Amazon’s Firestick is a piece of hardware now preferred by many people for streaming media content.
You can use the device to enjoy content from your favorite streaming devices or take your own content along with you anywhere.
Unfortunately, the device is known to inexplicably stop working at odd times.
If your Firestick is not turning on, there are a few things you can do, including double-checking the setup, restarting the device, resetting the apps on the device, restarting the TV, checking your internet connection, and more. The remote may also be at fault for the problem.
The rest of this article will look closely at each of these solutions.
Most of them are simple enough, so you can expect to get back to binge-watching your favorite show in minutes.
Why Is My Amazon Firestick Not Turning On?
An Amazon Firestick is a simple device, but it’s also complicated.
For it to work, a lot of moving parts have to come together. Something as simple as a dead battery remote can leave you frustrated until you figure it out. In other cases, the connection to your TV may be the problem.
So, what should you do when the Firestick won’t work?
The best thing to do is to troubleshoot the device.
Start by looking at some of the most obvious possible problems and work your way up to the more unlikely options.
Below are some of the things you can do:
Look at the Firestick Remote
Your Firestick may be non-responsive because the remote isn’t communicating with it. Turn your attention there and see if it’s at fault.
The first thing you can do to repair the remote is to reset it. Just holding down the home button for up to 20 seconds at a time is typically enough.
To be double sure, remove the batteries, clean the connectors, and put in a fresh pair.
If none of these work, the remote may be damaged. Download the online remote app on your Android or iOS device for free and see if you can control your device.
If that works, and you don’t want to keep using the app, you can get one of the replacement remote options like the Sideclick SC2-FT16K from Amazon.com.
A physical remote beats using the app if you’re not the only one relying on the Firestick for entertainment.
One remote makes more sense than everyone downloading the remote app on their phone.
Check the Firestick Setup
The first thing you should do is to check the Firestick set up to make sure everything is as it should.
You may think it’s obvious, but an unresponsive device in one HDMI port on your TV may work in another port.
If you’ve got only one port, and you’re sure it works, touch the connection and see what happens.
You also need to confirm that you’ve powered the device properly.
You need to connect to a wall outlet or power strip if it doesn’t have enough juice.
Be sure to use the original power adapter to ensure the device is getting enough power.
Using the spare USB port on your TV as the power source may sound appealing, but USB connections rarely have enough juice to keep the Firestick working.
The device may not come on initially, and when it does, random boot loops or restarts aren’t unlikely.
Check out: Solved: Firestick Remote Volume Not Working
Restart the Firestick
Most people leave their Firestick device plugged in for days or weeks without rebooting.
There’s a possibility that a few errors can occur, making it refuse to come on after it goes off. In this case, a reboot may help.
The natural method of rebooting the device is to navigate to the “Settings” then to “Restart” under the “My Fire TV” menu.
This will shut down all apps and the main Firestick software before restarting.
However, if the device won’t come on at all, this isn’t realistic.
So, what’s the best way to reboot a Firestick that isn’t working?
With the cord plugged in, point your remote at it and hold down the Select and Play/Pause buttons for 5-7 seconds. This will force the device to restart even if you don’t get a confirmation screen.
Alternatively, you can just pull the plug and reattach it after a few seconds to force a hard reboot.
However, this isn’t always a good idea, as the device could be in the middle of an update.
You might also like: How to reset Firestick remote?
Restart the TV
This solution is similar to how rebooting your router sorts your internet connection problems.
However, while we have some logical reasons as to why rebooting your modem works when dealing with internet problems, we don’t know why this works, but it has helped many people with Firestick devices that won’t come on.
What’s the process?
- Turn on the TV and unplug it from the wall.
- Hold the power button on it for 30 seconds while it’s unplugged from the wall.
- Plug the TV back into the wall and turn it on.
- Return to the input channel for your Firestick, and it should be working.
Leave the Firestick On To Get Latest Updates
If you’ve just pulled out your Firestick after weeks of not using it, there’s a high chance it isn’t coming on because the software needs to be updated.
According to Amazon, you should leave the Firestick plugged in at all times so it can get updates automatically.
Leaving the device plugged in for a few hours can get you the latest update, solving the problem.
Once your device comes on, go to the “Check for Updates” menu under the settings page to confirm you’ve got the latest update and ensure the Firestick won’t refuse to come on again later.
Check Your Wi-Fi Connection
If the Firestick interface won’t come on, it could be the fault of your Wi-Fi setup.
For a Firestick working normally, you can confirm the situation with your internet connection by going to the “Network” menu under “Settings.”
The menu will also show you information on your signal strength, etc.
Bad signal strength means a slower viewing experience and a reduction in the overall picture quality.
However, if your interface isn’t working, you can only solve the problem by restarting both the router and the Firestick and then ensuring that they are closer to eliminate interference.
Reset to Factory Default
If you keep having repeat cases of the Firestick refusing to turn on from time to time, it’s time to consider restoring to factory settings when it comes on next.
Going back to factory settings will ensure you can set the device up again like brand new.
Losing your apps and settings might be frustrating, but in some cases, the problem is from a malfunctioning app.
To do this, go to “Settings,” “My Fire TV,” and then “Reset to Factory Defaults.” Confirm the action when prompted to start the process.
With the reset complete, go over the setup process again.
You’ll need to enter your Amazon details, reinstall your necessary apps and make other necessary changes overall.
Your watchlist won’t be affected in this situation as long as you can remember your log-in details.
Final Words
The Amazon Firestick is a reliable source of entertainment.
If yours refuses to come on at any point, fixing the problem involves taking some basic actions like resetting the device, resetting the TV, and checking for connection or power issues.
If, after your best efforts, the device refuses to come on, you may need to finally replace it with a new one.
Read also: Can You Use Roku and Firestick at the Same Time? 10 Steps