How can I stop Apple TV from buffering?

Your problem is also inadequate bandwidth, is your network a Mesh network? Network speed has nothing to do with bandwidth. You can have very fast download speeds where your router is located however if your router is on one end of the house and the Apple TV is on another end there is an excellent chance the Apple TV is not getting a good Wi-Fi signal.

In order to measure your Wi-Fi signal where the Apple TV is located you need a tool such as iStumbler to measure the Wi-Fi signal in the various locations in your home.

My mom and myself are having the same problem and none of the suggestions in this thread work for either of us - she lives about 10 minutes away from me, uses a different TV brand, and different speed package but same ISP. Mine is to the point where it’s buffering for about .5 seconds every 3 seconds and I just paid $75 to watch a show that is currently essentially unwatchable. It also seems to be happening intermittently, which leads me to believe the issue isn’t on my end. (Ex. it’ll work fine for ~5 minutes and then return to the buffer pattern for ~3 minutes and repeat.)

This has only been a problem recently and I see others in the same boat as me. I don’t want to be rude either but I also don’t understand why no one is willing to accept the possibility that this might actually not be a user-problem.

Also, FYI - I’m using the Apple TV app, I have a router in every room of my house as I’m a gamer & streamer and my wife works from home as the CMO of a Digital Marketing company (hence the need for unproblematic internet), and the home network I’m currently using is testing at 700+ mbps (my TV won’t reach for LAN and the problem hasn’t bothered me enough to buy a longer cable until now).

Same issue. Apple TV has poor video quality and buffers every 20 seconds. I do not use Apple TV+. I have an Apple TV 4K with 1gbps speed (average is 330mbps) and it buffers on all apps. Ever since it updated to 16.6 it does this. Let me know if you share the same issues, I think Apple needs to send some patches out and fast.

I am in the UK and have superfast fibre broadband. I have NO ISSUES with any other streaming service. Apple TV is THE ONLY app that I have any problem with. I am on a trial period with the App and NOTHING so far has encouraged me to continue my subscription at the end of the trial. Also the series that I am trying to watch has a terrible audio mix. The spoken word is way too quiet and the music/soundtrack is deafening. Very poor from Apple.

Perhaps Apple could come up with a fix!

SOLVED:

I had the exact same issue. I have a 500 meg fiber connection and no issues on anything else.

I had an older AppleTV that was not 4K rated. I upgraded to an AppleTV 4k and the issue went away.

time to upgrade your device

I've learned that Apple TV (unlike other streaming platforms) does not reduce their bandwidth to accommodate lower-bandwidth streaming platforms). I was about ready to tear my hair out until a friend of mine (who knows much more about this than I ever will) helped me install a mesh network (and ditch my older router). It's like painting my house with WiFi and best of all, no more buffering. And our other devices work much faster. If you don't want to do that, try shutting down all other WiFi devices in your house to maximize bandwidth on your player.

Now it’s June 2024 and myself having same issue

everything except Apple TV is running perfectly for last 4 days

same box same Internet same speed

why only Apple TV plus having problems

did you find solutions

please let me know

Absolutely. It all depends on the stability and quality of your network throughput. And you read false information. The streaming service adjusts the bandwidth to accommodate the stream by lowering the resolution, not any streaming box like the Apple TV. If the connection improves so does the resolution.

AM_V8V wrote:

Apple, if you’re reading these posts, check the differences in your apps between Samsung and Sony TVs.

Apple is not reading here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Please try the following:

• Unplug Modem from the wall power for 2-3 minutes.
• Unplug Router from the wall power 2-3 minutes.
• Unplug Apple TV from the wall power 2-3 minutes.

Then plug each device back in and give them about 5-10 minutes to fully boot and re-test. Also ensure you are NOT running any third party VPN on the ATV and that all the devices have up-to-date versions of their firmware and TV OS.

Finally, if you have not read the Terms of Use of these forums for awhile please re-read them. There is information in there I think you may not be aware of.

Proper Connectivity SetUp

If not already done, here are tips for improving ANY Equipment Setup.

• keep at least 10" Separation between ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES (ISP NIC BOX, Surround Sound or Speaker Bar, Router).
• Gently Bundle ALL Ethernet AND HDMI Cables AWAY from ALL ELECTRIC Cables.
• Consult your Streaming Device (TV, AppleTV, RoKu etc) to confirm your proper SetUp.
• If buffering continues, your Streaming Unit may have Settings you've not yet tried, such as AppleTV STORAGE which lets you OffLoad Data Storage of InActive Streaming apps.
• These Steps do seem small, but together they contribute to better Streaming. I still have Buffering with Paramount+ but took advice found in discussion here which often solves THAT buffering. That advice - 'DELETE the app, THEN ReInstall the app'. Buffering can be due to Too Much Stored Data!
• DELETING Stored Data of UnUsed apps does free up BandWidth .
• Look for WebSite Reviews of 'your Streaming Device' and shut off Settings you're not using. Those Settings may likely Suck Up your BandWidth.
• Regards, ChipDale

When will the buffering stop?

Every other streaming service works fine on my pc. Apple TV is unwatchable. Buffering on average every 5 to 10 minutes. Sometimes it buffers for over a minute.

[Edited by Moderator]

Then you likely do not have adequate coverage where the Apple TV is located. Please use a tool such as iStumbler to measure the bandwidth where the Apple TV is located. If it is low as I suspect then you either need to move the Apple TV closer to the router or you need to upgrade your network to a Mesh network to ensure you have adequate coverage throughout your home.

Please do not confuse Internet Speed with Internet coverage.

If you are unfamiliar with Mesh networks, please do a little research and you will begin to get a good idea what I mean.

It is intermittent and reoccurring. I’ve done all of the suggestions and it has gone away for a while and then it comes back. As everyone has repeatedly stated it is only with the Apple TV+ app. [personally, I am using it on an Apple TV, too].

I contacted Apple care they gave me the same suggestions and they never bother calling me back to follow up there. issue went away for a while. I haven’t the patience to spend the time to follow up with them up again.