Amazon Fire tablet problems and how to fix them

The Kindle Fire range, now known as Amazon Fire, has been quite the success story in the world of Android tablets. Since the original Kindle Fire made its debut, Amazon’s devices have seen numerous upgrades, with the HD coming in various sizes and offering content for different audiences. Of course, even the most popular products out there have some problems, gathered some of the most common problems with the Amazon Fire HD, and offer potential solutions to fix them!

See more: Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus review | Amazon Fire OS guide

Problem #1: Freezing or not starting up

Some users have reported that they encounter brief freezes or issues when starting up their Fire tablets or cannot turn on the device at all.

Possible solutions:

• Hold down the power button for forty seconds to force reset the device (the tablet will turn off), and then tap the power button to turn it back on. This may clear out any glitches that are causing the problem.
• Press down the power button for twenty seconds until the device is completely off, then plug in the charger and hit the power button again to turn it on. If you think that your battery may be empty, leave it to charge for about half an hour or until the charge light turns green before you try to turn it back on.

Problem #2: Tablet not charging

Some Amazon Fire HD owners have commented on numerous problems with the battery and charging. Some simply refuse to charge, whereas others charge only a fraction and slowly charge.

Potential Solutions:

• Turn off your Fire HD, then charge for a couple of hours. Wait for the charging light to turn green before you attempt to turn it back on again.
• Try the charger with an alternate device to ensure that the cable or charger is not broken.
• If the light to indicate charging does not appear, try pushing the cable further or moving it gently. Some Fire HD’s have been found to have loose ports. If your port does turn out to be loose, the best option is to pick up a replacement.

Problem #3: Audio problems

A few users have reported problems with getting audio to come through their headphones or speakers on their Fire tablets.

Potential Solutions:

• Make sure that your volume is turned up by tapping the volume up button at the side of the tablet, or go to Settings > Display & Sounds.
• If your speakers aren’t working, try plugging in a set of headphones then unplugging them again, or soft reboot your tablet by turning it off and on again.
• If you have a case on your device and your headphones aren’t working correctly, try removing the case and trying the headphones again.
• Try jiggling the headphone jack gently and see whether there’s a sound. If it does, you may need to contact Amazon about getting a replacement, as the port or speakers are likely faulty.

Problem #4: Prime Video problems

Some users have run to problems when trying to play videos on Amazon Prime Video. They see different error code like 1007, 1022, 7003, 7005, 7031, 7135, 7202, 7203, 7204, 7206, 7207, 7230, 7250, 7251, 7301, 7303, 7305, 7306, 8020, 9003, 9074.

Potential solutions:

• Close the Prime Video app on your device and restart the tablet.
• Make sure that the tablet is running the latest software version. To check, go to Settings > Device Options > System Updates > Updates: Check now.
• You might see errors if the same account is being on multiple devices. You can only stream the same title on two devices simultaneously.
• Of course, make sure that you have a stable Internet connection. You may need to restart your Wi-Fi router.
• Make sure that you aren’t connected to a VPN or a proxy server. Amazon Prime Video doesn’t work with these services.

Problem #5: E-books disappearing

Some Fire HD tablet owners cannot find their downloaded e-books, or the e-book isn’t opening when the device is offline.

Potential solutions:

• There is a way to download the Google Play Store on a Fire tablet, which could cause this problem. First, find the Kindle app in the Play Store and uninstall it (it’s already on the device via the Amazon Store and could cause a conflict). In the Play Store, open the menu (three vertical lines at the top left) and go to Settings. Tap on “Auto-update apps” and select “Do not auto-update apps.” You will have to manually update the other apps you’ve downloaded via the Play Store, but it will stop Amazon apps from updating.
• If you don’t have the Play Store installed, it could be a sync issue. Force reset the tablet by holding the power button for 40 seconds or until it restarts and then sync or e-books again.
• You might also need to clear the app cache. Go to Settings > Apps and Games > Manage All Applications to do so. Find the Kindle  app and tap on “Force Stop” and “Clear Cache.”

Problem #6: Wi-Fi issues

There are various reasons why your Fire HD device may not connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Potential Solutions:

• Start by ensuring that you do not accidentally have Airplane mode activated and that Wi-Fi is on by going to Settings > More > Wireless.
• Restart the tablet and check if the connection is back.
• Download a Wi-Fi analyzer app to make sure that channels in your area are not too busy.
• Of course, make sure that your internet connection is actually working by testing it with another device.

Problem #7: Stuck on logo screen

Some users find that their Fire tablet is stuck on the logo screen before turning off. This is likely caused because of a low charge on the tablet.

Potential solutions:

• Charge your tablet for at least half an hour or until the charge light is green. Then hold the power button for 40 seconds or more until the device restarts.
• Some users have found that plugging the tablet into a computer makes it load past the logo screen.
• You might have to reboot the system by going into Recovery Mode. To do so, first power off the device. Turn it on and press and hold the power and volume down buttons simultaneously. Navigate to the “Reboot System Now” option using the volume up and down keys. Press the power button to select this option.

What Amazon Fire tablet problems have you encountered? Be sure to let us know in the comments below. We’ll do our best to help.

Next: How to add, customize, and remove profiles on your Amazon Fire tablet