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Netflix app becomes slow on Apple TV

I have a 4th generation Apple TV HD. I have no issues except with the Netflix app. I have a rather lengthy "My List" and ever since they deployed their ribbon interface I've had issues. After I've watched a video and return to the list, the longer I scroll, the scrolling begins to slow down. Over time, it slows so much that the app becomes unresponsive.

The only way to get it going again is to restart the Apple TV. I have no issues with other apps, only Netflix.

I contacted Netflix and after going through the usual motions, restart this and restart that, and explaining I'd done all this and that and telling them this app will work fine for now but act up later, their response was to contact Apple. Contact Apple? Netflix is the only app acting up. They asked if the problem is seen on other apps. I said my Mac is the only other place I watch Netflix. They responded, "Ah, the issue is the Apple TV since it works fine on your Mac."

"Seriously?" I said. The technology is different for each device. One is on a browser, the other is a device specific app. But they stuck with their mantra. Obviously, they're clueless and unwilling to expedite such issues to their app development team. Very pitiful customer service.

So I'm asking everyone here, is anyone else experiencing a Netflix app that runs ever more slowly the longer they use it? It acts like the app is sucking up memory until there's no more available, causing the scrolling to eventually stop scrolling, followed by the app becoming unresponsive all together.

Apple TV (4th generation)

Posted on Jun 20, 2019 9:03 PM

Best reply

Andrew White2 Author

Level 1

65 points

Posted on Oct 5, 2019 9:36 PM

I originated this thread. I've had a few discussions with Netflix about this and as others have reported, Netflix insists we contact Apple, which is ludicrous. The problem isn't with anything Apple. My most recent chat session is below.

Jake Netflix

have you tried to unplug your Apple TV and the TV it's connected to from power for at least 2 minutes?

You

yes, same result. TV OS is NOT the problem. go to Apple's community. there are masses of folks experiencing this.

You

if it were, other apps would have issues

Jake Netflix

Alright. Let me reach to our support to help me investigate the issue.

You

you're the first to offer such.

Jake Netflix

Give me a minute.

Jake Netflix

I have reached our support and he'll help me investigate the issue. :)

You

I bet he'll tell you to tell me to call Apple.That's been the mantra.

Jake Netflix

Hold on. Still investigating.

Jake Netflix

Hey there! Thank you for reporting this. Also, can you give us your best email to contact you on? We might reach you out again in case we need further investigation.

This was a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, I never was contacted afterwards. Netflix is headed down the path to failure by not responding to customer problems, something they cannot afford to do in an increasingly competitive environment. Will Netflix go the way of Blackberry and others? Companies too arrogant by their size to not see the approaching cliff.

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168 replies

Feb 6, 2020 1:05 PM in response to Andrew White2

https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/6/21126867/netflix-autoplay-feature-disable-homepage-episodes-series

Edit: Tested it and the Netflix app on my Apple TV still autoplays previews, even after a full restart of the Apple TV and swapping between Netflix profiles... :(

Feb 6, 2020 7:18 PM in response to Mitthrawnuruodo

Mitthrawnuruodo, I tried it too. The menu on my Mac has a selection to turn off previewing on ALL devices. Apparently, Netflix doesn't consider the Apple TV a device. More proof that their managed by morons. Just as bad, if you select Settings in the Netflix Apple TV app, the only option there is to sign off. What idiots.

Feb 8, 2020 11:19 AM in response to Andrew White2

I waited for about 24 hours...then I uninstalled the Netflix app, reinstalled it and logged in.

Finally, those pesky previews stopped.

Now, to see if that also helps with the original problem of Netflix slowly getting more and more sluggish until unusable...

qtheband

Level 1

8 points

Feb 22, 2020 6:12 PM in response to Andrew White2

I’m having exactly the same problem. I had a theory that Apple is doing it to discourage you from using Netflix and instead opting for Apple TV+. It is running on tvOS after all. Remember, they used to slow down iPhones.

Feb 23, 2020 6:26 PM in response to BocaGene

Fascinating!

Combining your locking the frame-rate (which likely locks the resolution, too) thought with klanh’s post about multiple concurrent clip-loads seems like we are proving that Crowdsourcing this issue may be proving fruitful!

But Netflix still needs to fix this, pronto!

Oxzgen

Level 1

4 points

Mar 14, 2020 11:05 PM in response to Andrew White2

Try turning off the auto-play previews setting from Netflix.com. I had this issue on my older Apple TV and after disabling the previews it became more responsive. Netflix hot loads every preview as you browse through your list and it seems that the preview downloads may be bogging down the UI.

Bluxx999

Level 1

12 points

Mar 15, 2020 2:48 AM in response to Andrew White2

Same here. It’s 15 March 2020 and have noticed mine has been slow too. Same as others ... super slow scrolling and takes a while to catch up with info about a program. 32gb A1625 is model using OS 13.3.1

Mar 15, 2020 2:00 PM in response to Oxzgen

Turning off Previews (through the Netflix Website) has worked for me.

Too bad that now it won’t even play a Preview when you click-through to a “Product-Page”. But, it is more than worth it for the “list-view” scrolling!

Going on 2 months now, and still smooth scrolling!

artsfols

Level 1

4 points

Mar 16, 2020 8:47 AM in response to Doug McIntosh1

I have turned off the auto-play settings using a PC and browser. I then deleted and reinstalled the Netflix app. This made no difference in terms of the slow scrolling.

I notice also that sometimes the Netflix app seizes completely and I can scroll left and right, but not up and down.

The only remedy I've found is to not browse. Just keep watching Star Trek TNG episodes.

ttkid

Level 1

4 points

Mar 19, 2020 6:52 AM in response to Andrew White2

I have exactly the same problem with just Netflix and all other apps work fine on my Apple TV 4K. Also, when I go to search menu on my Netflix, I can’t see any alphabet (A to Z etc) unless the cursor is right on the alphabet....what’s happening to the app???

Mar 19, 2020 11:26 AM in response to ttkid

Mine was doing the same thing with the menu. Mine also was soo laggy. Mine seems to be working ok now. Delete the Netflix app. Then go to settings, system, then restart. After it restarts re install Netflix. Did this yesterday and mine seems to be working good so far. Hope that works for ya. Hopefully it will stay that way. Lol.

Mar 20, 2020 7:56 PM in response to Andrew White2

I HAVE THE ANSWER - Log in to netflix on your browser.. again the key thing is browser..

Go to setting and search for the playback setting.. once you find that UNCHECK the trailer playback... Save that..

back to your AppleTv.. restart the AppleTV.. and all will be fixed...

Done... Like me and worship me ok..

Mar 22, 2020 2:25 PM in response to chris cole1

Quite some time ago, I'd done all the suggestions mentioned in previous comments and the result was the same; the problem soon returned.

Strangely, over the past week or so, the app seems to be working properly. I'm no longer experiencing the sluggishness and eventual freezing that I had before. I'm surmising Netflix has updated the app. I have my 4th gen Apple TV configured to update apps automatically so I wouldn't know when and if the app was updated but it's evident to me that they must have done something. If it acts up again, I'll post such here. In the meantime, all seems well.

artsfols

Level 1

4 points

Mar 23, 2020 9:35 AM in response to Andrew White2

I also changed the Netflix PC browser setting some time ago. The setting is called "Autoplay previews while browsing on all devices". I made sure the setting was off. The setting is not available in the Apple Tv app.

Some time last week the Apple TV Netflix app stopped showing automatic previews on my Apple TV box. I can now scroll 'My List' without any trouble.

Buadhai

Level 1

70 points

Mar 24, 2020 7:08 PM in response to ClashwithBao

What am I missing here?

On Safari on my iMac I went to:

Netflix > Account > Playback Settings > Uncheck: Autoplay previews while browsing on all devices > Save

Then I restarted my Apple TV. Went to Netflix, but the previews still autoplay.

What did I do wrong?

Netflix app becomes slow on Apple TV