(14 Ways) Fix ESPN App Keeps Buffering (2023)

Why does ESPN plus keep buffering?

Why does the ESPN app buffer so much?

If your ESPN plus keeps buffering, you have landed on the right place.

This article is going to be about Fix ESPN app keeps buffering. ESPN is an American multinational sports channel company that is owned by ESPN Inc. The channel is available in almost 86 million households in the US.

Now read the article to know about the issue in the app and get the solution.

Page Contents

Why is ESPN stream so bad and keeps buffering?

Short answer: There can be multiple reasons why ESPN plus or app keeps buffering such as problem with internet connection, ESPN servers may be down, you are not using the latest version of ESPN app, cache is causing the issue, or you are using a VPN, etc.

Well, whatever be the case, below have discussed some ways to fix the issues or at least make sure the problem doesn’t lie from your end.

How to fix ESPN app keeps buffering?

1: Restart the device

You can stream ESPN on all devices. Now restarting the device will fix the minor issues causing barriers in your streaming. Now let us see separately how to restart the devices.

Phone

If you are streaming the ESPN app on your phone then you need to restart it. Follow the steps to know-how.

Look for the power button, usually located on the sides of the phone.
Press and hold the power button for 1-2 seconds.
Observe a change on your screen as it prompts you with options.
Select “Restart” from the options displayed on the screen.
Wait for your phone to automatically restart.

Television

Use the power button on your remote to turn off the TV.
Turn off the main supply outlet to ensure the power indicator light of your TV is off.
Unplug the power cord from either the back of the TV set or wall outlet.
Hold the power button on your TV for 5-10 seconds to drain any remaining power.
Carefully reconnect the power cord.
Plug the cords back into the main power outlet and turn on the TV.
Wait for 5-10 minutes to allow the TV to initialize.

2: Check your internet connection

This is a major reason if your app is not working properly. ESPN app requires a good internet connection as it is majorly used for streaming videos, which requires a good internet connection.

So make sure that the device you are using is connected to a stable internet connection.

You can reboot by disconnecting and then connecting your internet device. If it still doesn’t work, then contact your internet provider and troubleshoot the problem.

You can also try to reboot your Wi-Fi router and try streaming via your mobile data.

3: Update the app

Sometimes the app starts acting up due to its delay in the update. It is important to update the app with the device for proper functioning. Now updating the app is pretty simple. Follow the steps to do so.

To update the ESPN app, follow these simple steps:

Open the Play Store on your device.
In the search bar at the top of the screen, type “ESPN” and press the search button.
Tap on the ESPN app from the search results.
If there is an update available, you will see an “Update” button. Click on it.
Wait for the update to download and install.

4 : Check ESPN server status

If the server of the ESPN are down, you won’t be able to stream it or have buffering issues.

So, it’s always good to know whether the issue lies on your end or on the server end.

That being said, we would suggest visiting the downdetector page for ESPN. Here check the number of user reports and user comments.

If the number of user reports are significant, it means server of ESPN are having a tough time.

In the case, you would like to stream ESPN once the servers get restored.

5 : Disable your VPN

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can also cause problems with streaming as it sometimes significantly reduces the internet speed also called ping/latency.

So, if you are using a VPN, disable it and then try streaming ESPN. Now, it might not buffer, and you will be able to stream it smoothly.

6: Clear ESPN app cache

Cache is the temporary data that is stored on our device to run the apps faster and smoother. However, with time this data can become large and it can causes issues rather than providing benefits.

So, it is always suggested to clear cache.

To clear the cache for the ESPN app, follow these simple steps:

Go to your device’s “Settings” menu.
Scroll down and tap on “Apps” or “Application Manager”.
Find and tap on the ESPN app from the list of installed apps.
Tap on “Storage” or “Storage & cache”.
Tap on “Clear Cache” to delete the app’s cache.

7: Sign in again

This method will reboot your app and start fresh.

Step 1: Open the app

Open the ESPN app on your device. You will see the home page of the app.

Step 2: Go to settings

Tap on the settings of the app. The settings are present on the top extreme right corner of the home page. As soon as you click on it, you will find plenty of setting options in the app.

Step 3: Tap on your account

Tap on your account. This section will have all the information about your account.

Step 4: Select Sign out

Scroll down and, you will find the sign-out option. Tap on it and, you will log out.

Step 5: Sign in

Now sign in on the app again. Enter your credentials and sign in back.

8: Reinstall the app

Sometimes reinstalling the app can be a good idea as it fixes the glitches and minor issues if the app is facing any. Since we can use the ESPN app on any device the process will be different for each device.

But let us take easy methods which will help you reinstall the app on almost all the devices. So let us get started.

Phone

Step 1: Uninstall the ESPN app

First, you need to uninstall the existing ESPN app. Now press and hold the app to do so. As you will hold the app, you will see the uninstall option to pop on your screen. Simply click on that. It might take a few seconds to uninstall. Now after this process let us move further.

Step 2: Open the Play store

The ESPN app is available for both Android and iOS users. Now open the Play store. You will find different apps appear on your screen.

Step 3: Search for ESPN app

Now go to the search bar and type the name of the app i.e., ESPN. The app will appear on your screen. Tap on it. You will see the details of the app in brief.

Step 4: Click on Install

Tap on the install option. The installation process will begin. Make sure your device is connected to an internet connection.

After the installation, open the app. Sign in your details and you are good to go.

9. Reduce video streaming quality

Lowering the video quality can help reduce buffering issues on the ESPN app.

You can do this in the app settings by choosing a lower resolution.

10. Close all other apps that may be open at the same time on your device

Other apps running in the background may be using up your device’s resources and causing buffering issues.

Close any apps that you’re not currently using to free up resources.

11. Use ESPN on a browser instead of app or vice versa

If you’re experiencing buffering issues on the ESPN app, try using the ESPN website in a browser instead.

Alternatively, if you’re having issues on a browser, try using the ESPN app.

12. Update your device software

Outdated software can cause a variety of issues, including buffering on the ESPN app.

Make sure that both the ESPN app and your device’s operating system are up-to-date.

13. Try streaming on another device

If you’re experiencing buffering issues on one device, try using a different device to stream on the ESPN app.

This can help you determine if the issue is with your device or with the app itself.

14. Contact ESPN support

Lastly, if you have tried all the steps above and even the servers of ESPN are also working, the last steps that remains is to contact ESPN support.

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Hope the article helped you fix your problem.

Nandini