Ivan Makhynia / Tab-Tv

Fire Stick is a popular streaming device that allows you to access a wide range of content on your TV. However, some users may experience the frustrating issue of their Fire Stick constantly restarting. This can be a significant inconvenience, especially when you’re in the middle of streaming your favorite TV show or movie. If you encounter such a problem, it is very important to quickly find the cause and possible solution to continue using Fire Stick comfortably.

Why does Fire Stick keep restarting?

Before we get into the solutions, it’s essential to understand why your Fire Stick keeps restarting. Several factors can cause this issue, including:

  • Power Supply Issues: The power supply may not provide the correct voltage or current to operate the Fire Stick, causing the software to malfunction and reboot. This can happen for many reasons. The most common failure of the power supply is that it has capacitors that smooth out the voltage, the FireStick needs constant current to power it, but over time they lose their properties. In addition, they are badly affected by high temperatures. There are also nuances to consider when using USB ports to power the TV. I will talk about this in more detail later.
  • Overheating:This is a very rare case; the Fire Stick is designed in such a way that it can operate at room temperature. It heats up like any other device, but this condition is normal. If the Fire Stick overheats, some electronic components may not work correctly. This will cause the Fire Stick to shut down and restart.
  • Outdated Software: The Fire Stick’s software may be outdated, causing it to malfunction. This can happen if you haven’t updated your device in a while.
  • Network Connection Issues: A weak or unstable Internet connection will not cause the Fire Stick to reboot. However, due to the unstable performance of the device, you may feel like it is rebooting. This can happen if the Wi-Fi signal is weak or your router has problems.
  • Hardware Issues: In some cases, the Fire Stick may be experiencing hardware-related issues, such as a damaged HDMI port or a faulty power supply. This can cause the device to restart or shut down unexpectedly.

It’s essential to identify the root cause of the problem to find a solution that works. Fortunately, there are several solutions you can try to fix the Fire Stick

How to fix Fire Stick keeps rebooting

Check the power supply

The first thing to do is check the Fire Stick’s power. You should know that the device requires between 5 and 5.25 volts of DC. The FireStick draws a maximum current of 0.9 A. Therefore, the original charger for the Fire TV Stick provides 5.25 volts of DC and 1.0 A current. Alternatively, you can power the Fire Stick TV via your USB port TV.

But remember, the standard USB port provides a maximum current of 0.5A. Connect the Fire TV Stick’s power to the USB port labeled 1A. Why it’s important: The Fire TV Stick draws different currents as it works. If you plug it into a standard USB port, it will work until it receives a streaming video. The current consumption increases as it converts streaming video from WiFI to HDMI. It will look like this: you turn on watching a movie, and after 3-10 minutes, the Fire TV Stick restarts. Or you turn on watching, and immediately the Fire TV Stick shuts down and starts rebooting.

If your TV doesn’t have USB 1A, you can use a USB splitter to connect the Fire TV Stick to the two standard USB ports on your TV, in which case your device will get the necessary current from the two USBs (0.5A + 0.5A = 1A). You will need a cable like this.

Also, make sure that the cables are not damaged. If you are using the USB port on your TV to power the Fire Stick, try using the external power supply provided.

Check if the Fire Stick is too hot

If your Fire Stick is overheating, it may restart constantly. Most likely, it is a defective device and needs to be replaced. It’s normal for the Fire Stick to feel warm, but it may malfunction if something in the device becomes unstable when it gets hot, such as the memory chip. Feel how hot the Fire Stick is; if you find it too hot, it may be worth checking to see if the device is working correctly. There are several ways to check, but I prefer this one. Connect the Fire Stick to the TV with a cable using the included HDMI adapter; you will need an HDMI-HDMI cable, which is not included. You can then try cooling it with a fan or hair dryer (just air), for example, and see if it becomes more stable. Either way, you will have to replace the Fire Stick.

Update the Fire Stick software

Updating your Fire Stick software to the latest version can help solve the problem of constant reboots. Outdated software may not work correctly with video streaming servers; errors may occur, eventually leading to a fatal error and a device reboot. Any device manufacturer, including Amazon, recommends updating the firmware to the latest version and regularly checking for new updates.

To update your Fire Stick, follow these steps:

  • Go to the Settings menu on your Fire Stick.
  • Select My Fire TV.
  • Choose Install Update.

If an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to download and install it. The device will restart after the update is complete. It is important to note that your Fire Stick must be connected to the internet to check for updates. If you are having trouble connecting to the internet, try restarting your router or modem and ensuring your Fire Stick is connected to a stable network.

Try to change the HDMI port or a TV

If none of the above solutions work, you can use a different HDMI port or connect the Fire Stick to a different TV. Sometimes, a faulty HDMI port on your TV can cause the Fire Stick to restart. Try connecting the device to a different HDMI port to see if that solves the problem. If you have another TV available, try connecting the Fire Stick to see if the problem persists.

Check if your TV supports HDCP

HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection, a form of digital copy protection that prevents unauthorized copying of digital content, such as movies, TV shows, and music. HDCP is used to protect copyrighted material and is required by many content providers to stream content on devices like the Fire Stick.

However, some older TVs may not support HDCP. This means that if you try to stream content using a device that requires HDCP, such as the Fire Stick, you may encounter issues such as a blank screen, flickering or flashing, or an error message indicating that HDCP is not supported.

If your TV does not support HDCP, you may need to upgrade to a newer TV or use an HDMI splitter or converter that supports HDCP. An HDMI splitter is a device that allows you to split one HDMI signal into multiple signals, which can be useful if you have multiple devices that need to be connected to one TV. Some HDMI splitters also support HDCP, which can help you avoid issues with content streaming.

Restarting Fire TV Stick

Another recommendation for persistent errors with the Fire TV Stick is to reboot the device. You can perform a soft reset without unplugging or unplugging the device, which is a more drastic method.

Restart via menu

To reset your device via the menu, use the remote control.

Open the Fire TV Stick menu
Go to “Settings.”
Select “My Fire TV” and then “Restart.

Fire TV Stick will perform a software reset.

Restarting by unplugging the Fire TV Stick (power reset)

Unplug the Fire TV Stick from the power source. If the AC adapter powers the device, unplug the AC adapter or disconnect the cable. According to Amazon, unplugging the device for three seconds is sufficient. However, you can also unplug it for 10-15 seconds – it won’t hurt. If you’re using your TV as a power source and you turned on the Fire Stick through the TV’s USB port, unplug the TV for 30 seconds. Then plug it back in. The Fire TV Stick will boot up, and the information stored in the cache will be deleted.

Reset your Fire Stick

Resetting your Fire Stick to its factory defaults can be an effective solution if you have tried all the other troubleshooting steps and the device is still constantly restarting. However, you need to remember that resetting your Fire Stick will erase all data on the device and restore it to its original factory settings. To reset your Fire Stick to its factory defaults, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Settings menu on your Fire Stick.
  2. Select My Fire TV.
  3. Choose Reset to Factory Defaults.
  4. Confirm that you want to reset your Fire Stick by selecting Reset.

Once you confirm the reset, your Fire Stick will restart and begin restoring it to its factory defaults. This can take several minutes, so be patient and do not unplug the device during this process.

Contact Amazon Support

If you’ve tried all the above solutions and your Fire Stick keeps restarting, it’s time to contact Amazon support. You can either contact them through their website or by phone. They will guide you through the process of resolving the issue or replace the device if necessary.

1 COMMENT

  1. It took me a long time to solve this problem and eventually I realized that my TV does not support HDCP devices. Thanks to your article I didn’t spend an extra couple of hours looking for a solution.

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