The Amazon Firestick is a great way to play music through your television and sound system; it’s simple to use and control with the Firestick’s remote.
However, like all computer technology, it can encounter problems that limit its performance.
So, what causes the Amazon Firestick to stop playing music, and how can you fix it?
Amazon Music will stop playing on Firestick due to a weak internet connection. This is the most common source of a dysfunctional Firestick. Thankfully, there are several ways to address this problem within the Firestick device itself.
While internet strength is usually the prime culprit, other issues could be plaguing your Firestick.
In this article, I’ll address each one and show you how to resolve them so you can enjoy uninterrupted music.
What To Do When Amazon Music Stops Playing on Firestick
According to the internet service provider Cox, music streaming requires one to ten megabits (or MBS) of bandwidth to work correctly.
On its own, that’s easily achievable, but other factors can limit your bandwidth and significantly lower your connection’s speed.
A weak internet connection is the most common cause of a Firestick that stops playing music.
Here are a few things you can do to improve your internet connection:
- Limit the number of connected devices.
- Check the age of your router.
- Connect through an ethernet cable.
- Move your router.
Below I will discuss each of these tips in greater detail.
Limit the Number of Connected Devices
If multiple users or devices use the same connection, there will be less available bandwidth.
As a result, the demand from those devices will cause streams to buffer or stop playing entirely.
If your Amazon Firestick stops playing music, you should first check to see how many devices are using the same connection and what they’re doing.
Avoid using multiple streaming services simultaneously. This will help keep your bandwidth high.
Check the Age of Your Router
Amazon lists the technical requirements of their Firestick devices on each product’s webpage.
With that information in hand, you should check the tech specifications of your router to ensure it can meet those standards.
Like any piece of computer equipment, older routers fail to meet the needs of modern devices.
If you’ve had the same router for several years, contact your ISP to see if you can get a more recent model.
Connect through an Ethernet Cable
The fastest connection from your router is a wired Ethernet connection.
Many devices that utilize the internet, such as laptops and desktop computers, feature Ethernet ports for this very reason.
A quick look at your Firestick shows that it doesn’t have an Ethernet port.
The only port available is a much smaller USB-C connection.
Thankfully, the Amazon Ethernet Adapter is an inexpensive solution to this problem, and it’s sold directly by Amazon.
It plugs into that USB port and provides a spot for connecting an Ethernet cable.
As Spectrum explains, Wi-Fi signals can be affected by outside interference from other electronics, creating a slower, less reliable connection.
A wired Ethernet connection doesn’t suffer from this problem and operates consistently, for the most part.
Move Your Router
A router works by broadcasting your wireless connection in all directions.
So naturally, devices further away from the router will get a weaker signal.
There are network extenders available that will boost the range of your Wi-Fi signal.
However, as Time explains in their breakdown of how Wi-Fi works, extenders only amplify signals and won’t strengthen them.
They’re not a solution to already weak Wi-Fi signals.
CNet suggests that the best location for your router is elevated and centrally located.
Placement like this ensures that your signal reaches as many devices as possible.
Remember that you still need to be careful placing your router around other electronic devices that might create interference.
Other Solutions
Though your router and Wi-Fi signal is responsible for the strength and speed of your wireless connections, it’s not the only source of problems when your Firestick stops streaming music.
Some less apparent issues can come from within the device itself.
The Amazon Firestick does a lot of work behind the scenes to deliver content.
Users generally don’t have to worry about these complicated functions, but sometimes they require your attention.
Here’s a list of ways to ensure your Firestick isn’t hindering itself:
- Disable data collection.
- Remove unused apps.
- Factory reset your Firestick.
Read on to learn more about these tips.
Disable Data Collection
It’s no secret that most smart devices monitor what users do, collect that data, and send it back to the device or app manufacturers.
Doing so allows them to make improvements, detect and fix bugs, and tailor advertisements to individuals.
The Firestick is no exception; to complete all of these tasks, it has to use resources that would otherwise be devoted to content delivery.
As a result, you’re likely to experience a noticeable slowdown when these functions are active.
Thankfully, you can turn them off in your user settings:
- On the Firestick menu, select Settings.
- Next, choose Applications.
- Now choose “Collect App Data Usage” and switch it Off.
Your streams should be more stable once you’ve stopped app data collection.
Remove Unused Apps
Streaming devices like the Amazon Firestick come with multiple apps preinstalled to demonstrate the types of content they can deliver.
Doing so allows new users to experience different services and encourages them to seek more.
However, all of these apps take up memory on the device.
Apps are likely to struggle as free space becomes scarce.
To free up memory, it’s good practice to uninstall any apps you don’t use, or at least don’t regularly use.
You can do this by going to Settings under your Firestick menu and selecting “Manage Installed Applications.”
If you rely on all of your installed apps, you may consider investing in a Firestick with more storage capacity.
Factory Reset Your Fire Stick
Performing a factory reset restores your device to the settings and apps it was preinstalled with, removing everything else.
However, this is something of a last resort because all of your preferences and downloads will be lost in the process.
A factory reset will have your Firestick running like new again.
However, a reset won’t help if the device itself is physically damaged.
In such a case, you’ll need to replace it.
You’ll find the “Reset to Factory Defaults” option under the “My Fire TV” section in the Settings menu.
You’ll see a few warnings before confirming the factory reset.
The process takes less than five minutes to complete.
Once finished, you’ll need to re-enter your account information.
Why Does Amazon Music Stop Playing on Firestick: Conclusion
Technical issues can cause your Amazon Firestick to stop playing music, but you shouldn’t go out to replace the device straightaway.
Instead, try these fixes first to get the tunes flowing again!
