick home screen, navigate to Settings.

2. Scroll to the right and choose My Fire TV.

3. Choose Restart.

It may take a few seconds for your FireStick to turn off and back on.

3. Uninstall the Unused Apps if FireStick is slow

Having too many apps installed on your FireStick can slow it down. With only 8GB of storage, the operating system uses much of it, and the apps you install consume even more space.

To improve performance, it’s a good idea to uninstall any apps you don’t use regularly. Here’s how you can do that on FireStick:

1. Access Settings from the top menu of the FireStick home screen.

2. Click Applications.

3. Click Manage Installed Applications.

4. Choose the app you would like to uninstall. For demonstration purposes, I am selecting BeeTV App.

5. Click Uninstall.

Repeat this process with other apps that you would like to uninstall.

4. Free Up FireStick RAM when your FireStick is slow

Many apps continue running in the background even when you’re not actively using them, consuming valuable resources. This can lead to slower performance, and if too many apps and processes are running, your FireStick can also overheat.

For apps that can’t be uninstalled, force-stopping them can help free up resources and improve performance. Here’s how you can free up RAM on your FireStick:

1. From your FireStick home screen, go to the Search icon.

2. Enter Background Apps and Process List and select it from the quick suggestions below.

3. Click on the Background Apps and Process List App icon.

4. Click Get.

5. Click Open.

6. Click Got It! You will see the list of apps that are currently running in the background.

7. Click Close All Apps.

8. Select any app of your choice and click Force Stop.

You can repeat this process with other apps. Pressing the Back button on the remote will take you back to the list.

IMPORTANT: Avoid closing the VPN app on FireStick as VPN helps with the security and better streaming speed.

5. Clear App Data and Caches

Every app on FireStick accumulates cache and app data, which can take up a significant amount of space over time. Since FireStick has limited storage, it’s important to clear cache and data regularly to free up space and improve performance.

Here’s how you can clear cache and data on your FireStick:

1. From the FireStick home screen, click Settings.

2. Click Applications.

3. Click Manage Installed Applications.

4. Select any app. I am taking BeeTV as an example.

5. You will see two options:

• Clear Cache
• Clear Data

Note: Clearing the cache will only remove the cached files, which helps free up space without affecting your app settings. However, clearing data is a more drastic step. It will reset the app to its factory settings, clearing all your login information, settings, and any other personalized data.

You may choose one of the two options or clear both one by one.

6. Modify FireStick Privacy Settings

To improve your FireStick’s performance, you can disable Amazon’s data monitoring and collection processes, which often run in the background and can slow down the device.

By default, both “Collect App Usage Data” and “Collect Device Usage Data” are turned on.

To disable them, follow the steps below:

1. From the FireStick home screen, click Settings.

2. Click Preferences.

3. Click Privacy Settings.

4. Click Collect App Usage Data.

5. Click Turn Off to confirm.

6. Then, press the Back button on your remote and come back to the Preferences screen. Click Data Monitoring once to turn it off.

7. Update Fire OS

Outdated FireOS can affect your device’s performance, causing it to slow down. To ensure your FireStick functions at its best, keeping the operating system up to date is essential.

While FireOS usually updates automatically, you may need to check for updates if your device is running slowly manually. To do this, here are the steps:

1. From the FireStick home screen, click Settings.

2. Click My Fire TV.

3. Click About.

4. Click Check for Updates.

5. If updates are available, click Install Update.

You may need to restart your FireStick after installing updates.

8. Factory Reset

If none of the methods improve the performance, you can reset your FireStick to its factory settings. This will wipe all your settings, apps, and data, returning the device to its original state.

Before resetting, make sure to back up any important data if necessary, as this process is irreversible. To reset, go to “Settings,” select “My Fire TV,” then “Reset to Factory Defaults,” and follow the prompts to complete the process.

1. From the FireStick home screen, click on Settings.

2. Click My Fire TV.

3. Click Reset to Factory Defaults.

4. Click Reset.

FAQs 

Conclusion

Slow FireStick issues can arise occasionally due to overheating or cache accumulation. The tips and tricks above will help maintain your FireStick’s smooth performance without interruptions.

If you have any other suggestions to improve FireStick’s speed, please share them in the comments below!