It happens. You’ve finally sat down, snacks in hand, ready to binge-watch the latest season of The Boys or Rings of Power, and then it hits you. The black screen. The dreaded purple spinning circle. Or worse, the Prime Video app just crashes back to the Roku home screen like it’s allergic to your living room.
Prime Video not working on Roku isn't just a minor annoyance; it’s a disruption of the sacred "me time" we all work too hard for.
Honestly, it’s rarely just one thing. It could be a weird handshake issue between Amazon’s servers and Roku’s OS, or maybe your router is just having a mid-life crisis. I’ve spent years troubleshooting streaming hardware, and the truth is that these two giants—Amazon and Roku—don't always play nice together after a firmware update.
Let's get into why this is happening and how you can stop staring at a frozen screen.
Why Prime Video Keeps Crashing on Your Roku
Most people think it’s their internet. Sometimes it is. But more often than not, it's a "cache" problem or a version mismatch. Roku devices are essentially tiny computers, and like any computer, they get cluttered. When the Prime Video app stores too much temporary data, it gets sluggish. Eventually, it just gives up.
There’s also the hardware factor. If you’re running an older Roku Premiere or an early-gen Streaming Stick, the newer Prime Video interface—which is surprisingly heavy on graphics—might be pushing your RAM to the limit.
Then there’s the HDCP error. That’s the "High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection" protocol. It’s basically a digital handshake between your Roku and your TV. If that handshake fails, Amazon won't let you stream because it thinks you’re trying to pirate the content. It’s annoying, but it’s a reality of modern DRM.
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The First Move: The "System Restart" vs. Just Turning it Off
Don't just turn your TV off and on. That does nothing. Most modern TVs just go into a low-power sleep mode. You need a cold boot.
Go into Settings > System > Power > System Restart.
If your Roku doesn't have a power menu (some older models don't), just pull the plug. Wait 30 seconds. This clears the volatile memory. You’d be surprised how often a simple power cycle fixes a "Prime Video not working on Roku" error. It’s the oldest trick in the book because it actually works.
Deep Cleaning the Prime Video App
If the restart didn't do it, the app itself is likely corrupted. You need to delete it. But there is a very specific way to do this, or it won't work.
- Highlight the Prime Video channel on your home screen.
- Press the Star (*) button on your remote.
- Select Remove channel.
- Crucial Step: Restart your Roku immediately after removing it. If you don't restart, the registry files stay in the system.
- Once it reboots, go to Search, find Prime Video, and re-install it.
Yes, you’ll have to sign back in. It’s a pain. But a fresh install is often the only way to get past a corrupted update that’s causing the app to hang.
Network Gremlins and Amazon's Bandwidth Needs
Amazon is a bandwidth hog. Unlike Netflix, which is incredibly efficient at scaling down quality to prevent buffering, Prime Video tends to try and push the highest bitrate possible. If your Wi-Fi signal is even slightly unstable, the app might just stop.
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Check your connection speed directly on the Roku. Go to Settings > Network > Check connection.
If you’re seeing anything under 5 Mbps, you’re going to struggle with standard definition. For 4K, you really need 25 Mbps or higher. If your Roku is tucked behind a heavy TV, it might be shielded from your Wi-Fi signal. Consider a cheap HDMI extender to move the stick out into the open air. It sounds like snake oil, but line-of-sight actually matters for 5GHz signals.
The Infamous "Code: 5005" and Other Error Numbers
If you’re seeing a specific error code like 5005, 1060, or 7031, Amazon is trying to tell you something.
- Error 5005: This is usually a sign-in issue. Usually means your account is flagged or you’ve exceeded the number of simultaneous streams.
- Error 1060: This is almost always a bandwidth problem. Your ISP might be throttling or your router is overwhelmed.
- HDCP Errors: This often looks like a purple screen. Switch the HDMI port. Use a different cable.
If you are using a VPN on your router, Prime Video will likely block you. Amazon has some of the most aggressive VPN detection in the world. Turn it off and see if the app suddenly starts working again.
Check for a Roku OS Update
Roku pushes updates constantly. Sometimes they break things, but more often, they fix a bug that Amazon reported weeks ago.
Navigate to Settings > System > System update > Check now. Even if it says it's up to date, check anyway. Sometimes a manual "nudge" forces a pending patch through.
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Dealing with Audio-Video Sync Issues
Sometimes the video works, but the voices sound like a badly dubbed Godzilla movie. This is a common Prime Video quirk on Roku.
Try going into your Roku's Audio settings. Change "Audio mode" from "Auto" to "Stereo." Many times, the Roku tries to output a Dolby Digital Plus signal that your TV or soundbar can't quite decode fast enough, leading to that annoying lag. By forcing it to Stereo, you take the processing load off the device.
What to Do if Nothing is Working
If you’ve reinstalled the app, restarted the router, changed the HDMI cable, and it’s still broken, you might be looking at a regional outage. It’s rare for Amazon to go down globally, but it happens. Check Downdetector. If you see a massive spike in reports, it’s not you—it’s them. Just go read a book for an hour.
Another weird fix? Check your Amazon account's "Digital Content" settings on a desktop. Sometimes an expired credit card or a "pending" rental can lock up the app on your streaming devices.
Actionable Troubleshooting Checklist
- Hard Reboot: Pull the power cord from the wall, not just the remote.
- The "Clean" Reinstall: Remove the app, restart the Roku, then add the app back.
- HDMI Swap: If you’re on a Roku Stick, plug it into a different HDMI port to reset the HDCP handshake.
- Update Manually: Force a system update check in the settings menu.
- Lower the Audio Overhead: Switch audio settings from Auto to Stereo to see if it fixes crashing.
- Account Check: Ensure your Prime membership hasn't lapsed and your payment method is current.
The reality of Prime Video not working on Roku usually boils down to a software conflict that a fresh install or a hard power cycle will solve. If the hardware is more than five years old, it might just be time to upgrade to a newer Roku Express or Ultra. Technology moves fast, and sometimes the old chips just can't keep up with the new code.