A recent Fire TV software update has caused Fire TV blank screen issues related to Kodi and other digital content protection software. If you are having Fire TV blank screen issues, read on!
Recently, Fire TV software update 51.1.6.1 and Fire TV Stick software update 54.1.2.1 were released. Ever since then, people have been reporting Fire TV blank screen issues with their devices. Switching TV inputs to the Fire TV or waking the device from sleep mode is resulting in a blank screen and a lot of confusion for users.
First reported by aftvnews.com, it appears the issue is caused by a change in the way the Fire TV handles HDCP (High-bandwidth digital content protection). HDCP is a form of copyright protection that prevents people from making digital copies of protected content. The Fire TV and Fire TV Stick will check that your television is an authorized HDCP compliant device before sending the video signal over the HDMI cable.
It appears that this HDCP check happens immediately at boot-up of the Fire TV and some TVs do not start up fast enough to complete the HDCP check, so they fail and Fire TV blank screen issues appear.
The simplest solution to overcome the issue, if it does affect you, is to reboot the Fire TV while the TV is already on and set to the Fire TVs input. You can reboot the Fire TV by holding the SELECT button and PLAY button on your remote for 10 seconds. You can do this even if you are looking at a blank black screen.
An alternate solution to bypass this issue all together is to place an HDMI splitter in between the Fire TV and your television to act as an HDCP stripper. One HDMI splitter is the Etekcity 1×2 HDMI Splitter, which fixes the issue. An HDMI splitter is meant to turn one HDMI signal into two. In order to do this, it must perform the HDCP check in place of your television. Since the splitter is always on, it is always ready to respond to an HDCP check regardless of how early the Fire TV performs it. The HDMI signal leaving the splitter, going to the television, is not HDCP encrypted.
Did the two options work to fix your Fire TV blank screen issues? Let us know if you are still having problems on Twitter and on Facebook!
You can also force stop Kodi and relaunch. They all take about the same amount of time, but it keeps happening. Becoming annoying.
The thing that worked for me was to plug the Fire TV Box directly into a wall socket and not into a power strip extension. Ever since then, no more black screen issues. Some people said changing the extension strip to a better quality cable also worked if direct to the wall is not an option for you… Good luck!
My fire stick is frooze on the home screen, tried all the troubleshooting but still no joy, help.
I have a fire tv box that worked just fine for 18 mos. One day all I got was black screen. Amazon sent me 3 new boxes none worked. Changes hdmi cords. and the power cord. Nothing. Got pissed and bought a roku and roku works just fine…,..
I’ve been gettig a blank screen but up to now it has simply been a matter of tapping the home button to get things right. I’ve never had to do a complete reboot of the FireTV.
Batteries were low and replace. Fire stick remote will not work. Tried everything on site.
I reset the fire stick using the select and play button and it just reboot itself thanks that worked great I am so happy about that I love the Fire stick and will buy another one
Thank you so much for your help. It worked right away.
I’ve done everything, even restarted, and unplugged my TV still have a black screen on my Kodi 16.1 plz help me
THE MOST SIMPLEST FIX WAS UNPLUGGING MY TELEVISION AND PLUGGING IT BACK UP AND NOW MY SCREEN IS NO LONGER BLACK! LET ME KNOW IF THIS HELPS YOU TOO
this is a stupid workaround. it will continue to happen over and over again each time the Fire TV comes out of sleep mode and you try to access Kodi. There needs to be a permanent fix for this issue. I have to reboot the stupid thing every time i want to watch Kodi!
I’ve tried everything, nothing works. You name it, unplugging the TV from the outlet, restarting the stick, etc. I just don’t know what to do at this point.
Every time I go on Kofi the movie start then pause goes to a black screen need help with that
i have black screen on my vidon boxs anyway to fixs that
Turned on my fire stick and it said searching for network when I put password it takes me back to registration screen never registered before can’t get back to kodi…can’t get pass registration..please help
Okay so literally the only solution for me was also to switch off TV from mains. Had to re-boot stick but after this the usual home screen loaded. Was fearful I’d lose Kodi but no issues.
Unplugging he tv and rebooting the stick worked for me.
The reboot worked to restore my Home screen icons. Thanks so much.
I’m getting a blank screen. Nothing comes up AT ALL.
Not surewhy but it worked. Read other comment and unplugged the tv. Turned it back on. Then reboot fireestick and everything came back on. Fixed issue for me
Thank you i reboot first and still black screen after the Amazon logo popped up. I unplugged my tv from the outlet and it worked !!!
My fire stick is loading films and have screen play but the sports are loading but we have no screen play we have restarted and unplugged fully but still the same please help
The reset worked, thank you!
I’m kodi on the fire stick and since the latest update my screen is blackout now, I tried your suggestion few times and still not working. Any help. Thanks
Finally able to register and everything is working great. Thanks for the help.
When I turned my stick on it goes straight to the screen that’s says registration, register or create an account. Can you help
had stick for months why is it making me register now. never had to register before
Have register screen. Tried your fix,registering and it keeps wanting me to register again and again. Is there any help for this?
I have used the stick for months with no issues we went on holiday for 10 days so it was unplugged when I turned it on it goes straight to screen that says register for amazon account or sign in , can’t get any other screen ..any help would be appreciated. ..
ROG THANK YOU SOOO MUCH after days of trying to figure out what I did wrong I saw your comment and tried it and now it worked again thank you so much!
Latest fire OS update causes you to register for an Amazon Account. You’ll have to do that then log into your account on the stick. Once there you’ll always have to have the Amazon page up first then browse to your apps…start Kodi from there.
Unable to go beyond registration screen. What’s happening? Help please
I used fire stick w/kodi for several weeks. Worked ok. Then didn’t use for 2 weeks. Now am unable to go beyond Registration screen. Even tried rebooting by holding select and play. Said it was powering off. But still just came back with Registration screen and wouldn’t go further.
I used fire stick w/kodi for several weeks. Worked ok. Then didn’t use for 2 weeks. Now am unable to go beyond Regustration screen. Even tried rebooting by holding select and play. Said it was powering off. But still just came back with Registration screen and wouldn’t go further.
Every time I double click to get to kodi, it take me back to the home screen? I’ve tried unplugging it, restarting it, nothing is working, help please
Im using a amazon fire stick that has the kodi app installed ive had it 4 months and now when i select from the home screen like movies or popular tv shows it doesnt pull up any selections 2 choose from just empty any idea whats wrong?
worked and updated to Jarvis…thanks
Worked! Thanks
I’m having volume issues, with the new amazon fire tv box. When I’m using Kodi, an red icon appears in the top right hand corner. The icon is a speaker and I have no sound, when I attempt to watch movies. Any solutions?
Thanks for this.
What finally worked for me was to actually unplug the TV set altogether then start it up again. May work for others
I’m using the splitter and still getting black screen. Any solution?
I can’t get Kodi to play movies on my fire tv stick. When I click on the movie it will show loading briefly then revert back to the movie title icon and each time I click on the movie icon it will continue to revert back to the movie icon or sometime a blank screen. Any help is appreciated, thanks.
Hi guys….I’m having serious problems with kodi on my fire stick…have been using for 2 months & no issues until now…choose a movie I either get blank screen are sound & pic…I’ve done the proper shutdown where u hold the selection button & play together. ..still no difference..even when I choose maintenance tool screen goes blank! Any help would be appreciated!
this helped a lot! Thank you!
Thank you so much!!!
it worked thanks only one t help me. Your the best
i m getting a black screen android not responding