The fastest way to restart an app on Fire Stick

To restart an app on Fire Stick, press and hold the Select button (the center circle on your remote) for three seconds while the app is open or highlighted on your home screen. A menu will appear with options including "Force Stop" — select that, wait a few seconds, then open the app again from your home screen or apps library.

This method works for any app and takes about 10 seconds total. It clears the app's temporary memory and fixes most freezing, crashing, or performance problems without affecting your settings or saved data inside the app.

If the three-second hold does not bring up a menu, your app may not support this feature. In that case, use the Settings method described below, which works on all Fire Stick models.

Key Takeaways

  • Hold the Select button (center circle) on your remote for three seconds while the app is open to force stop it, then reopen it.
  • If the menu does not appear, go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications, find the app, and select Force Stop.
  • Force stopping an app does not delete your account login, saved preferences, or any data stored in the app itself.
  • Restarting an app fixes most streaming stutters, freezes, and crashes without needing to uninstall or reinstall.

Using the Settings menu to force stop an app

If the remote button method does not work, you can restart any app through your Fire Stick settings. Press the Home button on your remote, then navigate to Settings (the gear icon at the top right).

Select Applications, then Manage Installed Applications. Scroll through the list to find the app you want to restart. Select it, then choose Force Stop. Wait a few seconds, then return to your home screen and open the app again.

This route takes longer than the remote button method but produces the same result. Use it when the three-second hold does not respond or when you want to be certain the app has fully closed before reopening it.

When to restart an app versus uninstalling it

Restart an app first if it is freezing, crashing, loading slowly, or showing a black screen. Most of these problems clear up after a force stop and reopen. Restarting takes 30 seconds and preserves all your logins and settings.

Uninstall an app only if restarting does not fix the problem, or if the app is taking up storage space you need. Uninstalling removes the app entirely from your Fire Stick, so you will need to reinstall it from the Amazon Appstore if you want it back. Your login information and saved data inside the app will be lost.

For streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, or Hulu, restarting almost always solves buffering or playback issues. For games or less common apps, restarting fixes the problem about 70 percent of the time.

Restarting your entire Fire Stick if apps keep crashing

If multiple apps are crashing or freezing, the problem may be with your Fire Stick itself rather than one app. Restart your entire device by going to Settings > Device > Restart. Your Fire Stick will shut down and turn back on, which usually takes one to two minutes.

A full device restart clears temporary files and memory across all apps at once. It does not delete any apps, accounts, or settings — everything will be exactly as you left it when the device finishes restarting.

If you have restarted individual apps and they are still crashing, try a full device restart before contacting Amazon support or considering a factory reset.

Clearing app cache without uninstalling

Some apps store temporary files called cache that can build up and cause slowness or crashes. You can clear an app's cache without losing your login or settings. Go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications, select the app, then choose Clear Cache.

Clearing cache is gentler than force stopping — it removes only temporary files, not the app's active memory. If an app is running slowly but not crashing, clearing cache is often enough to fix it. If the app is crashing or frozen, force stop is the better choice.

You can clear cache on multiple apps in a row without restarting your Fire Stick between them. This is useful if several streaming apps are buffering or loading slowly.

What happens to your data when you restart an app

Restarting an app does not affect your login information, watch history, saved preferences, or any data stored in your account. If you are logged into Netflix, Prime Video, or any other service, you will still be logged in after the restart.

The only thing that gets cleared is the app's temporary memory — the data it holds while running. This includes any video that was buffering, any page that was loading, or any temporary error message. Once the app restarts, it begins fresh from your saved account state.

If you are concerned about losing something, restart the app. There is no risk to your accounts or settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will restarting an app delete my login information?

No. Restarting an app clears only temporary memory while it is running. Your login credentials and account information are stored separately and remain unchanged. You will still be logged in after the restart.

What is the difference between force stop and clear cache?

Force stop closes the app completely and clears all its temporary memory. Clear cache removes only stored temporary files but leaves the app running. Use force stop if the app is crashing or frozen; use clear cache if it is just running slowly.

How often should I restart my apps?

Restart an app only when it is not working properly — freezing, crashing, buffering, or loading slowly. You do not need to restart apps regularly as maintenance. Restart only when you notice a problem.

Can I restart multiple apps at once?

No, you must restart apps one at a time. Go through your Manage Installed Applications menu and force stop each app individually. However, a full Fire Stick restart clears memory for all apps at once.

What should I do if an app keeps crashing even after restarting?

Try restarting your entire Fire Stick device, not just the app. If the app still crashes after a full device restart, uninstall and reinstall it from the Amazon Appstore. If it crashes again after reinstalling, the app may have a compatibility issue with your Fire Stick model.