I like horror movies. And I’ve seen them all:
From Halloween to Scream to The Conjuring.
But, there’s nothing scarier than what’s on my screen right now:
“Netflix is unavailable.”
While we don’t have the cure for fright…
We do have the cure for an Xfinity that can’t play Netflix.
Stay tuned…
Keep reading to discover:
- What’s the connection limit on Netflix.
- 7 ways to fix a Netflix that’s not working on Xfinity.
- A guide on how to force lower video quality on Netflix for smoother streaming.
- And so much more…
Why is Netflix not working on my Xfinity?
Netflix isn’t working on your Xfinity because of network or HDMI issues. If not, you need to activate your account first or tweak its settings. It could also be because you’ve reached Netflix’s connection limit.
Netflix not working on Xfinity: 7 fixes
#1: Network
Ah, yes. The root of all stuck loading screens:
Network connectivity issues.
It doesn’t matter where you’re watching or what you’re watching…
And Netflix on Xfinity is no exception.
If you suspect that you have slow internet, you can use an online speed test to know.
Then compare that using this list of recommended download speeds for Netflix:
- Standard definition (720p, SD): 1Mbps.
- High definition (720p, HD): 3Mbps.
- High definition (1080p, HD): 5Mbps.
- 4K/Ultra HD (UHD): 15Mbps.
Did your internet speed make the cut? No?
Fortunately, there are a lot of quick fixes that you can try before pulling your hair out of frustration.
Check network on Xfinity
The first is to check your Xfinity device’s network connection.
- Press the Xfinity button on your remote.
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Select Help.
- Then press Connection Status to check for local outages.
Remove interference
Next, remove any device or appliances that can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal. Some of these are:
- Water.
- Mirrors.
- Microwave.
- Baby monitors.
- Bluetooth devices.
Other things that can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal are:
- Walls.
- Ceramic floors.
- Your neighbor’s Wi-Fi.
And it looks like there’s not much to do when these are the reasons.
But don’t fret…
Instead, you can move your router to a different place. Far from those kinds of interferences.
Restart router
You can also try to power cycle your modem or router. (More on power cycling later.)
- Turn your router or modem off.
- Unplug it from the socket.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Turn it back on.
Lower video quality
On the other hand, Netflix also allows you to lower their video settings.
The next time you see a stuck loading spinner, all you have to do is:
- Open Netflix on a PC.
- Go to your Account page.
- Under Profile and Parental Controls, expand your profile.
- Click Change that’s next to Playback Settings.
- Under Data Usage, select Low or Medium.
Ethernet
Lastly, you can also opt to connect your TV to the internet using an ethernet cable.
Not only will ethernet ensure connection reliability, but it’ll also have:
- Lower latency.
- Better security.
- Faster download speed.
- Larger bandwidth share.
So, what are you waiting for? Snag an ethernet cable now.
Note: Not all cables are created equal.
That’s why buying the wrong cable can limit your internet speed.
To prevent that from happening, you can use this list as a reference for what you should buy:
- Cat 3: 10Mbps.
- Cat 5: 10-100Mbps.
- Cat 5e: 1000Mbps to 1Gbps.
- Cat 6: 10Gbps, up to 55 meters.
- Cat 6a: 10Gbps, up to 55 meters.
- Cat 7: 100Gbps, up to 15 meters.
- Cat 8: 40Gbps, up to 30 meters.
- Cat 7a: 100Gbps, up to 15 meters.
You may also be interested in: LG TV Not Connecting To WiFi: 11 Ways To Fix It
#2: Activate your account
Are you using a Netflix account that was bundled with the Xfinity device?
If so, don’t forget to activate your Xfinity account first.
Not doing so will prevent you from accessing Netflix.
But, don’t worry. You can easily activate it using either of these 2 steps:
Using Xfinity
First, you can activate your account through Xfinity itself.
Just follow these 4 steps:
- Open your Xfinity set-top box.
- Go to Apps or Networks.
- Select Netflix.
- Follow the on-screen directions to activate your Xfinity account.
Done? Great.
Now, what if opening Netflix on Xfinity doesn’t give you directions?
What you can do instead is…
Through email
You can activate your Netflix account through email.
But how?
I got you:
- Open your email account.
- Select the email from Xfinity.
- Click the activation link.
#3: Repair HDMI connection
When you try to open your Netflix, do you receive this error:
“Netflix Error tvq-pb-101 (5.2.12)”
In that case, then your problem lies in your HDMI cable or port.
You can experience the following issues if your HDMI connection is compromised:
- Black screen.
- Screen discoloration.
- Violations with HDCP.
Now, what’s HDCP, you ask?
HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection.
You see, streaming services really hate pirates.
No, not the Jack Sparrow type.
But those who steal their content to distribute on streaming and torrent sites.
So they implemented HDCP for digital copy protection.
You might be asking:
“How’s that related to HDMI?”
Netflix has protocols that tag lousy connections as illegal for more robust protection.
And that’s why you can’t play Netflix on Xfinity with a faulty HDMI connection.
Now, this is how you can troubleshoot your HDMI:
- Connect your device directly to your TV using an HDMI cable
- Reverse the HDMI ends connecting the Xfinity box to the TV.
- Use a different HDMI cable.
- Insert the HDMI cable to a different port on your TV.
- For testing, try to use the cable on another TV.
It didn’t work? Darn it. That means that the problem’s with the cable itself.
However, slow down. Don’t buy the first one you see on Amazon.
Use this table to figure out which HDMI cable is best for you:
Category 1 (Standard) | Category 2 (High Speed) | Category 2 (4K HDMI Cable) | Category 3 (8K HDMI Cable) |
720p, 1080p | 1080p, 4K | 4K | 4K, 8K |
60Hz | 30Hz to 60Hz | 60Hz | 60Hz to 120Hz |
24BPP (True Color) | 30-64BPP (Deep Color) | 30-64BPP (Deep Color) | 30-64BPP (Deep Color) |
Note: BPP means bits per pixel. The higher it is, the more color accurate your display will be.
#4: Reset Netflix
The next thing you can try is to reset the Netflix app.
However, there’s a problem with this:
You can’t individually reset an app on Xfinity Devices.
But you can still clear its cache and data.
And this is how:
- Press the Xfinity or Home button on your remote.
- Go to Settings.
- Select Privacy.
- Choose Locally Stored Data, then press OK to confirm.
#5: Restart Xfinity
I’ve been around technicians my entire life.
Do you want to know what their favorite line is?
“Try turning it off then on.”
And, most of the time, it works.
However, sometimes, a simple restart can’t cut it.
Instead, you’ll have to power cycle your TV.
Thankfully, there are 4 different ways to perform a power cycle on Xfinity devices:
With a PC
- Using a web browser, go to your account page.
- Select Manage TV.
- Click the Troubleshoot button.
- Once it’s done scanning, press Continue.
- Select either System Refresh or Restart Device.
- Confirm by clicking Start Troubleshooting.
Warning: You should know the difference between System Refresh and Restart Device. Why? To avoid complications.
- Restart Device: Restarts only the chosen Xfinity device.
- System Refresh: Restarts all Xfinity devices connected to your Wi-Fi.
Using a mobile phone
- Download the Xfinity My Account app on your Android or iOS phone.
- Under the TV logo, press Troubleshoot.
- Select either System Refresh or Restart Device.
- Confirm by pressing Start Troubleshooting.
Through the settings menu
- Go to your Settings menu.
- Select Help.
- Press Restart, then OK to confirm.
With your power button
- Turn your TV off.
- Unplug the Xfinity box from the TV.
- Unplug the TV from the socket.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Plug both devices back in.
- Turn it on.
#6: Remove content locks
It’s normal to have parental controls when you have kids.
But, as adults, sometimes we forget that we put them in the first place.
When that happens…
You’ll have to remove both parental locks on Xfinity and Netflix.
Xfinity
- Press the Xfinity button on your remote.
- Go to Settings.
- Select Parental Controls, then OK to confirm.
- If you have one, enter your 4-digit PIN.
- Under Application Locks, select Netflix.
- Press OK to confirm unlocking.
Netflix
For Netflix, you’ll have to use a PC to change your settings. Then:
- Go to your Netflix Account Page.
- Scroll down until you see the profiles.
- Expand your profile.
- Set Viewing Restrictions to No Restrictions.
- Set Profile Lock to Off.
Note: You’ll be asked for your password when you change account settings.
Need a visual explanation of how to edit your parental controls? You can watch this video:
#7: Connection limit
Sometimes, it’s as simple as the connection limit on Netflix.
It depends on what kind of Netflix plan you’re paying for.
Here’s how many devices can use Netflix concurrently:
- Basic: Only 1 device.
- Standard: Up to 2 devices.
- Premium: Up to 4 devices.
BONUS: Contact Xfinity
If nothing’s working, there’s one last thing left to do.