
Excited, you turn on your Xfinity and open up HBO max.
And just when you finally thought of the perfect series to watch…
It stops working.
But rest assured, you’re on the right website.
I’ll answer your questions and help you fix this problem.
Continue reading to learn:
- Why HBO Max stops working on Xfinity.
- How clearing cookies and caches can fix HBO Max.
- 5 easy ways to make HBO Max work on Xfinity again.
- And more…
Why is HBO Max not working on Xfinity?
HBO Max isn’t working on Xfinity because of system glitches or the parental controls blocking it. Restarting the system, clearing caches, and resetting parental control settings are 3 of the most common ways to fix this problem.
HBO Max not working on Xfinity: 5 fixes
#1: Reboot your router
More often than not…
The reason why your HBO Max isn’t working isn’t because of a major problem…
But a minor one, like a slow internet speed.
It’s a well-known fact that streaming on HBO Max requires an internet connection.
And the minimum download speed you need to stream HD on HBO Max is 5 Mbps.
If you can’t meet these requirements, then it can disrupt the app.
“How do I know if I have a poor internet connection?”
If other streaming apps like Netflix aren’t working on Xfinity, chances are you have slow internet.
But for a more precise diagnosis, you need to test your internet speed.
To check your internet speed:
- Use a phone or computer with the same network as your Xfinity device.
- Head to speedtest.net.
- Press on GO.
- Wait for a few seconds.
- Your internet’s download speed will appear.
If you’re getting less than 5 Mbps, reboot your internet router.
Tip: If your internet speed is less than 10 Mbps, I recommend you also reboot your router. A simple reboot can improve your internet connection by a couple of Mbps in minutes.
To reboot your router:
- Unplug your router from the outlet.
- Wait for at least 3 minutes.
- Plug the router into an outlet again and turn it on.
After rebooting your internet modem, try to open your HBO Max app once more.
If there’s no progress at all…
#2: Restart and re-login
You need to sign out from your HBO Max account before restarting.
So, before you proceed, make sure that you know your account’s credentials to log back in later.
If you’re thinking…
“How can a restart fix my problem?”
It’s simple.
A restart wipes the current state of your Xfinity device.
And it also clears the memory of all your open apps.
It’s like making your Xfinity wake up from a dream it won’t remember.
“So why do I need to sign out?”
Well, you can think of it this way…
Signing out will clean your HBO Max app’s data.
And restarting will clear your Xfinity’s memory.
It’s hitting 2 birds with 1 stone.
So with that being said, let’s make your device sleep for now.
The first thing we need to do is to sign out from HBO Max:
- Go to your main screen and press the left arrow.
- A sidebar menu will show up.
- Navigate to the bottom of this menu and select Settings.
- Hover to the right until the name Sign out.
- Click the SIGN OUT button.
- On your remote, press OK.
Then, restart your Xfinity:
- Turn off your Xfinity device.
- Unplug your device from the outlet.
- Wait for 30 seconds.
- Turn on your Xfinity device.
- Open your HBO Max app.
“Oh no. I forgot the process to sign in to my HBO account.”
If so, don’t worry.
I’ll give you the detailed steps to sign in too.
To sign in to your HBO Max:
Step 1: Launch the HBO Max app.
Step 2: Click the left arrow on your Xfinity remote.
Step 3: Navigate to the top on the sidebar that pops up.
Step 4: Select the Sign-in icon.
Step 5: A unique activation code will appear on the screen.
Step 6: Go to activate.hbomax.com on your phone or computer and enter the code.
Step 7: After entering the code, you’ll be directed to a sign-in page.
Step 8: If your HBO Max subscription is through Xfinity, press on SIGN IN WITH PROVIDER and select Xfinity.
Step 9: If you subscribed outside Xfinity, enter your email and password on the screen and press and sign in.
You’ve successfully logged in if you see a big checkmark on the screen.
You might also want to know: (11 Fixes) Xfinity Cable Box Not Working
#3: Clear caches
Clearing your cache resets your HBO Max on your Xfinity.
And you’ve most likely heard of caches before.
“I have. But I don’t know what it means.”
Well, the word cache means multiple things.
But in technology, it means software or hardware that stores data.
So why do we need to clear this?
Over time, caches, or stored data, can stack up and fill up the memory of your Xfinity device.
A full memory slows down your device and makes it unable to do even the most basic tasks.
Like playing the HBO Max app, for example.
And now that you know why clearing your cache is important, let’s go and do the…
Steps to clear your cache:
- Go to your Xfinity’s home screen.
- On the upper left corner, click the gear-looking icon.
- Select Privacy.
- Scroll down and find Clear Cookies and Local Storage Data.
- Click OK.
After clearing your cache, try opening your HBO Max once more.
Note: Clearing Xfinity’s caches might also sign you out from other apps on your device. Ensure that you know all your log-in credentials before clearing your cache to avoid problems.
If your HBO Max is still acting up, check if you need to…
#4: Turn off parental control
Parental control aims to protect kids from sensitive content.
But in some cases…
It can accidentally lock out adults from streaming too.
But luckily, it’s incredibly easy to fix this issue.
“But what if I didn’t set up parental controls?”
Even if you didn’t set it up, checking your settings is still worth it.
Sometimes a glitch can accidentally set your parental control ON.
Or other users of your account could’ve set this up by chance.
Either way…
This method will only take up to a couple of minutes, so I suggest you try it.
To change Xfinity’s parental controls:
- Press the Xfinity button to open the Main Menu on your remote control.
- Navigate left or right until you see the Gear icon.
- Click the Gear icon to open up Settings.
- Below Device Settings, you’ll see Parental Controls.
- Highlight and click this section.
- Enter your parental control lock pin if a prompt shows up.
- Navigate down once to highlight and select Reset Parental Controls.
- Select Confirm.
- Press Exit
For a more detailed guide, watch this:
Note: If there are kids in your household and you want to set up the Parental Controls again, you can certainly do so. Just follow steps 1-6 above and move forward accordingly.
Now your parental control is OFF and back to its default.
Restart your Xfinity device and open your HBO Max again.
It should be up and running at this point.
But if none of these methods fixed your problem…
#5: Contact Xfinity or HBO Max

Fortunately, it’s easy to contact service providers in this day and age.
So if you’re still having trouble, it’s time to ask for the help of professionals.
Sometimes, accounts are kept on hold because of unusual activities or delayed payments.
Other times, there are different reasons.
But either way…
A phone call can usually fix these issues almost immediately, so don’t worry.
To contact Xfinity’s customer service:
- Visit their designated service website.
- Select Chat with Xfinity if you want a non-voice conversation.
- If you want a phone call, call them at 1-800-934-6489.
To contact HBO Max’s customer service:
- Go to their designated help center page.
- Select the contact method you want to choose.
- Follow their on-screen instructions.
Note: If you don’t want to go through the trouble of visiting HBO Max’s website, you can call them at 1-855-442-6629.