Do you experience streaming quality issues on HBO Max?
There is nothing more frustrating than a movie streaming service that refuses to work in the middle of your watch party or if you are just trying to relax after a tiring day in the office or school.
HBO Max is one of the latest movie streaming platforms in the market, released in May 2020. The app is only available in the US region, but there are reports that HBO is planning to release the platform worldwide.
If you avail of this service, you’ll get access to HBO’s fantastic lineup of movies and TV shows, including Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, The Sopranos, and more.
Unfortunately, there have been reports from various users who experience streaming quality issues on HBO Max. Supposedly HBO Max should offer HD or 4K UHD movies and TV shows to its users with little to no lag if possible.
However, some users suffer from poor stream quality while watching their favorite shows, even if they have a decent internet connection.
Today, we will show you the best ways to fix streaming quality issues on HBO Max.
Let’s jump right in!
1. Check HBO Max Servers.
Whenever you experience issues with HBO Max, the first thing that we recommend doing is checking its servers’ status. Given that HBO Max is an online platform, its servers play a crucial role in keeping the app and website running.
If you experience streaming quality issues on HBO Max, visit Downdetector, where you can view the current status of HBO Max’s servers.
If the servers are down, the only option you have is to wait for HBO’s team to address the problem.
On the other hand, proceed to the following method below if there are no reported outages on HBO Max’s servers.
2. Try Watching Another Show.
Movies and other shows on HBO Max may run into temporary errors and become unavailable for a certain period. If you are experiencing streaming quality issues on HBO Max, try playing another show in the media library to confirm if the problem is with the entire platform or selected titles.
If other shows on HBO Max are not working, please go to the last method below to report the problem to their customer support.
3. Check If Your Device Is Supported.
Although HBO Max is available to several platforms, it doesn’t mean that every device running that operating system would be supported by the app.
If you experience streaming quality issues on HBO Max, visit the Help Center to check if your current device is compatible with the platform. If not, consider upgrading to a supported device, or check if you own other devices that are compatible with the HBO Max app.
On the other hand, you can always use any web browser to access HBO Max if your streaming device is not compatible with the app.
4. Re-Login to Your Account.
Unexpected errors can occur on the HBO Max app and cause your user data to get corrupted. If this happens, you may experience various problems with your current session unless you log out of your account.
On Android and iOS, you can sign out of your HBO Max account by doing the following steps:
- First, open the HBO Max app on your device and tap on your Profile.
- After that, click the Gear icon on the upper left corner of your display to access the Settings.
- Lastly, click the Sign Out button to stop your session.
For browsers, see the guide below to log out of your HBO Max account:
- Access the HBO Max website using any browser.
- Now, click on your Profile to access the side menu.
- Finally, click the Sign Out button to close your session.
After logging out of your HBO Max account, wait for several minutes before signing back in to refresh your user data.
Try playing another movie or TV show afterward to confirm if the problem is solved.
5. Check and Reset Your Internet.
Streaming quality issues on HBO Max could also indicate that your network connection is slow or unstable. To confirm this, run a speed test on your network using Fast.com to measure its current upload and download bandwidth.
Restart your router if the result shows that your connection is the problem. Unplug your router’s power cable from the wall outlet and wait for a few seconds before reconnecting it to reboot your router.
Once done, perform another test on your network to check if the problem is solved. Contact your internet service provider if your connection is still unstable and ask them to fix their service.
On the other hand, HBO Max also requires a minimum bandwidth of 5 Mbps to enjoy HD shows on their platform. If your current plan is below the required speed, consider upgrading your subscription to avoid further problems.
6. Turn Off VPN.
Virtual private networks or VPNs are third-party apps that provide security on your network and allow you to bypass regional restrictions set by your ISP or other platforms. They work by assigning a different IP address on your device to report a different location.
However, this process can introduce delays and interruptions to your network, making it difficult for HBO Max to load the movie or TV show you are trying to play.
If you suffer from streaming quality issues on HBO Max, try turning off your VPN before accessing the platform.
On the other hand, consider switching to a different service provider like PureVPN if you continue to experience problems with your current VPN. Unlike other VPNs, PureVPN works well with other applications and doesn’t interfere with your connection.
You can also visit our detailed guide on accessing HBO Max outside the US if you are traveling to other regions or currently living outside the US.
7. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies.
If you experience streaming quality issues on the HBO Max website, your web browser may have corrupted data. Browsers store temporary data on your device called caches and cookies, which are used to load websites faster.
However, they can get corrupted without any warnings and cause multiple issues to your browser.
To fix this, follow the steps below to clear your browser cache and cookies:
- On your browser, click on More Options and select Settings.
- After that, go to Privacy & Security and click on Clear Browsing Data.
- Change the Time Range to All Time and click the checkbox beside ‘Cached Images and Files’ and ‘Cookies and Other Site Data’.
- Finally, click the Clear Data button to start the process.
Once done, log back into your HBO Max account and check if the streaming quality has improved.
8. Run Malwarebytes.
Another reason why you experience streaming quality issues on HBO Max is malware and other viruses. If viruses infiltrated your system, it would consume all your resources and network bandwidth, making it difficult for HBO Max to function.
To check if your device is infected by malware, download Malwarebytes on your computer and use its ‘Full System Scan’ feature. This will prompt Malwarebytes to scan your entire storage for infected files and automatically remove them in the process.
9. Clear HBO Max App Data (Android).
For Android users, try clearing HBO Max’s app data if you suffer from poor stream quality. Some of HBO Max’s files may have gotten corrupted when the servers went down unexpectedly, which causes problems on the app.
See the steps below to clear HBO Max’s app data:
- First, open the Settings app on your Android device.
- After that, go to the Apps tab and tap on HBO Max.
- Now, access the Storage tab.
- Lastly, tap the Clear Data button to start the process.
Once done, re-login to your HBO Max account and check if the problem is solved.
10. Update HBO Max.
The HBO Max app installed on your device may be outdated or has an underlying issue related to video playback. If this is the case, we suggest that you try updating the app on your device to see if the problem goes away.
On Android, follow the guide below to update the HBO Max app on your device:
- First, open the Google Play Store on your device and tap on your Profile.
- After that, access My Apps & Games and find HBO Max from the list.
- Lastly, tap the Update button to install the latest version of HBO Max.
For iOS users, see the steps below to update HBO Max:
- On your device, tap on the App Store to launch it.
- Now, tap on your Profile and locate the HBO Max app.
- Finally, tap the Update button next to HBO Max to install the update.
If you are using Smart TVs, Android TV, Apple TV, and other Set-top boxes, please refer to the Help Center to find out how you can update HBO Max.
11. Reinstall HBO Max.
If the update did not fix the streaming quality on HBO Max, try reinstalling the app on your device to ensure that you have the latest version and working copy of the application.
On Android devices, see the steps below to reinstall HBO Max:
- First, open your application drawer and find the HBO Max app.
- Now, press and hold its app icon until you see the options menu appear.
- After that, tap the Uninstall button to delete HBO Max.
- Lastly, access the Google Play Store and reinstall the app from there.
For iOS users, follow the guide below to reinstall HBO Max:
- On your device, locate HBO Max from the home screen.
- Press and hold its app icon to access the selection menu.
- Next, tap the Remove App button to uninstall HBO Max.
- Finally, open the App Store on your device and reinstall HBO Max.
If you are using a different device, please go to the Help Center to learn how to reinstall HBO Max.
Re-access your HBO Max account after reinstalling the app and check if the problem is solved.
12. Report the Problem to HBO Max.
If none of the methods above worked out for you, we suggest that you let the professionals handle the situation.
Visit HBO Max’s Help Center and get in touch with their customer support to report the problem. Make sure to provide all the necessary details to your report, including your account information and the model of your streaming device, to make it easier for HBO’s team to address the problem.
This brings us to the end of our guide for fixing streaming quality issues on HBO Max. If you have questions or other concerns, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
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