How To Fix Max App Not Working

I didn’t feel like writing last night and turned to Max and played Euphoria’s “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird” episode, adding more to my frustration, the spinning wheel kept on rotating till eternity. I did what most of us would do in such a situation, tried some basic troubleshoots, and researched about this over the Internet. What did I find over the internet and how I got rid of that spinning wheel, is contained in this article.

Last year when Warner Bros. gave an all-new look to HBO Max and launched it with much more exciting channels with fabulous stuff, it was on the same day that the app crashed for many users, along with some others reporting many indifferent issues on Twitter. When I read this, it gave me some relief, that there is nothing wrong with my device or subscription. For many users, the issue settled at that time, but it has bounced back and many are suffering.

Many users reported that the issues affected the Max.com website as well as mobile apps including iOS and connected-TV apps on the Samsung TV and Roku. I will explain different issues faced and reported by users(including myself) and will provide you with some quick and efficient troubleshoots, lets’ begin.

Why Is Max Down, Possible Outage Reasons?

However, the company initially said that the issues had been “minor” and were swiftly fixed. What did I understand, there are some problems bound to occur while migrating millions of users over to a new streaming platform. “You must always anticipate issues on a tech rollout of this scale,” a Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson stated. “We can share that only minor ones have emerged and were quickly remedied.”

1. Max Keeps Crashing

App crash specifically with streaming apps, is something that happens with many of us and quite often. You can use some common methods regardless of the type of your device.

Troubleshoot

• If the Max app keeps crashing, ensure that you’re using the latest version of the streaming platform on your device before you try any other troubleshooting.
• After you’ve updated to the latest version, verify your internet connection and check the speed and stability. If the connection is not stable or slow, reset the router, wait until it connects back, and then try running the same title on Max again.
• If you’re still stuck, check and clear your device’s cache. The cache holds the old data that could interfere with Max. Log into the app to check if that helped clear the issue.
• Lastly, I would suggest you delete the Max app and reinstall it on your device. This will need you to log into your account, I hope you remember the credentials. However, I try this mostly and it helps me return to my show or movie.

2. Max App Sound Not Working

If the movie has totally gone silent on Max, apart from a short sequence, there are chances that you’re having trouble with the audio output on Max. Firstly try playing some different shows or movies and this will help you confirm if the problem is with that particular title or all others. If it’s one show not playing sound aptly, contact the Max help center from the platform’s Feedback Forum.

Troubleshoot

If you have confirmed that the entire app isn’t playing sound,

• Try checking the audio levels and settings on the media player and on your devices. If you’re streaming from your TV or Laptop and have a sound bar or speakers connected, check the audio settings on those also.
• If you are connecting your laptop to a TV for a bigger screen experience, then a faulty HDMI cable might be the reason behind this issue. Disconnect the cable and thoroughly check it for any cuts or cracks.
• Use your headphones in case you’re using a smartphone to check if any sound comes from them. Make sure that the Bluetooth is turned off, to avoid the sound going to some other device. Also, check the Do Not Disturb setting is not enabled on the phone either.

3. Max Won’t Play (Loading Issues)

Looking at that untiring spinning wheel will make you tired and it’s really frustrating. The primary causes behind such issues are connection speed, network bandwidth, and the memory available.

A slow connection speed which we all know is a common reason for the slow loading or even no loading of the stream. Many online websites can help you test your network connection speed to see if it’s within the required frequency. 

Troubleshoot

• Quickly resetting your router can help you fix this.
• The most common but effective way to fix this buffering issue is to ask everyone else who is using your network to disconnect. Less number of devices on a network will allocate as much bandwidth as is coming from the service provider through your device.
• Bluetooth came yesterday only. In case you are accessing Max from a TV or computer, try plugging in an Ethernet cord which connects directly to the internet and ensures a faster and stable connection.
• If you need to watch your favorite TV shows on your smartphone and the Max app isn’t responding, switch from a Wi-Fi network to cellular data and vice versa.

4. Max Error Codes 100 and 420

Such errors are mostly reported by those who are trying to access Max from a region where the platform is not yet available or if they have been using a VPN to try and bypass the regional restrictions. But if you are living in the States but running a VPN:

Troubleshoot 

• Immediately turn it off and then try playing the same show or movie again. It doesn’t matter for the Max to easily detect even if you’re using the fastest VPN services. Wait for a few minutes and then close and restart the app, Max’s AI won’t all of sudden realize that you’ve disabled the VPN.

In case of some problems with your IP address, sometimes Max displays the 100 and 420 error codes even if you aren’t using a VPN service. In here, 

• I would suggest you turn off the device you’re accessing Max on and give a quick restart to your router. After the router powers back on, turn on the device you are streaming and try playing.

However, if you are living outside the U.S., then unfortunately there is nothing I can help you with. One of my Canadian cousins used some VPN, but within a few hours, the services were interrupted and stopped permanently. 

If there is some service outage, high traffic, or the server being slow or down then such error codes are shown. In such scenarios, there’s nothing you can do but wait until it gets fixed.

5. Streaming On Multiple Devices

It entirely depends upon your plan and how many devices you can access the Max streaming platform simultaneously.

To check and understand what and how many devices you are currently streaming Max from, follow these steps:

1. Open Max.
2. Select your Profile Icon.
3. Go to the Account tab.
4. Click the Devices button.

On this page, you can check the device list and then stop streaming on a recently used device or log out of other devices you no longer need.

Conclusion

It was frustrating for me and I spent the whole night surfing the internet. However after I collected the above research, I thought to share it with my readers. Now, that I have reached here in this article, it feels like the night was entirely wasted though, if you fix the Max not working issue, by reading this post, I will be happy.

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Rishabh Yashovardhan

Specializing in comprehensive guides and step-by-step solutions, Rishabh has built a reputation for demystifying complex technical issues and providing practical advice on resolving common “not working” errors across various devices and platforms. His articles are a go-to resource for tech enthusiasts and everyday users alike, offering clear, concise, and effective solutions to enhance digital experiences.