Netflix Won’t Play on HDMI (Finally Fixed It) in 2024

One of the most common and frustrating issues Netflix users often face is when they try to stream their favourite shows or movies over HDMI, but nothing plays on the screen. It can happen for various reasons, such as faulty connections, incompatible devices, incorrectly applied device settings, or Netflix-specific errors.

Some of the error messages you might encounter when Netflix isn’t playing through HDMI are:

• “HDCP Unauthorised. Content Disabled.”
• “This content can’t be displayed because your TV doesn’t support HDCP 2.2.”
• “Cannot play video. The connected display is not supported.”
• “There is a problem playing this title right now. Please try again later or select a different title.”

Luckily, you aren’t the only folk experiencing this same issue. Our in-depth troubleshooting guide highlights several solutions, some of which might help you fix Netflix Won’t Play on HDMI problem and enjoy Netflix on your big screen without hampering your chill time.

Why Won’t Netflix Play on HDMI?

Netflix, like every other subscription video-on-demand streaming service, requires an active internet connection and a compatible device to play movies and shows. Nowadays, the app comes preloaded on nearly all smart TVs. But you can also stream Netflix on any big screen by connecting a dedicated streaming device (e.g., Fire TV Stick, Chromecast, Roku) or your laptop using an HDMI cable.

However, sometimes Netflix might not play over HDMI due to various factors, such as:

• The HDMI cable is loose, or the port is damaged.
• Your TV or the streaming device isn’t configured properly.
• The Netflix app/website isn’t working or has some issues.
• The HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) protocol is blocking the playback.

This particular issue affects any device that outputs over HDMI, but some devices are more prone to it than others. It includes different TV brands and models, streaming devices, and, sometimes, the HDMI cord itself, which might be incapable of carrying HDCP 2.2 signals.

For those wondering, the HDCP protocol encrypts the video signals between devices and verifies their compatibility to protect digital content from being copied or pirated. Sometimes HDCP might interfere with HDMI playback and cause black screens or other errors.

Whatever’s causing Netflix to play no video or audio over HDMI for you, you can try a few troubleshooting steps to resolve the Netflix won’t Play on HDMI? issue. We’ve listed them below.

Can’t watch Netflix through HDMI?- Try These Fixes

Check the Physical Connections

The first thing you should do when Netflix shows a blank screen or throws an error is check the connections between your devices. Confirm that the HDMI cord is firmly plugged in on both ends, the TV and the device you’re using to stream.

Also, ensure the cable doesn’t have crude bends or kinks, and the connectors don’t have any visible damage. The same goes for the HDMI port on your telly, streaming device, or adapter. Check for dust or debris clogging the port or any cosmetic damage.

If you’ve checked the connections and everything seems fine, try testing an alternate HDMI port or swapping out the cable. Simply unplug the HDMI cable, reverse the ends, and plug it back in. Plus, you may connect the cord to a different HDMI port on the TV or source device (or both).

After that, power on both devices and see if Netflix now plays over HDMI. If it doesn’t, try using a different HDMI cable (HDCP 2.2-compliant) and repeat the above steps. We also suggest bypassing any receiver or sound system passthrough by connecting your device directly to your TV over HDMI.

Restart Netflix / Reboot Your Devices

Let’s be real for a second – what doesn’t get fixed by a simple restart or reboot? Well, it can’t be the solution to every technical issue, but in terms of effectiveness, restarting the Netflix app or rebooting your device has proven time and again to resolve even the oddest of video playback errors.

If you’re using Netflix on a streaming box/dongle, repeatedly press the Back button on your remote until you return to the Home screen. On your Android or iPhone, open the Recents or App Switcher menu and swipe up on the Netflix app to quit it. Those on the Netflix website can refresh the page or close the browser tab.

If Netflix still refuses to play content on HDMI, just power your device off (or unplug its power cable), wait for 10-15 seconds, and turn it back on, after which you may connect the device to your home network and try streaming Netflix again.

Check the Device Settings

Assuming you didn’t find the above solutions effective, the next thing you should try is to check the settings on your TV and your streaming device.

Before you do, however, verify both your television and the device you’re using to stream Netflix are running the most up-to-date firmware or software version. You’ll usually find the option to check for software updates within your device’s Settings or System menu. Search for your specific device model or brand on the web and follow the steps accordingly.

Similarly, check for updates for the Netflix app. For most devices, as long as it has internet access, it should auto-download and install any app updates out of the box. But sometimes you may need to navigate to your device’s respective app store (e.g., Play Store on Android, App Store on iOS/Apple TV, Amazon Appstore on Fire TV) to manually look for updates.

With your devices and the Netflix app up to date, ensure your device is configured properly for streaming. Settings you might need to adjust include HDCP (more on that later), but the video resolution and sound settings are the most important. Again, refer to your device’s user manual (or search the web) for specific instructions.

It’s crucial the device you’re streaming Netflix from outputs at the maximum resolution your TV or monitor supports. If you have an Ultra HD (2160p) TV, but your streaming device is set to output at Full HD (1080p), you’ll change the settings on your streaming device to match.

The same applies to HDR (High Dynamic Range) settings, which your display may support and can offer an improved viewing experience in supported Netflix titles. However, select devices, especially older ones, might not play well with the feature enabled even if it technically supports it. Hence, it can cause Netflix to not play your favourite streaming content over HDMI.

Some devices allow you to disable HDCP in their settings, though doing so might boot you out of some crucial features or functions of the device. As mentioned earlier, in most cases where your device can’t play protected content, and Netflix throws the “HDCP Unauthorised. Content Disabled” error, using an HDCP 2.2-compliant HDMI cord (the most recent version of HDCP that’s required for 4K content) should resolve Netflix’s playback issue.

If you can see the video but don’t hear audio, the way the sound settings are configured on your TV/streaming device is likely to blame. It might be that your TV supports Dolby Digital Plus, but your streaming device only supports PCM. Therefore, you must change the audio output mode on your TV or source device to match.

Is it the Netflix App?

If updating the Netflix app or playing with the system settings didn’t resolve your problem streaming movies/shows over HDMI, it’s time to check for Netflix-specific issues or fixes.

Provided you haven’t tried it yet, play Netflix on a different device or browser and see if it works. If not, the playback error likely lies with Netflix’s servers. Keep an eye on Netflix’s status page for any reports or updates on a confirmed issue or outage.

It also matters which Netflix plan you’re subscribed to. Only the Basic, Standard, and Premium tiers allow watching on TVs, streaming devices, and browsers. If you pay for the Mobile plan and plan to use a compatible USB/Lightning to HDMI adapter* to mirror Netflix content to your big screen, it won’t work unless you upgrade to the higher subscription tiers.

Clearing the cache or data might resolve Netflix playback issues for certain devices (e.g., Android, Android TV, Fire TV) or web browsers. Once again, you’re one Google search away from detailed step-by-step instructions to clear app/website cache, cookies, or data specific to your device or browser.

Last Resort: Reinstall Netflix / Factory Reset Your Device

Assuming none of the above tips helped your case, reinstalling the Netflix app might be your best bet. On most devices, it’s a matter of navigating to the Application Settings menu, finding the Netflix app, and uninstalling it, then re-downloading Netflix via the device’s respective app store. You’ll have to re-login with your account details, but your profiles and watchlist will remain untouched.

But if that too fails to fix the playback issue over HDMI, factory resetting your device might be your last resort. A factory reset restores a device to its original state, erasing all its data and preferences. It can sometimes fix such odd HDCP-related streaming errors, but you’ll lose all your personal data and settings on the device. Hence, you should back them up first.

For those using Netflix through a browser, consider trying it on a different one, i.e., Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, or Safari (macOS only), preferably the most updated version. We also suggest checking for updates or reinstalling your video/graphics drivers.

Are You Still Watching?

In the event that these troubleshooting tips fail to resolve the issue and Netflix still won’t play on HDMI, it’s advisable to escalate the matter directly to Netflix support via the official Help Center. When you get in touch with the support team over the call or live chat, be sure to describe all the steps you’ve already taken so that they can assist you with fixing the error faster and more efficiently.