How to Tell If Amazon Prime Is Down

Is Amazon’s video on demand service down, or is it your device?

By
Tyler Hayes
Tyler Hayes
Tyler Hayes
Writer
Tyler Hayes is a former Lifewire writer covering Apple, Google, Spotify, and more. Tyler has written for Fast Company, Digital Trends, and Paste, and others.
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Updated on March 4, 2021

If you have trouble accessing your Amazon Prime on-demand content, it might be time to figure out if Amazon Prime is down for you or for everyone. Determining the severity of the outage is the first step to figuring out what to do about it.

How to Tell If Amazon Prime Video Is Down

When a major service like Amazon Prime Video goes down, you're not alone. With so many people utilizing the Amazon service regularly, you're bound to find other people talking about the outage and possibly offering solutions around the internet. There are also websites dedicated to reporting service outages that you can check.

If you can't connect to the internet at all, jump to the What to Do section. There's a chance there's a problem with your internet connection, not with Amazon Prime.

  1. Visit a status checker website. Try Down Detector or IsTheServiceDown to see reports of Amazon Prime not working. Each service's page differs slightly, but the page shows user reports of when the service hasn't been working, a 24-hour graph breaking down the types of problems people are experiencing, and a live map showing from which areas users are reporting.

    outage report graph

  2. Check Twitter. The Prime Video twitter account may mention information about a possible outage. It's also good to search for #amazonprimedown to see if anyone else experienced the same problems.

  3. Check for news. If Amazon Prime Video is having issues, a web search may reveal a few tech sites reporting on the outage.

What to Do When Prime Video Is Not Working

If you're watching a movie or TV show and Amazon Prime video is not working, and there's no indication online that Amazon Prime is down, it could be your home internet that isn't working.

Start with the source and continually check the next item in the line of devices that may be a problem. Here are the items to check to find out if your home internet is the problem.

A computer and phone are the easiest to check for a Wi-Fi connection. However, most TV boxes have a way to confirm an internet connection.

  1. Check your account status. Sign in to your Amazon account and make sure that your Prime subscription is up-to-date. Amazon usually takes payment for Prime automatically, but there could have been an error in processing your latest payment.

  2. Update the web browser. New browser versions often come with new features and bug fixes. Streaming services sometimes take advantage of these features early, making older browser versions incompatible.

  3. Try a different web browser. There are several potential factors at play here, but DRM is usually the culprit. Chrome is the safest bet because it's the browser most streaming services target for support.

  4. Check the modem and Wi-Fi router. Restart both devices, and see if the status lights are normal. If other internet-connected devices in your home have a connection, you can assume the modem and router work as intended.

  5. Test your Wi-Fi connection. If the modem and router aren't the cause, there could be an issue with the device's connection. Connect from a different device to ensure that the original one is the culprit.

  6. Check the internet speed. There's a chance that the device is connected, but the bandwidth isn't enough for streaming.

  7. Disable your VPN. If you use a VPN, connect to Prime without it. Sometimes, VPNs cause unintended issues, especially with streaming services.

  8. Reinstall the app. If you use an app on Android, iOS, or a streaming device, reinstall it. Sometimes, apps get corrupted during an update or an install. A fresh start often resolves the issue.

  9. When all else fails, contact Amazon. They might know something you don't have access to yet.

Amazon Prime Video Error Messages

Maybe your home internet is working, but Amazon Prime gives you an error message. If you see one of these error codes, there are a few things you can try to resolve the issue:

1007, 1022, 7003, 7005, 7031, 7135, 7202, 7203, 7204, 7206, 7207, 7230, 7235, 7250, 7251, 7301, 7303, 7305, 7306, 8020, 9003, 9074

These codes mean little to anyone outside Amazon, but to them, it provides a path to a solution. If you've reached the point where you're reaching out to Amazon for help, provide them with one of these codes, if you can.

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