When you plug in your Fire TV Stick for the first time or after failing to use it for a while, you may encounter a message that says Fire TV Stick is “optimizing system storage and applications”.
The message should not worry you because it will disappear within ten minutes. But the issue becomes an error if you see the message running over in a loop.
For example, the logo comes on, but you cannot control your Fire TV Stick using your remote. Before you can even see the menu, your device goes back into optimizing system storage and applications.
What does “optimizing system storage and applications” mean?
When you see the message on your Fire TV Stick screen, it means your device is trying to power up but is not getting enough power. The issue happens when you use the wrong USB port on your TV to supply power to the Fire TV Stick.
Other possible factors include:
- Your TV port has malfunctioned and has failed to comply with Fire TV Stick’s HDCP requirements. Therefore, it has caused an incompatibility when Fire TV Stick is updating its installations.
- You have used a third-party USB cable and adapter. In this case, the adapter is not supplying enough power for your Fire TV Stick to update its systems.
- Your Fire TV Stick’s firmware is corrupt.
The issue can also continue if your TV is not compatible with Fire TV Stick’s latest installation updates. Luckily, you have different ways of solving this problem.
How to fix the “Fire TV Stick is optimizing storage and applications” issue
You can fix this issue by trying the following steps:
- Remove your Fire TV Stick from the HDMI port.
- Wait for at least one minute, and then plug it back in.
- Try using another HDMI port in the side or back of your TV.
Also, check that you have plugged your Fire TV Stick into a power strip or wall outlet.
What to do if Fire TV Stick keeps optimizing?
If the above steps do not work, you will have to factory reset your device using your remote. Here is how.
- Remove the expandable storage from your Fire TV Stick.
- Press and hold BACK and RIGHT SIDE of the navigation circle on your remote together for ten seconds.
- Select whether you want to continue or cancel the factory reset.
- If you do not choose any option, your Fire TV Stick will reset itself automatically after some seconds.
At this point, your device will delete account information and any out content you had downloaded earlier.
If the above steps do not work, another troubleshooting option would be to update the Fire TV Stick.
How to update the Fire TV Stick without a display
As noted above, the latest update installation mechanisms from Fire TV Stick may cause a compatibility issue with the device’s display, causing the system storage and applications optimization.
When this happens, it would be helpful to troubleshoot the issue by updating your Fire TV Stick. Here is how to update the Fire TV Stick without display.
- Power on your TV and Fire TV Stick.
- The optimizing system storage and application message will display.
- Wait until you see the following screen that says Finishing Updates.
- Unplug your Fire TV Stick from your TV’s HDMI port. However, do not unplug the power cable.
The loop should not start if you have followed the above steps.
But if it does before that, start the process again by unplugging the device from the HDMI port immediately after you see the message. You should not wait for the device to finish updates.
After unplugging your Fire TV Stick:
- Wait for three hours.
- Plug it back into the correct HDMI port.
- Check to see whether it has fixed the problem.
More solutions
Other steps you can take to fix Fire TV Stick is optimizing system storage and applications error include:
- Power-cycle your Fire TV Stick, TV, and modem or router by unplugging them from the power source, waiting for at least 60 seconds, and then plugging them back in.
- Try plugging the Fire TV Stick into a different TV port. When you see the status bar on your TV, press the HOME key on your remote continuously until the error message disappears.
- Use the original Fire TV Stick adapter and USB cable. Avoid using a third-party cable and see whether it fixes the issue.
You can also try inserting the Fire TV Stick into another TV and see whether the message will display.
If it displays with the second TV, the previous one is not compatible with Fire TV Stick’s installation mechanisms of the latest software updates. A factory reset will help fix it.
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