Netflix Stuck Buffering At 25% – Solved In 7 Easy Steps

Are you trying to stop Netflix from being stuck at 25%?

Sadly, I’ve been there too. I know how annoying it can be to have this happen, especially when you’ve waited all day to watch your favorite series or movie.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place to get this issue solved.

Netflix may be stuck buffering at 25% due to temporary bugs and glitches. To solve the issue, you’ll need to try a different title, restart the app and your device, or change your DNS settings. You can also try clearing your cache, and updating or reinstalling the app.

Read on to fix the problem and enjoy your movie night!

#1 Try a Different Title

You wouldn’t believe how many people have complained about not being able to watch a movie because Netflix is buffering at 25%.

Luckily, most of them were able to solve the problem by streaming a different show and going back to the one they were originally trying to watch.

I know, this solution might seem too simple. But believe me, it works.

You see, every single title on Netflix has its own ID space on its servers. So, when one show becomes unavailable due to unexpected server errors, the others may still work correctly.

If other titles are also stuck at 25%, you might have temporary bugs. Don’t worry, though. Keep reading to learn how to get rid of them.

#2 Restart Netflix

Now, it’s time for us to fully close and relaunch Netflix.

You see, the platform has to run multiple processes in the back to display the catalogue and load your favorite shows.

Unfortunately, sometimes bugs can make these crash and cause multiple performance issues.

This could explain why Netflix is stuck buffering at 25%.

But, don’t worry. You might find comfort in knowing that, more often than not, this issue can be easily solved by restarting the app.

Follow this quick guide to do it:

Fire Stick:

1. On the Settings menu, click on “Applications”.
2. Choose “Manage Installed Applications” from the options.
3. Click on Netflix and select “Force Stop”.

Xbox One:

1. Go to the home screen and highlight Netflix.
2. Press the menu (three horizontal lines button) on your remote.
3. Choose “Quit” from the options.

LG TV:

1. Press the home button on your remote for two seconds.
2. Highlight Netflix and press the up arrow button on your remote.
3. Press the enter button to close Netflix.

Once you’ve fully closed Netflix, please relaunch it. I also recommend signing out and back into your account to get rid of any temporary glitch that is responsible for Netflix not communicating correctly with its servers.

#3 Restart Your Device

I know, you’ve probably heard this advice thousands of times. But, why does it seem to be a magical cure for most tech issues?

Simple. Because it unloads your RAM and gets rid of temporary errors.

You see, if you haven’t turned off your device in a while, your RAM may be full. This could affect your device’s performance and explain why Netflix is stuck buffering at 25%.

Luckily, you can solve this issue by restarting your streaming device.

If you have a Smart TV, you can easily restart it by unplugging it from the power source, waiting for a couple of minutes, and plugging it back in.

But, if you’re streaming content on a PC, tablet, or smartphone, try pressing the power button until your device turns off. Then, wait for a couple of minutes and turn it back on.

#4 Change Your DNS Settings

Moving on, I’d like us to change your DNS settings.

Domain Name System, better known as DNS, is a computer language that works as a translator between your network and your device.

For example, when you enter a website like netflix.com, your device doesn’t see letters as we do, it sees numerical values. This way, your device knows where to point your request and find the information you need.

Although it’s unusual, DNS may stop understanding your network due to glitches or privacy restrictions, which can lead to experiencing buffering and loading issues.

This is why I recommend checking if Google’s DNS servers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 are blocked. If they’re, your device won’t be able to connect to them and Netflix may not work as it should.

Here’s how to do it on an Xbox One:

1. Go to Settings and click on “Settings”.
2. Choose “Network” and go to “Advanced Settings”.
3. Go to “DNS Settings” and select “Manual”.
4. Enter “8.8.8.8”.

If you’re using a different device, go to the network menu, you should be able to find the DNS settings there. You can also search on Google for detailed instructions.

#5 Clear Your Cache

If Netflix is still stuck buffering at 25%, chances are your cache is acting up.

Your cache is where Netflix stores temporary information, such as logos and images, so it can access it later and display the movies and series catalogues much faster.

Unfortunately, if there’s an issue with a file stored in your cache, you’ll experience multiple difficulties while trying to load content.

Luckily, you can solve the issue by clearing your cache. Here’s how to do it:

Fire Stick:

1. Go to Settings and click on “Applications”.
2. Choose “Manage Installed Applications” from the options.
3. Click on Netflix and select “Clear Cache”.

LG TV:

1. Go to Settings and select “Application Manager”.
2. Choose Netflix from the options and click on “Clear Cache and Clear Data”.

Bear in mind that this process may vary depending on your TV’s model.

Android Devices:

1. Open Settings and select “Apps” from the menu.
2. Tap on “Installed Apps” or “See all”.
3. Choose Netflix from the list and tap on “Storage”.
4. Tap on “Clear Cache”.

Remember, if you have a different device, please go to Google and search for “How to clear app’s cache on [Your Device’s Name Goes Here]”. But, please note, that if you can’t find the “clear cache” option on your device, you’ll need to reinstall the app.

Once you’ve cleared your cache, sign in to your account and try streaming content again.

#6 Update Netflix

If the fixes above didn’t do the trick, chances are Netflix is not running on its latest version.

You see, the platform’s app developers often release updates to fix any bugs or errors that are responsible for Netflix being stuck on the loading screen.

So, if you haven’t updated the app in a while, you won’t be able to get rid of the issue.

Try taking five minutes of your time to install any available updates. Here’s how to do it:

Fire Stick:

1. Go to the Home Screen and click on the app’s icon (three squares and a “+” sign).
2. Highlight Netflix and press the three horizontal lines button on your remote.
3. Choose “More Info” and click on “Update”.

Xbox One:

1. Highlight Netflix and press the three horizontal lines button on your remote.
2. Click on “Manage app” and choose “Updates”.
3. Select “Update All”.

LG TV:

1. Press the home button on your remote and open the LG Content Store.
2. Choose “My Apps”.
3. Click on Netflix and select “Update”.

If you have a different device, go to its app store (Google Play Store, App Store, Microsoft Store), search for Netflix, and tap on “Update”.

#7 Reinstall the App

You know what they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Sometimes bugs and glitches won’t go away easily. When this happens, the best thing you can do is reinstall the app.

You see, by doing this, you’ll restart every file within the app and get rid of the error that was responsible for Netflix being stuck on 25%.

Follow these instructions to uninstall Netflix:

Fire Stick:

1. Go to Settings and click on “Apps”.
2. Select “Manage installed apps” and click on Netflix.
3. Tap on “Uninstall”.

Xbox One:

1. Go to “My Games & Apps” and select “See All”. Then, go to “Apps”.
2. Highlight the Netflix app and press the menu (three horizontal lines) button on your remote.
3. Tap on “Uninstall”.

LG TV:

1. Press the home button on your remote. Then, go to the right and click on the pencil icon.
2. Highlight Netflix and click on the upward-facing arrow above it.
3. Press the X symbol.
4. You’ll be asked to confirm the process, please select “Yes” or “Remove”.

Once you’ve uninstalled the app, go to your device’s app store and reinstall it. Then, sign in to your account and try streaming any movie or TV show. You should be able to do it without further trouble.

Conclusion

That about covers it! I hope that this article has helped you solve the issue.

Remember, if your Netflix is stuck buffering at 25%, you’ll need to restart the app and your device, change your DNS settings, and clear your cache. Moreover, updating or reinstalling the app should also do the trick.

Thank you so much for reading this article. If you ever experience a different issue while using Netflix, please check out our related content below. Here at Tech Detective, we love solving all sorts of tech problems so you don’t have to.

Good luck!