Spectrum TV is a content streaming service that offers access to up to 250 cable channels as well as thousands of on-demand movies and TV shows.
With this large amount of content, it is quickly becoming one of the most popular streaming services.
The streaming experience is made even better by the fact that you can access the content through several devices using the Spectrum TV app.
The best devices include Android and iOS smartphones, tablets, Roku, iPads, Apple devices, Windows PCs, Samsung smart TV and other smart TVs, Fire Stick, PS4 consoles, Xbox consoles, and others.
Read: Fix Spectrum error code WUC-1002
Unfortunately, the streaming service is sometimes prone to problems. Spectrum TV app can stop working due to several issues.
Unfortunately, these problems can occur at the most inopportune times, souring your streaming experience. Luckily, most of these issues are easily fixed, and you can continue enjoying your content within no time.
Here, we have compiled a list of the most common Spectrum TV app problems and the solutions that allow you to easily fix them.
Common Spectrum TV app problems and their solutions
Here are some of the most common problems you might encounter while streaming content on Spectrum:
1. The app doesn’t show all channels
When you are streaming Spectrum TV content, you might realize that some of the channels, as well as video-on-demand content, is not showing.
This is likely to occur if you have parental controls enabled, which would block some channels and content that are deemed “not appropriate” based on the settings.
You can easily fix the issue by switching off the parental controls or adjusting the filters to meet your viewing preferences.
To do this, simply go to Settings on your Spectrum TV App, select “Parental Controls” and switch off controls or modify the filters.
2. Spectrum TV app is not showing local channels
Unavailable local channels is another common Spectrum TV app not working issue that you are likely to experience.
The problem mostly occurs when you are traveling, and thus accessing the content away from your home network; local channels that you subscribe to are only available on your home network.
The best solution to this problem is returning to your home location. Therefore, if you are traveling, you should be prepared to go without a few of your favorite TV shows and movies.
However, with the DVR option, you can have these shows recorded, and watch them when you get back. If you are in your home location, then we have a guide to help you fix missing local channels on Spectrum TV.
Aside from traveling, some of your channels, especially local ones, can be disabled if the location settings on your app are turned off; the app needs your location to display all channels, including the local ones.
Therefore, if you are accessing the content from your home network but some of the channels are disabled, a simple fix to the issue is to check and enable the location settings.
3. I can’t stream from the app!
Another common issue with the Spectrum TV app is slow (or failure to) stream. There are several possible causes of this problem, from having a slow (or not working) home network to an outdated app, and device issues.
If you experience this, the best course of action is to first check on your home network. Ensure that it is working and is fast enough to support streaming.
If you are using Wi-Fi, make sure that the router is located close to your streaming device.
You should also that there are no obstacles (doors, walls, and other barriers that can scatter the wireless signal) Alternatively, you can switch to an Ethernet cable (instead of using Wi-Fi).
Another fix is to update your Spectrum TV app to the latest version; outdated ups can cause a number of issues, including streaming difficulties.
In case you have trouble updating the app, uninstall it and then download a fresh up-to-date version and install it.
If the problem still persists, chances are that the issue is with the streaming device you are using (phone, smart TV, computer, etc.). Make sure that the device’s software is up to date.
You can also try switching the device off (including removing the power cable from the socket) for about a minute and then restarting it. The restart will help fix most of the minor software bugs that could be causing streaming problems.
4. Spectrum TV won’t work on Roku
When using Spectrum TV, you might find that the service has stopped working, even after working perfectly in the past.
This is an issue that affects Roku, as well as other streaming devices such as Samsung Smart TV, Xbox One, Firestick, and others. The problem can be caused by several issues, from connection issues to an outdated app, and an issue with the device.
You can fix the issue by first checking on the internet connection to make sure it is working. Next, make sure that both the app (Spectrum TV) and the device’s software are up to date.
You should also check on the device’s connection settings, especially the DNS settings to ensure that they have not been tampered with.
Another solution that can help resolve the problem is rebooting your device (powering it off, removing the power cord from the outlet, and powering it on again).
If the problem persists even after these issues, your device (hardware) might be the problem. Try switching to other devices, such as a phone, smart TV, computer, and others.
5. I can’t sign in to the Spectrum app
Login problems are common with most apps, not just spectrum TV.
If you are experiencing a problem signing into your Spectrum TV account, chances are that you are entering the wrong login details. Recheck them and be sure to enter the right username and password.
When entering the password, remember that the letters are case sensitive – so don’t enter caps instead of small letters.
If you are still unable to sign in to your account, you can recover the account by clicking on the “forgot password” link on the sign-in page. Follow the instructions given to reset your password.
6. Spectrum TV app doesn’t recognize the home network
Another problem you might experience when streaming content on Spectrum TV is the app not recognizing your home network.
When this happens, the app seems to identify you as being away from your home location, leading to some content being unavailable.
The first thing to check when this happens is that you are not using a VPN or proxy (VPNs and proxies will alter your IP address, making the app not recognize your connection).
If you are not using a VPN or proxy, you can fix the issue by releasing the IP addresses on your router. This will reset the IP address of your computer, which can help resolve the issue.
You can also reboot the router (power off, remove the power cable from the power outlet, let the router sit for a minute, and then restart it).
7. Spectrum TV app won’t record
Spectrum TV DVR issues are another common problem facing the service’s subscribers. These issues include the DVR freezing during recording, skipped recordings, or not recording at all.
Common causes of the problem include software issues (on the app, streaming device, and DVR).
To fix the issue, first make sure that all software – app, streaming device, and DVR are up to date. Next, try rebooting both your DVR and streaming device.
If the problem still persists, try deleting some of the older TV shows and movies you have recorded.
Do this even if your DVR still has some space; some DVRs, especially older ones, have bugs that cause problems even when they are 50% full.
If none of these solutions work, the problem might be a hardware issue with your DVR, at which point you should consider replacing it with a new model.
Final thoughts
Spectrum TV app not working can throw your planned relaxing evening or weekend into a nightmare.
Fortunately, most of the common problems are easily fixed, and with the above troubleshooting guides and solutions, you can be back to streaming your favorite movies and TV shows in just a few minutes.
However, if you find that none of these solutions are not working, you can contact Spectrum TV support, from where you can receive more help troubleshooting and fixing the problem.
Related:
Has anyone else noticed the he buffering occurs during the TV shows themselves. The commercials are just fine!!
Spectrum is a joke…even a dish works when the weather is good.
‘Spectrum Experience ‘ needs to change its marketing name to the ‘Spectrum Buffering Experience ‘
Excellent suggestion. These are not new problems, and I have to think I’ll have to unplug then reboot every time I want to watch tv.
I agree! Does constantly bending over to unplug and reset the tv and cable count as exercise?
The app sucks because we just tested my modem and router and unplugged my tv and spectrum said I need a new tv and it’s not my tv I have had for 3 yrs-4yrs.they did not want to fix my app and they said I should get a box and I said no because I have problems with the box but over charge for two boxes and they only like to charge it to me and no one else.
To Charter Spectrum,
Stop spending all your money on your constant barrage of fraudulent spectrum tv commercials and spend some of it on fixing your deplorable service. If it were possible to pay 50% for the 50% of time that there is acceptable service, that’s still too much. I’ve talked to many Spectrum representatives and tried everything they suggested and this is they most unreliable and frustrating company I’ve ever dealt with in my 74 years.
I agree , this is probably the worst i have ever used for anything, spectrum is a fortune 100 company and this crap service shouldnt happen. Not only do they take advantage of thier employess , but they dont give a crap about the general public purchasing thier services, i know this becausd i used to work for them. And everyone behind a computer screen will tell you whatever they need to without actually caring. I cant wait till this company goes bankrupt from thier lies and bs services
Yeah, but when they go bk we’ll have to choose from all the other substandard options. I switched from at&t, and it has to be the worst of the worst. 😁
Agree 1000%.
The problem, imo, is that whoever designed and constructed this app somehiw made it require more bandwidth than ANY app should ever need.
Netflix. Hulu. Prime Video. Disney+. Samsung’s TV Plus. ESPN Plus. Google Play. YouTube. ALL of these stream perfectly with my 100mbps internet, because the MOST any of them require is <10mbps.
The Spectrum app, otoh, runs for a little while, then hangs up, spinning circle, or the screen goes black, or any of a number of malfunctions.
Spectrum customer service is literally less helpful than making up reasons. They don't know anything, and keep saying the app is fine, there's nothing wrong with it… one CS agent told me I was either imagining it or making things up.
I'm stuck with Spectrum because the only other internet option where I live is Frontier, which offers a whopping 6mbps in my area. That's not a typo. SIX mbps.
I hate Spectrum's app. I wish they would fix it. I strongly suspect that they just don't know how.
I have the same problems with Discovery+. So, it is not just the app. There are other problems with streaming. I am trying to isolate it but it is not easy to figure out. I thought it might be my Roku boxes, but I see here that other devices have the same problem.
It’s only a problem on spectrums end. Every other video or movie or even pr0n for that matter will stream fine from my iPhone 11 to my old Apple TV. Spectrum used to until two days again and all I see now is a yellow triangle and “An error occurred loading this content”
What’s even the kicker is that you can put the phone into “screen mirroring” and you can see your phone in the tv with the “playing on tv” in the spectrum app. I whole heartily believe they write this into the software to promote conflict in devices to make people go out and spend more money.
Absolutely agree. I have an Insignia Roku TV in my den. The ONLY thing that does not work perfectly is the Spectrum app. Horribly slow to load, minutes before the back arrow works, constant buffering, channels freezing. All this Spectrum advice to check wifi connection has NOTHING to do with the quality of the app. If Pluto TV can operate like a jet airplane, the host app for my tv and internet service surely can do better than this. There was a reason why I dropped Spectrum before, and it is nearing another change.
When I had the old time warner app my rokus worked fine, but spectrum app has never worked right.
This is a worthless article that is a rehash of spectrum excuses for why their app is useless. None of these solutions resolve the core problem that the spectrum app just FAILS. I have weekly issues, weekly calls to support. Weekly app failures. Its a spectrum issue. Has been for YEARS.
I totally agree. I am very frustrated. I just got Spectrum last week. The TV app does not work on either my Samsung TV or my Roku (I have two of each). Pixelations on my Samsung and freezing video stills with the Rokus. Spectrum tells me they know nothing about problems with the app!!! I have been looking on-line and it seems like this has been a problem for a LONG time!! I am new customer and rapidly becoming a former customer. 🙁
I would hazard a guess that there are no solutions listed because …
there _are_ no solutions!
Spectrum philosophy appears to be if they can keep at least 75 percent of the people paying the bill, they don’t care about any problems with the various features / apps / whatever.
In particular, the PC App was probably farmed out to a Chinese programmer who has since disappeared and Spectrum lacks the people / knowledge to understand how it works; much less how to fix it. I run into this scenario a lot in the cheap end of the hardware / software spectrum (pun intended). And Spectrum hardware / service is definitely in the cheap end of the spectrum (again).
Good luck. Your best bet is to hope a local company can get close to a national Internet backbone and procures a government grant to start a new cable / Internet service; then proceeds to form a company to compete with Spectrum. That’s what happened in the town next to ours and we’re all drooling at the prospect of when they’ll show up on our streets. Their service costs are about the same but their equipment, people and customer service are head and shoulders over anything Spectrum has ever (or will ever) offered.
We just hooked up to spectrum and cannot watch tv because we cannot connect to the app on our roku tv. We call customer service and they said they have been having issues with it and sorry it should be ok in a few days.
I have had connection issues with the Spectrum App with ROKU for over a year now and have never been given a decent explanation from Spectrum…App isn’t very good!!….
Sprctrum sucks
Spectrum app is worthless. I use Apple TV and do not have any problems streaming Netflix or Amazon Prime video. I have updated the Spectrum App and the Apple TV app and still it freezes. Sorry to say spectrum is junk.
hi,
I solved my problems with the app and roku.
for me, it was the fact that I was using old cables.
standards for internet cables have changed over the
years( some cables are faster.) you need at least cat5e
internet cable; Im using cat6 now. your tv cable should be
rg6(I think.) the problem comes from a weak signal, signal
loss, etc.
hope that helps,
mike
I’m being told by the app that I need to upgrade the app. How ever it will not let me complete the upgrade on my Samsung tv.
This App is a real piece of shit doesn’t work on my IOS phone what a waste
does anyone know how to get hold of roku support by phone
I just got off the phone with a long chat with internet support and they advise that there is an issue with the app and both company’s are working on it. this has been happening for about 2 weeks and they have no time table on the fix . so any body that has a roku account should ask for an email when repaired.
how to fix problem .spectrum installed new modem and wi fi what is the issue
I have been having the same problem with roku connecting to spectrum it keeps dropping out and saying reloading.
Spectrum app won’t load on 4K Apple TV running the newest iOS. I can watch other streaming apps just fine, but if I switch to the spectrum app I just get the spinning sprocket. If I restart the Apple TV The spectrum app works just fine, until I use another streaming app. I have reset the Apple TV to factory settings and it still happens. I have lost count on how many times I have deleted/reinstalled the spectrum app. It is definitely not an Apple TV problem since every single streaming app I use works fine EXCEPT Spectrums.
I have tried to fix the problem with the streaming app on my smart TV for over two weeks and it is a nightmare . I’ve unplugged my TV and reset my router multiple times all to no avail . After calling Spectrum and putting my self through their torture 3 times and not being able to get any results , I’m looking at trying direct TV.
This does not address my problem with the app. Almost every day at the same times the app will start buffering and freezing for about 2 hours and then clear up and work fine. I have found that if I switch channels that the buffering will go away only to return in about 5 min.
You need to link this on your My Spectrum app so people don’t have to dig for it. Your app sucks
Being new customer the app is crap I have called 7 times with in 2 weeks poor service streaming on roku tv they keep telling me it software problem with roku that there working on it yet no other apps I have has a problem wanted give me a 10.00 credit told them keep it I’ll be looking for other service provider
This service is terrible and has never worked right. Everytime I try to watch football it freezes constantly and when it finally starts working two plays have been played. Very annoying 😠. Please stop blaming everyone and everything else and fix your streaming issues take the blame yourself and fix it SPECTRUM.