(9 Fixes) HBO Max Not Working On Roku [Updated 2023]

HBO Max is fast becoming the premier streaming service.

They now have an impressive collection of movies and series.

From Batman to Harry Potter...

Friends to Game of Thrones.

That’s why it’s really annoying when it won’t even work on Roku.

Fortunately, there are many ways to fix it.

Continue reading to find out:

Which Roku OS versions are compatible with HBO Max.
9 effective ways to get HBO Max to work on your Roku player.
How to fix your Roku’s network issues in order to stream HBO Max.
An easy way to install updates on both Roku and HBO Max to prevent glitches.
And this is just the beginning…

Why is my HBO Max not working on Roku?

HBO Max isn’t working on your Roku because you’re having internet problems. You may check your WiFi signal strength via Roku’s network settings. Then do a power cycle on your modem and router. Also, HBO Max is only compatible with Roku OS10.0 or later. So you may need to update your Roku’s OS.

HBO Max not working on Roku: 9 fixes

#1: Verify if HBO Max is experiencing a service interruption

HBO Max was only launched in May 2020.

It’s not even available yet in some parts of the world. Yet it already has over 75 million subscribers.

And why not?

It has an amazing collection of movies and series.

But, just like any other streaming service…

HBO Max also experiences outages and service interruptions.

So if it isn’t working on your Roku…

Make sure to check first if it’s actually an issue on their end.

But unlike Netflix and Paramount Plus…

HBO Max doesn’t actually have a dedicated page that indicates if there are outages.

So you’ll have to go to other websites to verify.

These are some of the most reliable websites to check if HBO Max is down:

You may also try streaming HBO Max using another device to check. Such as a phone or a laptop.

“Ok, so I just confirmed that HBO Max is down. What now?”

The best that you can do is to simply wait.

The great thing about HBO Max is they’re quick in resolving issues. They have tech support and engineers working 24/7. So interruptions never take long.

You may try to check back after a while.

#2: Check if you’re having internet connection issues

As of 2022, HBO Max only streams in High Definition (HD). Of course, they may one day include an option to stream in Standard Definition (SD) in the future.

But right now, you’d need at least 5 Mbps of download speed to stream smoothly.

So if your HBO Max app is buffering or struggling to play any video…

You’re likely having network connection problems.

How to check your connection status on Roku

The great thing with Roku is you can easily check your internet’s signal strength.

Here are the steps to do that:

Press the Home button on your Roku remote and go to Settings.
Navigate to Network and click it.
Select About.

You’ll see a status indicating whether your player is connected to the internet or not.

In addition, you’ll see 4 possible status indicators regarding your signal strength:

Fair.
Poor.
Good.
Excellent.

You’ll also see your exact internet download speed.

Now if your internet signal is poor…

The best fix is to do a power cycle on your modem and router.

A power cycle is a simple process of resetting any electronic device. And it fixes a lot of nagging issues.

And the steps are really easy to do.

How to power cycle your modem and router:

Unplug your modem and router from the outlet.
Wait for about 30 seconds.
Plug your modem and router back into the outlet.

Now, wait for the modem and router to finish rebooting. The light indicators should eventually turn green and steady.

And if you’re still having internet issues after doing a power cycle…

You may opt to connect your Roku device directly to the modem. Using an ethernet cable.

Roku devices that can connect via ethernet:

Here are the Roku players that have a port for ethernet cable:

And here are the Roku devices that can connect using an ethernet adapter:

Once you’ve connected your Roku to the modem, try to relaunch the HBO Max app.

#3: Restart your Roku streaming device

Now it’s also possible that your Roku player is simply glitching. That’s why you’re having trouble playing the HBO Max app.

An easy solution would be to restart your Roku streaming device.

Now there are 3 ways to do this:

By unplugging.
Via the Roku Remote.
Through the Settings menu.

I’ll be providing you with steps for all 3. You may simply choose which one to do.

Restart by unplugging

This is the fastest way to restart.

Unplug your Roku player from the outlet.
Disconnect it from the TV.
Wait for around 30 seconds.
Reconnect it to the TV.
Plug it back into the outlet.

Restart via the Roku remote

For this one, you’ll need to press a series of buttons.

Press the remote’s Home button 5 consecutive times.
Press the Up arrow once.
Press the Rewind button twice.
Press the Fast Forward button also twice.

Your Roku player will then automatically restart.

Restart through the Settings menu:

On your Roku remote, press the Home button and go to Settings.
Navigate to System then click it.
Look for the System Restart option and select it.
Click Restart to confirm.

For many users, a simple restart is enough to fix their HBO Max issue. So check if you’re now able to stream from the app.

And if you’d like a visual guide, you may refer to this video:

#4: Change your HBO Max password

This is another workaround to fix a glitching HBO Max app.

Sign out of the app from your Roku player. Change your password. Then sign back in.

Now you can’t really change your password through Roku. So you’ll need a web browser for this.

Here are the steps:

Open a web browser on your laptop or phone.
Go to HBO Max’s official website.
Sign in to your account.
Click your Profile. You can find it in the upper-right corner of your screen.
Select Account.
Look for the Password field and click Edit.
On another tab, open the email associated with your account. Then copy the 6-character verification code sent by HBO Max.
Go back to HBO Max’s page. Paste the verification code.
Click Continue.
Enter and then re-enter your new password.
Click Save.

You now have a new password. Relaunch the HBO Max app on your Roku. And sign back in. Then check if you’re now able to stream.

This simple workaround has worked for a lot of HBO Max users.

#5: Check if your HBO Max subscription is due for payment

Now here’s another possibility.

Your HBO Max suddenly stopped working…

Because it’s already past its due date. And payment hasn’t been made.

It happens to all of us. You may have simply forgotten to take care of your subscription bill.

Or, if you’ve set it to auto-pay, then there may have been a problem with your card.

You can actually check your HBO Max renewal date via Roku.

This is how you can check:

On your Roku remote, click the Home button.
Navigate to the HBO Max app but don’t launch it.
Press the Star button on your remote.
Once the Options menu comes up, select Manage Subscription.

Now if it’s already past due, go ahead and take care of the payment. Also, make sure to take note of the renewal date.

#6: Install updates for your Roku player and the HBO Max app

The HBO Max app is only compatible with Roku OS 10.0 or higher.

Roku 10.0 was actually released in early 2021. So if you’ve updated your Roku sometime between that period and now, you’re good to go. HBO Max should work.

But it’s still a good practice to always have the latest updates installed. Not just with your Roku. But with all the apps as well.

Now here’s one difference between Roku and Firestick.

With Roku, you can’t update apps individually. When you update Roku, the same will happen for every single app installed.

So all you have to do is update Roku. And HBO Max will have the latest updates as well.

Here’s how to do it:

On your Roku remote, press the Home button and go to Settings.
Navigate to System and select it.
Select the System Update option.
Click the Check Now option.

Your Roku player will then search for updates. Both for its own firmware and for all the apps installed.

Available updates will then be installed automatically. Once finished, your Roku player will then restart.

#7: Remove and reinstall the HBO Max app

Here’s another difference between Roku and Firestick and other streaming devices.

In other streaming devices, you can delete an app’s cache and data to reset.

Roku doesn’t provide that option.

So if you’d like to reset your HBO Max app, you’ll have to delete it completely. And then reinstall it.

Note: If you bought your HBO Max subscription directly through Roku, you won’t be able to delete it. Not if it’s still active. You’ll have to cancel your subscription first.

How to uninstall HBO Max on Roku

Now if your app’s subscription wasn’t purchased through Roku, here’s how to delete it:

Press the Home button on your Roku remote.
Highlight the HBO Max app.
Press the remote’s Star button.
Select Remove Channel.
You’ll be asked to confirm this move. Press Remove to proceed.

After this, don’t reinstall the app just yet.

What you should do is restart your Roku player first. You may go back to Fix #3 for a guide.

Once the restart is finished, you may go ahead and reinstall the app.

How to reinstall HBO Max on Roku

On your Roku remote, click the Home button.
Scroll down to Streaming Channels and select it.
Select Search Channels.
Type in HBO Max.
Once it pops up, click the Add Channel option.

Once it’s downloaded and installed, you’ll see a “Go to channel” option. Click that to launch HBO Max. Sign back in and then try to stream a video.

#8: Perform a factory reset on your Roku player

Consider this as a last troubleshooting option. But if your Roku player is still glitching, a factory reset may be in order.

Doing this on your Roku player will wipe out everything.

Among the notable files that will be deleted include:

Your downloaded apps.
Personal setting preferences.
Your saved account on the Roku player.

Essentially, your Roku will have to start from scratch. So weigh your options. And think about it before doing it.

Having said that, there are 2 ways to perform a factory reset:

From the Settings menu.
Through the Reset button.

I’ll be providing you with steps for both.

via the Settings menu

Press the Home button on your Roku remote and click Settings.
Navigate to System and select it.
Select Advanced System Settings.
Look for the Factory Reset option and click it. Then confirm to proceed.

via the Reset button

Look for the Reset button on your Roku device. You can find it either at the back or at the bottom.
Once you’ve found it, press it for at least 10 seconds. If the Reset button is a pinhole, you’ll need a pin or a straightened clip. Insert it and press for 10 seconds.

The factory reset process should begin. Keep your Roku player on. And make sure not to interrupt the process.

When it’s done, you’ll see the light indicator blinking rapidly.

You might also want to know: Do Rokus Ever Go Bad? Common Problems, Signs & Tips

#9: Contact HBO Max and Roku for tech support

Now if you’ve exhausted all possible fixes…

And HBO Max still isn’t working on your Roku…

Then the next logical step is to contact HBO Max for support.

They should be able to give you further instructions on how to fix your app’s issue.

You may also try to contact Roku for customer service. The issue may very well be on their end. They should also be able to provide sufficient assistance.

You might also want to check out: (11 Fixes) Netflix Not Working On Roku