Few things are more annoying than a live match or news bulletin that freezes at the wrong moment. Buffering has a handful of common causes, and most can be fixed in under a minute. Work through the list below from top to bottom.
First, work out where the problem is
Before changing anything, find out whether the problem is your connection, your device or the stream itself.
- Try another channel. If other channels play fine, the first channel's stream is probably the problem. Come back later or try a different one.
- Try another website. If a normal video site also stutters, the problem is your connection or device.
1. Lower the video quality
A higher resolution needs more bandwidth. Open the quality menu in the player and pick a lower setting. A steady 480p picture is better than a constantly freezing 1080p one.
2. Turn on data saver
whichTV has a data saver mode that limits how much video is downloaded. You can switch it on in Settings. It is especially useful on mobile data or a shared connection.
3. Turn on performance mode
If the video plays but the whole page feels sluggish, your device may be the bottleneck rather than your internet. Performance mode reduces visual effects so more of your device's power goes to decoding video. You will find it in Settings.
4. Close other tabs and apps
Browsers share memory and processing power across tabs. Close tabs you are not using, especially other video sites, and pause large downloads and cloud backups.
5. Move closer to the router or use a cable
Wi-Fi signal drops quickly through walls and floors. Move closer to the router, switch to the 5 GHz band if your router supports it, or plug in an Ethernet cable for the most stable connection.
6. Restart the router
Routers that have been on for weeks can slow down. Unplug yours for 30 seconds, plug it back in and wait a couple of minutes for it to reconnect.
7. Check what else is using your network
Other people streaming in HD, game updates and automatic photo uploads can eat most of your bandwidth. Pause them while you watch live TV.
8. Update your browser
Old browser versions can decode video inefficiently. Update to the latest version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, then reload the page.
9. Try a different channel source or come back later
Live streams are run by broadcasters, and servers get busy during big events. If a channel buffers only at peak times, try again a little later, or choose another channel that covers the same event. You can find alternatives on the sports or news category pages.
Quick checklist
- Lower the quality
- Enable data saver or performance mode
- Close other tabs and downloads
- Improve your Wi-Fi or use a cable
- Restart the router
- Update the browser
If a stream still will not play after all of this, it may simply be offline. For a full walkthrough of finding and starting channels, read our guide to watching live TV online for free.