Amazon Fire TV Stick lagging: how to speed it up

Fire TV Sticks are small computers with limited memory and storage. Over time, installed apps, cached data and background activity slow them down, and IPTV apps with big channel lists and TV guides feel it first. Work through these fixes in order.

Is it the stick, the remote or the network?

• The remote: if button presses are slow to register or get missed, check the remote's batteries first. Settings > Controllers & Bluetooth Devices > Amazon Fire TV Remotes shows the battery level.
• The stick: if menus are slow everywhere, including the Fire TV home screen, the stick itself is struggling. The fixes below are for you.
• The network: if menus are quick but channels take a long time to start or keep stopping, it's the connection. Go to our buffering guide.

1. Restart it properly

Pressing the power button only puts the stick to sleep. Unplug it from the mains for 30 seconds, or go to Settings > My Fire TV > Restart. A full restart clears memory and often fixes lag on its own.

2. Check the power supply

Plug the stick into the mains adapter and cable that came with it. A TV's USB port often can't supply enough power, which causes slowdowns, restarts and a “low power” warning.

3. Free up storage

• Go to Settings > My Fire TV > About > Storage to see how much space is left. Aim to keep at least 1 GB free.
• Uninstall apps you no longer use from Settings > Applications > Manage installed applications.
• Clear the cache of the biggest apps from the same menu. Choose Clear cache, not Clear data, which would also sign you out.

Storage runs out faster than you'd expect: most sticks have 8 GB, and the system itself uses a good part of it. Two IPTV players with a week of guide data each can fill what's left, so keep just the one you use.

4. Reduce background activity

• In Settings > Preferences > Privacy settings, turn off Device usage data and Collect app usage data.
• In Settings > Preferences > Featured content, turn off video and audio autoplay.
• Close apps you've finished with rather than leaving them running.

5. Improve the network

Lag when changing channels is often network lag rather than the stick itself. Connect to 5 GHz Wi-Fi, use the HDMI extender so the stick isn't hidden behind the TV, or add Amazon's Ethernet adapter for a wired connection. Our buffering guide has more network fixes.

6. Keep it cool and updated

Sticks slow down when they overheat. Make sure air can reach it, and use the extender to move it away from the TV's hot back panel. Check for system updates in Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for updates.

7. Lighten your IPTV app

• Hide channel groups you never watch.
• Reduce how many days of TV guide the app keeps.
• Turn off channel previews or logos if the app allows it.

8. Factory reset (last resort)

If it's still slow, Settings > My Fire TV > Reset to Factory Defaults wipes the stick back to new. You'll need to reinstall apps and sign in again, so note your details first.

How much memory does your stick have?

Memory is the main reason some sticks feel slow with IPTV, and no setting can add more. Here's how common models compare: