Today, Netflix is arguably the biggest streaming giant in the world of entertainment. The culture of mass streaming, pioneered by Netflix, provides huge benefits over the conventional cable system, flexibility and autonomy being the most popular ones. The subscribers gain access to an unlimited video library with the freedom of watching their favorite TV content, whenever and wherever they want. But as is the case with any other utility in the world, you often come across problems that hinder your Netflix streaming and are a source of constant torture. We say’ torture’ because when you sign up for this service, you expect it to be perfect and shattering of those expectations is a nuisance. So, in the succeeding paragraphs, we bring you the fixes to the most common issues encountered by the consumers when they are using Netflix.
NETFLIX NOT WORKING
The most probable reason for Netflix not working is the connectivity issue, which is not something new to anyone using the internet. Hence, the ultimate fix for this problem is to look out for the factors that could disturb your internet connection. Contact your Internet Service Provider, check your modem or adjust your cables. However, there could be other reasons such as any problem with the device you are using or with your Netflix app or account. In those cases, an error-code or message will be displayed on your Netflix screen, type that code or message in the ‘Search’ box on help.netflix.com. If there is no error-code or message on-screen, search for the specific problem such as a ‘Black screen’ by logging on to https://help.netflix.com.
NETFLIX IS DOWN
People at Netflix strive hard to bring you all the fancy features that altogether make your streaming experience a wonderful one. But it is a tech service that is after all amenable to technical issues. And this is the chief reason for a very rare message ‘Netflix is down’ to show up on your screen when you attempt to sign in. You cannot fix this issue yourself; all you can do is to wait for it to get fixed by the Netflix Service Centre which would not take too long in most instances. You can also check website down status before visiting any website.
ACCOUNT ALREADY IN USE
Netflix comes with several tiny benefits and an option of more than one active streams is surely one of them. With a premium package, 4 devices can be simultaneously used to gain access to Netflix and there is absolutely no difference in the quality of the services when multiple profiles are logged in. This ‘active stream’ limit is however not so flexible for a ‘Basic’ plan, which allows for streaming on a single device. In case of multiple log-in attempts from the same account (more than the assigned limit), Netflix will automatically display a notification that would read ‘Too many people are using Netflix’ or ‘Your Netflix account is already in use on too many devices’ or ‘Your Netflix account is in use on other devices’.
There could be two reasons for you seeing any of the above-mentioned messages:
1. Your account has reached the device limit allowed for your plan
Fix: If you are unsure of the maximum number of active streams enabled by your plan, you can check it on https://help.netflix.com . You can also upgrade your plan if you want to increase the device limit for your account. In case you have shared your Netflix password with friends and family, make sure that no one else is using when you attempt to sign in. It’s always a good idea to keep a check on the usage of your account by other people.
2. Playback is interrupted during streaming and that counts for one more stream from your account even if you are not using it for the moment.
Fix: If your Playback is abruptly without pressing the Stop button for example due to internet connectivity issues, it would still count as an active stream. This error would simply go away on its own within two hours. If you have shared your Netflix password with friends or family, make sure that no one else is using your account when you are trying to watch. It’s always a good idea to keep a check on the excessive usage of your account by other people.
UNRECOGNIZED NETFLIX STREAMING ACTIVITY
If you suspect that someone is using your Netflix account without your authorization, you can use several options to explore the source. Such activity could be due to your device being stolen or your credentials somehow being leaked to a third party.
- Checking your recent viewing activity
- Checking your Recent Account Access
This would enable you to see which titles or shows were viewed recently. So, if you find titles that you usually don’t watch it is very likely that your suspicion is true and some stranger has somehow gotten hold of your credentials.
This would reveal all the details of the last streaming activity from your account including the date and time of streaming, the country, state and the IP address from which Netflix was accessed. This can further provide clues to the source of the illegal usage.
If you are fraught with this problem, the first thing that you can do to secure your account is to change your password. Next, disconnect all the devices previously connected to your account. Do not disconnect a device that has been stolen because that would result in the loss of the location data associated with your device. Note that such deactivation measures would take up to eight hours to be fully applicable.
NETFLIX IS TOO SLOW OR HAS BAD VIDEO QUALITY
If your videos are taking too long to load, first thing to be blamed is a faulty or slow internet connection. The approach here is thus aimed at improving your connectivity. Following steps might prove useful in this regard:
- Make sure your Internet speed is optimum for the video quality of your choice
- Verify that your network administrator has not blocked streaming services such as Netflix as in a school or a hospital.
- Make sure that the bandwidth provided by your network provider has not been exceeded
- In case you are facing this issue on a video console, try restarting it. One of the most easily ignored method, this is the most useful way to bring you back on track
- Try shifting your router or modem to a different place to maximize signal strength
- Move your router to a place higher up such as a shelf or a table instead of placing it on the ground.
- Keep other wireless devices away from your router to avoid interruption to your Wi-Fi connection.
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