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How to Fix It When a Fire Stick Overheats

Troubleshooting an overheating Fire Stick

By Jeremy Laukkonen Jeremy Laukkonen Writer Shoreline Community College Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles . lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 17, 2022 Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Streaming Devices Fire TV Roku Chromecast Apple TV Fire Stick devices are small and compact, which doesn’t leave much room for air to circulate inside. That can lead to heat building up inside the device, resulting in the Fire Stick overheating. To fix it when a Fire Stick overheats or to prevent one from overheating, you need to do everything you can to help keep it cool.

What Causes Fire Sticks to Overheat

All electronics generate at least some heat when they're on. Now, typically isn't an issue, but too much heat can cause it to stop working correctly or shut down. The main reason Fire Stick devices overheat is they don't have any form of active cooling or even vents. Fire sticks don't normally overheat. However, there could be exceptional environmental circumstances causing it to happen (think of a hot, stuffy room or the inside of a TV cabinet where air circulation is poor). When a Fire Stick overheats, you’ll notice one or more of these symptoms: Fire Stick shuts down by itself.Fire Stick reboots spontaneously.Fire Stick can’t connect to Wi-Fi or has poor connectivity.Apps take a long time to open.Streams buffer more than usual.Menus freeze.

How Do I Stop My Fire Stick From Overheating

When too much heat builds up inside a Fire Stick, it overheats. To stop or prevent it from overheating, you need to do everything you can to cool it down. If it still overheats, the Fire Stick may be working too hard due to issues with your installed apps. Here’s how to stop a Fire Stick from overheating:
Unplug the Fire Stick and let it cool down. If your Fire Stick is malfunctioning, and you suspect it’s overheating, it’s essential to start by allowing it to cool off. Unplug it from your television and its USB power source, and place it in a well-ventilated area. After it has cooled down, you can plug it back in and proceed.
Try a different HDMI port. If your TV has HDMI ports in several locations, try moving the Fire Stick to another port. If there are ports on the side or front of the TV, the Fire Stick won’t get as hot in those locations.
Use the HDMI extender. Fire Sticks come with an HDMI extender designed to help in situations where there isn’t a lot of clearance around the HDMI ports on a television. It also allows you to position the Fire Stick a few inches away from the television, which can help with overheating problems.
Use a longer HDMI extender. If your television is inside an enclosure or against a wall, the Fire Stick may still get too hot even with the HDMI extender. In that case, a longer HDMI extender that allows you to position the Fire Stick away from the television may help.
Use a USB port on your TV. If your TV has powered USB ports designed to power devices like the Fire Stick, try using one of those instead of a USB power adapter. That will allow the Fire Stick to power down when the TV is on. When you use a USB power adapter, the Fire Stick remains on at all times, which can cause it to overheat over time.
Not all TV USB ports can provide enough power to run your Fire Stick. Check with your TV manufacturer if you aren’t sure. Alternatively, you can unplug the Fire Stick power adapter when the device isn’t in use. Of course, unplugging the power adapter will power down the Fire Stick. Block app notifications. Your Fire Stick may be overheating because it’s working too hard, and app notifications take up processing power. Navigate to Settings > Preferences > Notification Settings, and turn on Do Not Interrupt. Disable the AutoPlay feature. It's another feature that may be overtaxing your Fire Stick. Navigate to Settings > Preferences > Featured Content, and switch off Allow Sound AutoPlay and Allow Video AutoPlay.
Clear the Fire Stick cache. Navigate to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > (App) > Clear Cache. Do this for each app you use a lot and each with a large cache.
Delete unused apps. If your Fire Stick storage is full or close to full, try uninstalling some apps you don’t use anymore.
Reset your Fire Stick. If nothing else has worked, perform a factory reset on your Fire Stick. It's the last fix you should try, as you will have to set up your Fire Stick and download everything again.

Can a Fire Stick Burn Out

A Fire Stick can burn out if it gets too hot for too long, but it's not common. In most cases, an overheated Fire Stick will start working again if you allow it to cool down.

Should You Leave a Fire Stick Plugged In

Your Fire Stick can remain plugged in all the time. You can unplug it and move it to another TV any time you like, but you shouldn’t unplug it if you don’t have a reason to. The HDMI plug on your Fire Stick can wear out from excessive use like any other plug. The HDMI port on your TV can also wear out from excessive use, so it’s best to leave the Fire Stick plugged in unless you need it somewhere else or you’re trying to fix an overheating problem.

Can I Leave My Fire Stick on All the Time

It's OK to leave your Fire Stick on all the time. Fire Sticks don't have off switches, so the only way to turn them off is to disconnect them from power. You can accomplish that by unplugging the USB cable, connecting to a powered USB port on your TV that shuts off along with the TV or plugging a USB adapter into a smart plug that lets you turn the power on and off. While it is acceptable to leave a Fire Stick on all the time under normal circumstances, it's a little different if you're having problems with overheating. If your Fire Stick overheats a lot, shutting it off when it isn't in use can help. FAQ Why does Kodi 17.3 cause my Fire Stick to overheat? Your Fire Stick might not have enough memory to run Kodi efficiently because of many junk files from unused apps. Clear space properly by selecting the app from Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Clear Data > Uninstall. You might also want to remove APK files after installing them on Kodi to save space; do that from Kodi Settings > File Manager. Why does my Fire Stick keep restarting? Overheating can cause automatic rebooting, but the more likely culprit is a power supply problem. To fix it when your Fire Stick keeps restarting, start by testing the power block and cables for issues. Also, rule out software problems by updating your Fire Stick from Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for System Update. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix It When Fire Stick Keeps Optimizing How to Fix It When There is No Sound on Fire Stick How to Fix It When a Fire Stick Is Not Loading How to Fix It When Your Fire Stick Remote Is Not Working How to Fix it When Your PS4 Is Overheating How to Fix the Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death How to Fix Fire Stick Buffering Problems How to Cast to Fire Stick From an Android Phone How to Connect Your Phone to Your TV With USB How to Fix Disney Plus Error Code 39 How to Pair a Fire Stick Remote How to Get HBO Max on Fire Stick How to Fix It When an Apple TV Remote Isn't Working How to Fix It When Your Amazon Fire Stick Turns On By Itself How to Fix It When a Fire Stick Is Not Responding How to Fix a CPU Fan Error Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies