Netflix outage: Here’s what you can do

If Netflix is down, you won’t be able to stream movies and TV shows. We’ll show you what might be causing the problem and how to fix it.

Netflix outage: Possible causes and solutions

When Netflix suddenly stops loading or the loading circle just keeps spinning when you start a movie, your frustration grows steadily. After all, you just wanted to have a nice evening. Disruptions to streaming services occur time and time again, often caused by regional server problems or congestion at certain internet providers. But with a few targeted measures, you can check what the problem is yourself and possibly fix it right away.

• Before you start tinkering with your own equipment, it’s worth taking a look at the Netflix status page, where the streaming service provides information about widespread outages.

• If there have been several hundred reports in the last few minutes, you can assume that there is a widespread problem.

• In this case, you can only wait and hope that Netflix resolves the issue as quickly as possible. However, if only a few reports have been received, you should look for the cause in your own technology.

• If the stream is stuck while your friends or neighbors can watch without any problems, the cause may be your internet service provider. In such cases, a quick test can help:

• Connect your device to mobile data, for example via a smartphone hotspot, or use a VPN service to access Netflix via a different server. If Netflix works without any problems, your provider is probably overloaded or otherwise affected.

• If there is no major disruption, local problems may be to blame. Various steps can often help. First, restart your router. To do this, disconnect it from the power supply for about 30 seconds and then restart it. This is often enough to resolve connection problems.

• In your device’s network settings, you can change your DNS server and enter alternative DNS servers, such as Google’s 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. This may improve Netflix’s availability.

• On mobile devices or smart TVs, a full cache can cause playback errors. Therefore, clear the app cache via your device’s settings or temporarily uninstall the Netflix app and reinstall it.

• Whether you’re watching on a computer, laptop, TV, console, smartphone, or tablet, simply turn the device off completely and then back on again. Now try again. If in doubt, you can also try Netflix on a second device.

Expiring licenses and other issues

Not all Netflix issues are technical in nature. If series or movies suddenly disappear or content no longer appears in your list, this is often due to expiring licenses.

• Netflix occasionally removes titles at short notice. This is not a mistake, but a content adjustment.

• If you are experiencing account problems, it is also worth taking a closer look at your settings or Netflix emails before assuming there is a technical error.

• If you are still unable to resolve the issue, Netflix support is now available 24/7 via live chat and other channels. Ideally, have your account details ready to speed up the process.