Last Updated on June 21, 2022
Is your Amazon Fire Stick a little iffy these days? A sudden crash in apps or unexpected delays can be infuriating. The most common cause for the device to malfunction is cache overload. Caches are vital to your user experience but outdated caches that remain in storage can cause lots of problems for the app.
Major signs that suggest it is time to clear the cache are the stuttering video quality and slow load time. Caches will lead to the app having too little space to process the current file, thus leading to underperformance. In some cases, the app will crash directly. Every time you click into it, you just get popped right out.
Do these sound like the problems you are having? In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about clearing caches and keeping your Fire Stick smooth.
Contents
How to clear caches on your Fire Stick?
To better understand the breakdown of your Fire Stick storage, go to Home > Settings > My Fire TV > About > Storage. On this page, you will see how much space you have left. The less space your Fire TV has, the less efficient the interface will be and you will experience delays and lags.
These are the steps you need to take to free up some space.
1. Go to the home page
2. Select Settings
3. Click on Applications
4. Choose Manage Installed Applications
5. Pick the app that has been malfunctioning or the one that you want to clear
6. Click Clear Cache
7. Go back and choose another app that is having the same problem
8. Repeat the process for all the apps that are having issues
An extra step you can take to further declutter your space is to erase the cookie storage as well. Follow the same steps but instead of Clear Cache, you click Clear Cookies.
When you clear the caches in the system, the app should automatically start running again theoretically. Occasionally, the system fails to recognize the signal and the app is still not responding after the action.
In that case, you need to reset the Fire Stick for the command to be recognized. Go back to the Home page, then click Settings > My Fire TV > Reset to Factory Default > Reset.
That should allow your Fire Stick to work normally again if the problem is caused by cache overload. Before you reset your Fire Stick, make sure you don’t have any important personalized settings that need to be attended to first. Always keep a note of what settings you have made with the Fire Stick so you can repeat the process after the reset.
It is a good practice to clean up caches regularly even if you are not experiencing any issues. Freeing up the space will visibly improve the speed and quality of the app. It will avoid any clog up in the system. Removing useless data helps elevate the user experience.
What happens if the problem persists after clearing the caches?
Sometimes, clearing the caches cannot solve your problem if the problem is not caused by the caches. Indeed, the first instinct that comes to everyone’s mind when an app is crashing is to clear the caches. While most of the time that is the cause of the issue, there are times where the root of the issue remains hidden.
1. Do your updates
If clearing the caches doesn’t work, you need to find other possible explanations. There are other common causes for an app to crash or stop loading. Check to see if you have the latest version of the app and if the software is compatible.
Pairing it with an outdated device will lead to lags and bugs because the device is not capable of processing the latest features. Uninstall and reinstall the corrupted app to see if the situation improves.
2. Check your internet connection
Check for your internet connection to ensure this is not due to a connection problem. Avoid downloading unverified apps from third-party organizations. Only official apps should be trusted as the unknown sources often contain corrupted files that could damage the system or even hack into your network.
3. Replace the Fire Stick batteries
Replace the battery in the remote control to see if it is a reception problem because of a low battery level. A weak reception can cause the app to have delayed responses or no response at all even though it is seemingly receiving the signal.
4. Get professional help
Finally, if nothing works, contact a professional via official customer service centers. Do not attempt to open the device and fix it yourself as you will lose the warranty.
Fire Stick Maintenance Tips
Clearing caches is not the only way to keep your Fire Stick well. There are quite a few things users can do to keep apps from crashing and a longer life for your Fire Stick remote.
1. Keep your device and remote somewhere cool and dry
It is dangerous to keep the device somewhere moist and hot. Overheating is the main reason that breaks down electronic devices. In some home settings, the cables and devices are put next to the bathroom, which can cause serious problems or even electricity outages.
2. Do not plug in too many devices
Having too many devices plugged into the same socket is like playing with fire. A toast in the circuit board could send shock and fire your device. Sometimes, an outage is all it takes to damage the device. Keep a reasonable number of devices plugged into the same power source.
3. Turn it on once in a while
Electronic devices are exciting at first but can get old really quick for some, especially when you have all kinds of entertainment units lying at home. But you should not ignore them even if you don’t use them regularly. By leaving them idle for too long, you risk losing the power to activate the parts inside. Try to turn it on at least once a month so the software is up to date and everything is functioning well.
4. Install each app correctly
There is no shortage of ‘hacks’ online that teaches you how to override the system to get the app in additional settings not authorized by the developers. All these could damage your Fire Stick, which acts as a host to all your streaming platforms. Those hacks online often contain viruses embedded with coding that destroys your device for fun.
5. Erase unnecessary apps and free up storage regularly
Clearing caches and apps that you do not use anymore are vital. The program can run better when storage is freed up. As though the Fire Stick is designed to let users utilize its free space, the more space you use, the slower the response is.
When the apps and other stuff take up sizeable space in the system, you may find your Fire Stick failing to respond to commands at times. Delete any app that you no longer use.
What is a Fire Stick cache?
Unfortunately, a Fire Stick cache is something that you both love and hate. Your Fire Stick won’t function properly without any. At the same time, too much of it will lead to its own downfall.
Fire Stick is a medium that lets you download all sorts of apps for streaming, watching videos, and even connecting with others. In each of those apps, there are caches stored when you click it open.
Caches are created for a seamless experience. For example, when you are enjoying a streaming service, the video is always loaded for an extra 5 to 10 minutes from where you are currently in the timeline. That way, even if the internet connection suddenly drops or becomes too slow, you will still have that extra 10 minutes of buffer before you will need to pause to load again.
That buffer zone exists thanks to caches. You don’t have to pause every two seconds for the video to load. Caches are stored temporarily in the system and deleted automatically when you exit the app or turn off the device. They are never meant to permanently reside in your storage space. However, the reality is different sometimes.
In the app, caches can slip through and become part of the permanent file in the system, despite being designed to do otherwise. Over time, the size builds up and it takes up significant space.
Once the space is clogged up, the app is running slower and slower. It doesn’t have the capacity to store more caches. That is why the videos do not load smoothly anymore.
To fix this, you need to clear the caches on your Fire Stick apps.
Summary
Everyone has a love-hate situation going on with caches. You need it but not a lot of it. When your Fire Stick seems to be a little funky, try clearing caches because your Fire Stick is likely to be fed up with all the useless data in storage. Keep the habit of checking your storage regularly for the best performance and experience.
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