Netflix is one of the leaders in the online video streaming market. As it expanded across platforms, the company launched an app for Windows systems. However, many users have reported that the Netflix app keeps freezing on Windows. If you are one of these users, this article would be helpful for you.
Netflix keeps freezing on PC
If you face this issue as soon as you sign in to the Netflix app, please check your subscription and sign in again.
The possible causes behind the issue in the discussion are as follows:
- The Netflix server could be down.
- Problems with Internet connection or proxy. In some cases, using a VPN could cause the issue.
- Outdated Silverlight plug-in.
- Wrong date and time on the system.
To start with, confirm that your internet connection is working by opening a few websites. Then try these suggestions:
- Check the Netflix server
- Disable any VPN or proxy on the system
- Check the date and time
- Reinstall the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in
- Update the Graphics card drivers
- Check for interfering 3rd party applications
- Re-install the Netflix app.
Now proceed with the following troubleshooting sequentially.
1] Check the Netflix server
If the Netflix server is down or you are unable to stream videos on the Netflix website, troubleshooting on the app would be useless.
You can check the status of the Netflix server here. If the server is down, you will have to wait till they correct it from the backend. If Netflix is up, then try streaming videos on the Netflix.com website. In case the videos don’t work on one browser, try another one.
If the videos aren’t streaming on the Netflix website across the browsers, it won’t work on the app either. If it works on the browser, then proceed to further solutions.
2] Disable any VPN or proxy on the system
While your intention behind using VPN connections might differ, Netflix has been misused a lot through VPNs. Thus, Netflix is cracking down on those who use VPN to access their servers.
If you are using a VPN while trying to access Netflix, it is advisable to disable the VPN software.
If you are using a Proxy on the system, you could remove it to isolate the issue.
Click on the Start button and go to Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy.
Turn OFF the switch for the Manual proxy setup.
3] Check the date and time
Incorrect date and time settings can cause problems while streaming videos through the Netflix app. Thus, verify the date and time on the system and correct the date and time if needed.
Read: Netflix Screen flickering on PC
4] Reinstall the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in
The Microsoft Silverlight plugin has a role in streaming Netflix on its application. If the plugin is outdated, you might face issues.
Press Win+R to open the Run window and type the command appwiz.cpl. Hit Enter to open the Programs and Features window. Right-click on the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in and select the option to uninstall it.
Restart the system once the plug-in has uninstalled.
After that, you can reinstall the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in.
5] Update the Graphics card drivers
An outdated graphics card driver could cause the issue in discussion. In such a case, update the Graphics driver as follows:
Press Win+R to open the Run window and type the command devmgmt.msc. Hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
Expand the list of Display adapters. Right-click on your graphics card driver and select Update driver.
6] Check for interfering 3rd party applications
Many third-party applications like security suites and anti-virus programs are known to interfere with the Netflix app. Thus, you could disable such applications temporarily to isolate the cause. The best way to do it is in Clean Boot State.
7] Re-install the Netflix app
If everything else fails, you could try re-installing the Netflix app.
To re-install the Netflix app, go the Programs and Features window, as explained in solution 4 and uninstall the app. Then download the Netflix app again from its official website.
Hope something helps!
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