How-tos

10 Common HBO Now Problems & Fixes


HBO Now problems are extremely common, particularly during new Game of Thrones and Westworld season premieres, and today we want to show you how to fix these issues so you don’t miss the action.

If you tried watching the Game of Thrones Season 7 premiere via HBO Now you might’ve run into some difficulties. HBO’s site crashed under the load and we heard from many people dealing with buffering issues, app crashes, and various other bugs and problems.

Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres this weekend and we fully expect some of the same issues to plague HBO Now users as they try and catch the final season of the long-running series.

HBO Now problems aren’t just limited to Game of Thrones and Westworld. They can happen when you’re trying to watch another series, a documentary, or a movie. HBO Now issues are annoying, but in most cases they’re extremely easy to fix.

In this guide we’ll help you figure out if HBO Now is down. We’ll also help you solve networking issues, sign-in problems, and problems with the HBO Now app for iPhone, Android, Xbox One, and other platforms.

Is HBO Now Down?

If the HBO Now starts crashing you’ll want to check and see if the service is down. To do that, you can use DownDetector to see where people are currently having trouble using HBO.

If you notice a large number of complaints, it’s probably a system-wide problem. At that point, it might be worth it to get up and find something else to do while the company works to resolve the issues.

We also recommend checking in with HBO’s HBO Now support account on Twitter to see if there is an outage or if it’s a problem on your end.

If there isn’t a major outage happening you might want to reset your Wi-Fi connection or try steaming via a cellular connection/mobile hotspot to see if that resolves the issue.

How to Fix HBO Now Streaming Problems

Streaming issues (slow speeds, inability to stream a show, bad quality, etc) are some of the most common HBO Now problems and there are a few remedies to try if video playback isn’t working on the HBO Now website or in the HBO Now app for iOS, Android, Xbox One, or others.

If you’re having trouble streaming content on HBO Now’s website, you’ll want to sign out of your HBO Now account. Once you’ve got that done, clear your browser’s cache. You’ll find that in your browser’s Preferences/Settings.

Once you’ve cleared the cache, try signing in again to see if that’s resolved your streaming problems.

If you’re still unable to stream properly we recommend restarting your router because there’s a good chance the problems are related to your home connection. Unplug your router for a minute and then plug it back in. If you’re using a mesh Wi-Fi setup like eero, make sure you unplug that too.

At this point we highly recommend running a Speedtest to make sure your speeds are good enough to handle steaming HD/SD content. Steaming content from HBO Now requires a minimum download speed of 3 Mbps.

If this doesn’t work, close all of your applications and shut down your computer. Unplug the router for another minute, plug it back in, and fire up your computer again.

If you’re noticing stuttering, make sure your Adobe Flash Player is up-to-date. If it’s up-to-date, and you’re still noticing stuttering issues, try clearing your Flash cache.

  • Right-click on the video you’re watching and select “Global Settings”.
  • Under Settings Manager, go to “Website Storage Settings” panel.
  • From there, select “Delete all sites” and hit confirm.
  • Close and reopen your browser and try again.

If you’re having trouble streaming via the HBO Now application, here are a few things to try.

In most cases, it’s probably your connection. Again, you need a minimum download speed of 3 Mbps to steam via the HBO Now app. The app will adjust the quality of the content your watching based on your connection speed. So if it’s slow, you might see a lower quality or, in some cases, nothing at all.

The first step is to check your connection by running a Speedtest. If you notice something out of the ordinary (or even if you don’t) try restarting your router. If you’re streaming via a cellular connection you’ll want to move to a better service area if you can.

If that doesn’t help, try restarting the app and/or the device you’re streaming from. You might also try using a wired connection if one is available. Running an ethernet cable to your Xbox One or PlayStation directly from the router could help improve your network speeds.

If your router is old, you might want to look into buying a new one. A newer, faster model could help mitigate these issues.

How to Fix HBO Now Sign In Problems

If you’re having trouble remembering which email address you use to sign into HBO Now, HBO recommends you send the following information to [email protected]:

  • A brief description of the issue (i.e. don’t know my email)
  • Your first and last name
  • Your ZIP code
  • A copy of your subscription purchase receipt (to find this you can search your inbox for an email from your subscription provider. For example, Apple iTunes or Google Play.)

If you’re unable to sign in on your computer, try signing in on your phone to make sure it’s unrelated to your account/subscription. If the sign in problems are limited to your computer, here’s what you can try:

First, try and login with another browser. So, if you use Chrome on your Mac, try Safari.

If that doesn’t work, try clearing your browser’s cookies. Once you do that, restart your browser and try signing into HBO Now again. If that doesn’t help, clear your browser’s cache.

How to Fix HBO Now App Problems

If you’re having issues with the HBO Now app on an iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet, Xbox One, or PlayStation, here’s how to fix most problems.

First, make sure your HBO Now is up-to-date. HBO is constantly refining the app with bug fixes for lingering problems and there’s a good chance the latest version will resolve your issue.

We also recommend installing the latest software update for your device. In the case of the iPhone, that means updating to the latest version of iOS. If you own an Android device, the latest version of Android Nougat or Android Oreo.

If you’d prefer not to update, or if the issue is affecting you on the latest version, close the app and reopen it. This has worked for us many times in the past. If this fails, restart your phone, tablet or console.

If this doesn’t work, try re-installing the application, Delete it from your phone, tablet or console and download it from the appropriate store.

How to Fix HBO Now No Video Problems

If you’re trying to watch a show and you get sound, but no video, there’s a good chance the issue is related to your Wi-Fi or cellular data speeds. If your speeds are extremely slow you might not see anything on the screen.

First, check your connection to make sure it’s fast and stable enough to handle HBO Now content. If your connection checks out, here are a few other things to try.

If you’re not seeing an video on your computer, try closing all of your applications and restarting. If you aren’t seeing any picture on the screen on your phone, tablet or console, restart the app and/or your device.

You also might check if your Adobe Flash Player is up-to-date. If it’s up-to-date and you still can’t see video, you might need to reset the license files for protected content in Flash.

To get this done head to Adobe Flash Protected Content Playback Settings panel and select “Reset License Files”. If that doesn’t help, HBO recommends you:

  • Ensure third-party cookies are enabled.
  • Turn off ad-blocking software.
  • Stop using private browsing or incognito mode.
  • Disable your browser plug-ins and add-ins.

How to Fix HBO Now Sound Problems

If you’re getting video but no sound when watching HBO Now content, you’ll first want to make sure your device’s volume isn’t muted.

If the volume toggle is up and your speaker are playing nice with other apps and services, try restarting the app. If you’re watching on your computer, sign out and close your browser. Sign in again.

If that doesn’t work, make sure your device has been updated to the latest software. If an Xbox system update is available or  a new iOS update is ready to download, try installing those to see if that helps.

If you’re on a PC, you should also make sure you’re running the latest audio drivers.

How to Fix HBO Now HDCP Error

In the rare event you see an HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) error popup when using HBO Now, try this.

If you’ve been able to stream HBO Now without any problems and you’re just now seeing an HDCP error, you should be able to fix the problem in a few seconds.

First, check to make sure all of your cables are hooked up properly. If you’re on a PC, make sure your video drivers are currently up-to-date. If you’re running an AMD graphics card, head here. If you’re using an NVIDIA graphics card, go here.

If you’re trying to stream on a device, close and reopen the HBO Now application.

If you’re watching content on a PC, close your browser. Reopen the browser, avoid using incognito mode, and try signing into HBO Now.

How to Fix HBO Now Password Problems

If you need to reset your HBO Now password you can request to create a new one. Once the request is made an email to reset your password should appear in your email a few minutes later. If it doesn’t, here’s what you need to do.

If you don’t get the email, you’ll want to search your spam or junk mail folder for email from [email protected]

If you can’t find a Reset Password email, try adding [email protected] to your email contacts. Once you’ve done that, reset your password again.

If you still don’t see a Reset Password email in your inbox, there’s a chance your HBO NOW account might not have an email address associated with it. If that’s the case you’ll need to add an email and password to your account. Here’s how to do that:

Open up the HBO NOW app on the device where you originally subscribed to the service. Depending on your device, here are the next steps to take:

If you subscribed on a TV: Complete the Restore your app store purchase steps.

If you subscribed on a Phone or tablet:

  1. Try to play an HBO NOW show or movie on your device.
  2. At the bottom of the screen, tap on Sign In.
  3. Select Sign In with Another Account.
  4. Choose your provider.
  5. Sign in to your app store account.
  6. If your HBO NOW account doesn’t have an email or password, you’ll need to finish creating your account.

How to Fix HBO Now Service Error Issues

HBO Now “Service Error” issues are fairly common. If you start noticing this problem, here are a few things you should try before getting in contact with HBO’s customer service.

First, you’ll want to make sure you’re running the current version of the app. Head to the App Store or Google Play Store and check for an update. If an update is available, download it to your device.

If you’re running the latest version, try closing the app and restarting your device.

If it’s still not working, you’ll want to narrow down the culprit. To do this, you’ll want to try another show or movie to determine if the problem is limited to the content you’re currently watching or if it’s a bigger issue. If the issue is limited to a specific show, you’ll want to get in contact with HBO.

If that doesn’t work, you’ll want to reset your connection. Unplug your router/modem for a minute and then plug back in. Now open up HBO Now and try again.

If you still can’t get by the service error, you’ll want to get in touch with HBO.

How to Fix HBO Now “Not in Service Area” Issue

If you notice a “Not in Service” message when trying to watch content in HBO Now, you might have an issue with your IP address.

HBO Now is currently limited to the United States and U.S. territories. There’s a chance your IP address has been identified as being outside the United States.

The first thing to do is to turn off the device using HBO Now. Once it’s off, reset your modem/router. Plug back in and start up your device again.

If you use a VPN or web proxy you’ll want to try disabling it to ensure your IP address isn’t blocked.

If it still isn’t working, you’ll want to call 855-9-HBO-NOW (855-942-6669) and give them your internet service provider (ISP) and your IP address.

You can find your IP address right here.

4 Reasons Not to Install iOS 12.2 & 9 Reasons You Should

Install iOS 12.2 for Better Security

Install iOS 12.2 for Better Security

If you’re on the fence, here’s one of the best reasons to install iOS 12.2.

If you value your device’s security, you’ll want to download iOS 12.2 in the near future because it comes with new security patches.

Apple lists a whopping 41 security patches in its iOS 12.2 security change log. You can read more about the patches over on the company’s website

If you skipped iOS 12.1.4, you get four important security patches including fixes for a widespread FaceTime eavesdropping bug that lets you call someone via FaceTime and hear the audio coming from their phone before they pick up the phone.

You can read more about these patches on Apple’s website.

If you skipped iOS 12.1.3, you get some additional patches with your version of iOS 12.2. They’re baked into your upgrade.

Apple lists a grand total of 23 patches on board iOS 12.1.3 and you can read about all of them over on Apple’s website. 

If you skipped iOS 12.1.1, you’ll probably want to install the iOS 12.2 update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch today. 

The iOS 12.1.1 update brought 17 patches for potential security exploits. They’ll will help protect your phone. You can read about them here.

If you skipped iOS 12.1, you’ll get the 24 patches from that update with your version of iOS 12.2. If you skipped iOS 12.0.1, your iOS 12.2 update brings two additional patches. Both patches are for potential lock screen exploits.

If you skipped iOS 12.0, and you’re still running iOS 11.4.1 or below, your iOS 12.2 update comes with a longer list of security updates. 

The iOS 12.0 update delivered 16 patches for security issues. You can read about all of them over on Apple’s security page.

In addition to those patches, iOS 12 delivers new security features aimed at protecting you and the data you store on your device. These include:

  • Enhanced Intelligent Tracking Prevention in Safari prevents embedded content and social media buttons from tracking cross-site browsing without your permission
  • Suppresses ad retargeting by reducing advertisers’ ability to identify iOS devices uniquely
  • Strong and unique passwords are suggested automatically when creating an account or changing a password in most apps and in Safari
  • Reused passwords are flagged in Settings > Passwords & Accounts
  • Security code AutoFill presents one-time security codes sent over SMS as suggestions in the QuickType bar
  • Sharing passwords with contacts is easier than ever using AirDrop from Passwords & Accounts in Settings
  • Siri supports quickly navigating to a password on an authenticated device 

Long story short, if you store sensitive data on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you have some really good reasons to upgrade to iOS 12.2 today.





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