(9 Fixes) Hulu Not Working On Smart TV [Updated 2023]

Imagine this:

You’re at the last episode of the show you’re watching.

It’s been hours and you can’t wait to figure out what happens at the end.

Until, suddenly…

All you see is a loading icon. And it’s just stuck there for a few minutes now.

I can’t tell you how the show ends…

But I do have a few insights when Hulu’s not working on your smart TV. So…

Keep reading to discover:

9 ways to fix a Hulu that’s not working on your smart TV.
How to activate your Hulu account when it’s preventing you from logging in.
Which VPNs are the safest and most secure to use for streaming with your TV.
Why streaming devices are worth it to buy for your smart TV to fix playback issues.
And so much more…

Why is Hulu not working on my smart TV?

Your Hulu is not working on your smart TV because of cache, your VPN, or payment issues. If you bought Hulu as a bundle with another service, you also need to activate your account first. There’s also a chance that it’s because your internet speed isn’t fast enough for Hulu.

Hulu not working on smart TV: 9 fixes

#1: Make sure your account is activated

Can’t sign in to your account?

If you’re availing of Hulu through bundles, you still have to activate your account.

But, how?

Note: There used to be a Sprint bundle that lets you have Hulu for free. However, since Sprint merged with T-Mobile, this has now been discontinued.

So, if you used to have Hulu with Sprint, don’t be surprised that you can’t sign in to your Hulu anymore.

With Disney+

The Disney Plus bundle offers you Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu together for $13.99.

To activate your account in Hulu, just log into your Disney Plus account and then:

Go to your Disney Plus account page.
Select ‘Billing Details’.
Look for Hulu, then select ‘Watch Now’.
Register a new Hulu account that is linked to your Disney Plus account.

With Spotify Premium

On the other hand, you can also have free premium with your Spotify subscription.

This also comes with Showtime, another streaming app.

But you can only get this bundle if you’re a student.

If you have a Spotify premium account with a student discount, all you need to do is:

Log into your Spotify account.
Go to your account page.
Proceed to ‘Account Overview’.
Select ‘Activate Hulu’.
Complete the required fields.

Note: If you already have a Spotify Premium for Students and Hulu account separately, don’t worry. You can still connect them so that they’ll be billed together cheaper.

You just need to make sure that:

Both your Spotify and Hulu have the same email account.
Your Hulu account is billed directly through Hulu, and not a third-party service.

#2: Power cycle your TV

If your Hulu isn’t working, sometimes the problem is with the TV itself.

And, no truer words have been spoken in the world of repair than:

“Have you tried turning it off then on again?”

But simply pressing the power button twice on your remote wouldn’t truly restart it.

Instead, you have to power cycle your TV.

Power cycling, a.k.a cold boot, removes all residual charge on your TV. Effectively restarting all of its functions.

And it’s not time-consuming at all.

In fact, it will only take you less than a minute to:

Turn your TV off.
Unplug your TV.
Leave it alone for 30 seconds.
Plug it back in.

Fun fact: For Roku TV users, do you know you can power cycle your device with a secret method? You can try it yourself.

Just grab your remote and follow close:

Press the ‘Home’ button 5 times.
Press the ‘Up’ button once.
Press the ‘Rewind’ button twice.
Press the ‘Fast Forward’ button twice.

Then be patient and wait for a couple of seconds.

This should solve almost all issues with your Roku TV. Including a Hulu app that’s not working.

#3: Clear cache

Cached data is information stored by your TV that helps them optimize your next login.

Too heavy? Well…

Think of cache this way:

Every day, you stop by a bakery on your way to work. When you’re there, you always order two bagels and a cup of coffee.

The next day, you approach the counter and your order is already waiting for you. The manager of the place knew you were coming so he completed the food in advance.

Get it?

That’s what cache is.

Your TV stores cached data so that you won’t have to input everything every time you open Hulu or other apps.

Over time, your cache can become corrupted and can fill up your storage space.

When this happens, Hulu might have playback issues or take too long to open.

Clean your cache by following these steps:

For Samsung

Press the ‘Settings’ button on your remote.
Go to ‘Support’.
Select ‘Self Diagnosis’.
Click ‘TV Device Manager’.
Under ‘Manage Storage’, select ‘Show App List’.
Look for Hulu then press the down button.
Press both ‘Clear cache’ and ‘Clear data’.

For Sony

Note: Newer models of Sony smart TVs use Android TV as their operating system. This means that you can also use this method for other devices that use Android TV.

Press the ‘Apps’ button on your remote.
Long press the ‘OK’ button.
Select ‘Info’.
Click both ‘Clear cache’ and ‘Clear data’.
Press ‘OK’ for each.

You might also be interested in: Is Sony A Good TV Brand? 3 Problems & 4 Reasons

If you need a clearer explanation of how to clear cache on Sony TV, just watch:

#4: Reinstall Hulu

When in doubt…

Reinstall.

The best way to ensure that no cache is left on your Hulu is to reinstall it.

Not only that, but it can also update the app to solve issues with compatibility.

Any corrupted data that was due to software issues can also be removed.

For some TVs or streaming devices, this is how you can delete and reinstall Hulu:

For LG TV

Open your main menu and select ‘More Apps’.
Find Hulu and hover over it until an ‘X’ appears on top of its logo.
Press the ‘X’ to uninstall, then select ‘OK’ to confirm.
Next, reinstall it by opening the LG Content Store.
Go to ‘Premium’ then look for ‘Hulu’.
Press ‘Install’.

Read also: (9 Methods) How To Reset LG TV

For Apple TV

Go to your home menu and hover over the Hulu app.
Long press until the Hulu logo starts shaking.
Press the ‘Play/Pause’ button on your remote.
Select ‘Delete’.
To reinstall Hulu, go to the Apple Store and look for Hulu.
Press ‘Install’.

Check out: 5 Easy Steps To Restart An App On Apple TV

For Amazon Fire

Open your main menu and go to ‘Settings’.
Under ‘Applications’, select Hulu.
Select ‘Uninstall’.
Power cycle your TV.
Open your Amazon Fire and type ‘Hulu’ on the search bar.
Wait until the app appears. Press ‘Download’.

For Roku

Go to your main menu and hover over the Hulu app.
Press the asterisk button on your remote.
Select ‘Remove Channel’.
Power cycle your TV.
Next, go to the Roku Channel Store and look for Hulu.
Press ‘Add Channel’.

Note: Can’t find your TV on this list? Check out Hulu’s own instructions on reinstalling the app for almost every device.

You might also want to know: Can You Use Roku On A Non-Smart TV? We Tested It

#5: Check payment status

Hulu can place your subscription on hold for 2 reasons:

Your method of payment is invalid or expired.
You don’t have enough funds on your payment method.

Note: If your card has expired, you can use a third-party service for your billing. Hulu also accepts billing via:

Roku.
Apple.
Spotify.
Disney.
Verizon.
Amazon.
Comcast Xfinity.
Sprint (now T-Mobile).

Hulu will update you when they suspend your account for payment reasons.

Check your email for any messages from Hulu to confirm if your account was put on hold.

If it is, all you need to do is have enough balance on your card and wait for Hulu to validate the payment.

Alternatively, you can also update your payment settings. This is how:

Using a browser, open Hulu’s account page.
Sign in.
Click ‘Payment Information’.
Select ‘Update Payment’.
Add your new payment details.
Once you’re done, press ‘Save Changes’.

#6: Test your internet connection

Sometimes, the problem is just your internet speed.

According to Hulu, these are the recommended download speeds for the app:

8.0 Mbps for live streams.
16.0 Mbps for 4K content.
3.0 Mbps for Hulu’s Streaming Library.

You can test your internet speed by going to a third-party speed test app.

However, some TVs actually have a built-in speed test. One of these is Vizio TV.

And this is how you can test your download speed for Vizio:

Press the menu button on your remote.
Select ‘Network’.
Scroll down until you can find ‘Network Test’ or ‘Test Connection’.
Press ‘OK’.

So, once you’ve determined that your internet is too slow, how can you speed it up?

Try one of these quick solutions:

Use an ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi.
Select a lower-quality setting for viewing.
Remove other devices connected to your network.
Move the modem closer to your TV or buy an extender.
Remove any appliances or furniture that can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal.

#7: Buy a streaming device

Are you having a hard time fixing the Hulu app on your smart TV?

Let me offer you an alternative.

If you can afford it, you can just buy a streaming device.

I know, you might be thinking:

“That just seems like a waste of money just to watch Hulu.”

And my answer to that is…

Not really.

Even with smart TVs, streaming boxes are often worth it for these reasons:

Faster.
Lasts longer.
Customizability.
Better reliability.
More functionality.
More frequently updated.

Convinced? Good.

Now, just be careful on picking which streaming device you want to use. Not all of them are supported by Hulu.

Here’s a list of dedicated streaming devices that can run Hulu:

#8: Replace your VPN

What if I told you the issue is your VPN?

At least, if you’re using the a free one.

And here’s why:

A VPN works by encrypting your signal and sending it to a different place. That is how you can access region-locked Hulu services from wherever you are.

However, the place where your signal is getting sent to is public.

Meaning that the more people are aware of it, the more people are using it.

And if there are too many people using a network or an IP address, streaming services will tag that network as a VPN.

That’s why it’s best to pay for a VPN. It’s a public network, but only for people who paid for it.

This is a list of highly-recommended VPNs that are both safe and secure:

NordVPN.
SurfShark.
CyberGhost.
ExpressVPN.
Mullvad VPN.

#9: Just wait

Look through Twitter and search ‘Hulu’.

Are there people talking about not being able to access the app?

If so, that’s good news. (In a way.)

This means that the problem isn’t your app or your TV…

The problem is that Hulu themselves are down.

Now, all you have to do is nothing.

Take a deep breath, relax, and wait for the problem to fix itself.

“For how long?”

That depends. The wait time can range from a few minutes to more than two hours.

BONUS: Contact Hulu

Are you starting to pull your hair out of frustration because nothing’s working?

In that case, let Hulu’s professionals lend you a helping hand.

Contact Hulu Help for assisted support.