Just because you’re on the go doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on your favorite shows.
Thank heavens for streaming services available on smartphones.
Now, you can kill time watching movie favorites wherever you are.
But uh-uh. Suddenly HBO Max doesn’t work on your iPhone.
“What do I do?”
Take a chill pill. Sit back. Relax.
And…
Read on to find out:
- What causes HBO Max issues on your iPhone.
- 5 instant ways to fix HBO Max not working on iPhone.
- How clearing your iPhone cache saves you from troubles.
- And a lot more…
Why is HBO Max not working on my iPhone?
HBO Max isn’t working on your iPhone because the app is out of date. Likewise, slow connection, an overloaded cache, and server downtime cause the same issue. Bugs in your iPhone’s system and OS give rise to HBO Max streaming errors.
HBO Max not working on iPhone: 5 fixes
#1: Check HBO’s servers for errors
One of the very first things to try is checking if HBO Max is down. Even resetting the app is a waste of time if their service is offline.
After all, streaming services are dependent on their servers.
It’s kinda like how we depend on our moms to find an item we’re looking at the whole time.
Anyway, the point is, without proper working servers…
There’ll be no proper working streaming service as well. So it’s very well worth your time to check this first.
“Well…alright. But how do I check for server errors?”
Unlike other sites, HBO Max doesn’t have a dedicated page for server errors. But you can look up “Is HBO Max down” on Google.
Or use a third-party website such as Downdetector.
Here you can check for outages that occurred in the last 24 hours. What’s more, is that they map out areas where people reported streaming problems.
Pretty convenient, isn’t it?
#2: Check your internet speed
The next thing you should do is check your internet speed.
Remember that if you’re streaming on-demand TV shows on HBO Max, you need a stable connection.
Even more so if you’re planning on watching HD (High-definition) quality content.
You see, HBO requires at least 5 Mbps internet speed. If your connection is much lower than this, then that’s why you’re having problems.
By the way, there are two ways to check the internet speed on your iPhone.
Method 1
- Open App Store on your phone.
- Search and download an Internet Speed test application.
- Finally, test your network.
If you don’t want to install more apps on your iPhone, use this method:
Method 2
- Launch a preferred browser on your iPhone.
- On the search bar, type Speed test and choose one from the results.
- Run a speed test.
So you found out that your network is running slow…
Before anything else, you can try to unplug your router from the power outlet. After 30 seconds, plug it in again and see if the connection improves.
Note: If you’re using a cellular data connection, try switching over to a Wi-Fi network. Because the latter is faster and more reliable.
Moreover, you can watch this video to learn how to improve your internet connection:
#3: Update the HBO Max app
If you’re one of those people who doesn’t check for application updates on your iPhone…
Well, now’s the perfect time to do so. Frequent crashing among applications indicates that an update is long overdue.
“But I turn on auto-updates on my device.”
You still need to check. Sometimes, temporary interruptions happen and prevent your app from fully updating.
Without these updates to fix various bugs, your app won’t work right too. And you, in turn, will be in a foul mood every time.
Plus, with new updates come new features for your device. You really can’t go wrong here.
So this is how to update HBO Max on your iPhone:
- Open the App Store on your iPhone.
- Look for HBO Max.
- Touch the Update button.
Now, wait for the app to update completely. And relaunch it to see if this solution worked.
Note: If you turn on automatic updates, make sure to choose Over Wi-Fi. This way, you don’t accidentally use up all your mobile data allowance.
#4: Restart your iPhone
If updating the app still didn’t allow you to continue streaming HBO Max on your iPhone…
And the app still crashes, and worse, your iPhone’s screen is just black…
Then, you need to restart your device next.
You might not be restarting your phone regularly.
And that could be why you’re such in a pinch today. That said, restarting your device is a standard maintenance procedure.
“How does restarting help my iPhone?”
Well, for one, it gives your phone time to refresh. This also gives your iPhone time to fix some minor issues affecting its system.
So, you see, a simple restart goes a long way for your device.
Just in case you’ve already forgotten how to restart your phone, here’s how:
- Hold down the power button for 4-5 seconds.
- On the screen, select Power Off.
- Don’t turn it on for at least 15 seconds.
- After which, open your device again and check HBO Max.
If there are no more problems streaming HBO Max, congratulations. You did it!
But if it’s still crashing, don’t worry. Check out the next solution on this list.
You might also like: 5 Steps To Connect JBL Speakers To iPhone
#5: Clear the cache and data
Okay. The servers are up, and your connection has no issues.
And you’ve religiously followed all the steps above. Yet, HBO Max still doesn’t work on your iPhone.
I know it’s getting frustrating but hang in there.
And instead, let’s try to clear your iPhone’s cache (storage for temporary files) and data next.
“But I thought I couldn’t clear my iPhone’s cache.”
You definitely can. It just happens that a few people know how to clear an iPhone’s cache.
And the easiest way to clear HBO Max’s cache and data on your phone are to delete the application.
Here’s the thing:
Uninstalling a problematic application is equal to clearing its cache and data. Other people may also call it a reset.
So, to reset HBO Max on your iPhone, you need to delete the app. And reinstall it just as quickly.
Warning: Uninstalling HBO Max also deletes offline videos you’ve downloaded.
Follow these steps to reset HBO Max on your iPhone:
- Tap and hold the HBO Max icon from your apps.
- Once it starts jiggling, tap on the Remove icon option.
- In the pop-up window, click Delete to re-confirm your choice.
- Then select Done.
Download HBO Max on your iPhone again:
- On your iPhone, look for App Store.
- Search for HBO Max.
- Install the application.
Key in your login details and check if you can now stream HBO Max on your iPhone.
Check out: 3 Ways To Watch Netflix On TV From iPhone
#BONUS: Update your iPhone’s OS
Note: It’s important to backup your data using iCloud before proceeding.
An out-of-date OS (operating system) will cause errors. Remember that updates are the life and blood of your device.
Updates protect your phone from bugs and improve your device’s performance. Without them, your phone might have compatibility problems with new applications.
That’s why you should update your iPhone’s OS. Since it could also be the reason why HBO Max isn’t working as it should.
To update your iPhone’s OS, here are the steps:
- Plug your iPhone into a charger.
- Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network.
- Open Settings, then General, and select Software Update.
- Choose an update that you need if there are two available.
- Tap on Install.
- If Download and Install appear, you need to enter your passcode before installing.
It may take a while for an OS update to finish but be patient. I guarantee this will fix your streaming issues with HBO Max.
Note: You can check Apple’s update guide to see a complete list of Apple devices to update.