Why is my Fire TV running so slow?

That's a complex question to answer. It could be the age of your device. Older hardware might struggle to load the latest apps and services. But it could also be a combination of outdated software, too many background processes, and accumulated temporary files. All these things can make your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick lag. Fortunately, the tips above address most of these problems.

Are there any other Fire TV features I can disable?

Amazon's Fire TV has a surprising amount of "features" running in the background -- many of which you might never use.

These processes eat up system resources and can slow things down. Turning off the ones you don't need can speed up performance and tighten your privacy a bit. For instance, hold down the Home button on your remote to open the quick menu. Go to Settings > Applications > Prime Photos and toggle off Allow guest connections and Access Prime Photos (if you don't use Prime Photos).

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While still under Applications, select Appstore and disable Automatic Updates (you can update apps manually later). Also in Appstore, you can optionally turn off In-app Purchases. Then select GameCircle (if you don't game on your Fire TV) and toggle off Share your GameCircle Nickname and Whispersync for Games. 

Each item you disable frees up a little extra memory and CPU overhead, which adds up over time -- especially on older devices with limited RAM.

How often should I restart my Fire TV?

If you leave your Fire TV device powered on for long stretches at a time, a weekly restart is a good rule of thumb.

Will clearing cache or uninstalling apps delete my data?

Clearing cache will remove temporary files, not your logins or saved preferences. Uninstalling apps does remove any data specific to that app, but most streaming services store your watch history and preferences in the cloud, so you won't lose purchases or profiles. You will need to log back into an app if you choose to delete it from your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick.

Do I really need to disable data monitoring and autoplay?

Disabling data monitoring and autoplay doesn't affect your ability to watch shows or use apps -- it just stops your Fire TV from constantly tracking data usage or playing auto-preview videos, which reduces background load.

When should I consider a factory reset?

As I mentioned above, a factory reset is a last resort. If you've been using your Fire TV for years and it's still unbearably slow after trying every other tip, it's worth a shot. It erases everything you've installed and customized and gives you a fresh start.

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All these tweaks, or even just a combination of some of them, will help you reclaim the speed you once enjoyed on your Fire TV. Let me know which in the comments worked for you and if there are others I missed and should consider trying.

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