Few things are more frustrating than not being able to watch Max—previously called HBO Max, up—after a long, hard day. Whether it's a crashing app or endless buffering, you can fix most Max issues by following some simple steps.
In this article, we'll take a look at the most common Max problems and tell you how to fix them.
1. Max Keeps Crashing
At one point or another, we've all dealt with streaming apps that crash unexpectedly. When repeatedly hitting the play button doesn't work, try the methods below to get Max up and running. You can use most of these methods regardless of your device.
If the Max app isn’t working, make sure you’re using the latest version of the platform on your device before trying anything else.
Once you've updated to the latest version, check your internet connection to see how your network is running. If a bad connection is the cause, reset your router, wait until it reconnects, and then try streaming the same title on Max again.
If you're still experiencing issues, try clearing your device's cache. The cache can hold onto old data that may be interfering with Max. Log back into the app to see if that clears up the issue.
Your last resort is to delete the Max app and reinstall it on your device. This will require you to log into your account, but it could be the saving grace for returning to your show or movie.
2. Max App Sound Not Working
At one time, silent movies were all we could enjoy. Nowadays, if you're watching a silent movie, chances are something has gone wrong.
When you're having trouble with the audio on Max, try putting on a different show or movie first. This will help you identify if the problem is with that specific title or the entire app. If only one show is giving you problems, reach out to the Max help center using the platform's Feedback Forum.
If the entire app isn't playing sound, check the audio levels on the media player first, then on your devices. If you're streaming from your TV or computer and have speakers plugged in, check the audio levels on those as well.
If you’ve connected your laptop to a TV to play Max on a bigger screen, a faulty HDMI cable might be the culprit for this issue. Reconnect the cable to your TV and computer and check it for any visible damage.
Try plugging in headphones if you're using a smartphone to see if you can hear any sound from them. Also, turn off your Bluetooth in case the sound might be going to another device, and make sure the Do Not Disturb setting is not enabled on the phone either.
Always ensure you're running the latest version of Max; if you're using a computer, make sure your browser is updated.
3. Max Won’t Play (Buffering Issues)
Getting stuck on an indefinite loading screen can be infuriating. These issues are generally caused by network bandwidth, connection speed, and available memory.
A low connection speed is a common reason you might see the never-ending load screen. There are several online sites you can use to test your connection speed to see if it's within appropriate limits. Reset your router if the issue continues to persist.
Another way to fix a buffering issue is to get everyone else who is using your network to pause their activity. Having only one device on the network will allocate as much bandwidth as possible to your device.
If you're using a TV or computer, plugging in an Ethernet cord will hook you directly to the internet and give you a more reliable connection.
Finally, if you want to stream TV shows on your smartphone and the Max app doesn’t load, connect your device to a Wi-Fi network instead of using cellular data.
4. Max Streaming Issues (Error Code 321)
Although there is no official word from Max about error code 321, there are still some options when attempting to troubleshoot.
First, check the internet connection to make sure everything is working fine and there are no issues with the router or network. There could also be a service outage in your area causing the issue. If there is an outage, you'll need to wait until Max fixes the problem before watching your show or movie.
Make sure you're running the most up-to-date version of Max on your device. Outdated versions can be a reason for many issues, so you should always keep the app up to date.
At the time of writing, Max is not available in all countries yet, so if you're trying to watch from an out-of-service area, you could see the 321 error code. Unfortunately, not even a VPN will get you out of this situation because those are also restricted.
5. Max Error Code 100 and 420
These two errors are common for people who are trying to watch Max in a country where the platform is not yet available or using a VPN to try and circumvent the restriction.
If you're running a VPN and live inside the US, turn it off and try playing your show or movie again. It doesn't matter if you're using the fastest VPN service; Max can still detect if you are using one.
Sometimes you may have to wait several minutes before Max realizes you've turned your VPN off.
Max might display the 100 and 420 error codes even if you don't use a VPN service because of a problem with your IP address. In this case, turn off the device you're streaming on and restart your router. Once the router powers back on, turn on the device and check if the error is gone.
Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do if you live outside the service area and want to watch Max.
Another reason you could see these error codes is that there could be a service outage, high traffic, or the server being down. These types of issues are out of your control, and you'll need to wait until it gets fixed.
6. Streaming on Too Many Devices
Depending on your plan, you're only available to stream Max from a limited number of devices at the same time.
To check what devices are currently streaming through Max, follow these steps:
- Open Max.
- Select your Profile Icon.
- Go to the Account tab.
- Click the Devices button.
From this page, you can either stop streaming on a recently used device or log out of all devices you no longer require.
7. Max Won't Load
Occasionally, the technical errors with Max don't have anything to do with your device at all. It could be the servers for Max are down, or they aren't functioning properly.
Downdetector is a site that monitors the number of problems and outage reports issued against a website or service. Search for Max, which will show how many people have filed complaints for each hour of the day. It also compares against the average number of complaints made for the time you check.
If there are many reports in process, the issue is likely on the platform's end, not yours. If so, you'll need to wait until Max fixes it. There isn't anything you can do from your end to help.
General Troubleshooting Tips to Fix Max
Not every streaming problem is within your control. Following the troubleshooting methods above should give you a good idea of how to go about fixing the problems you do have control over.
If you are still having trouble, Max recommends the following general troubleshooting steps for all errors:
- Restart the Max app.
- Play another title.
- Update the Max app.
- Sign out and restart your streaming device.
- Try another streaming device.
- Restart your network devices.
Get Back to Enjoying Max
Max is a great service, but it's far from perfect. Fortunately, there are many easy ways to fix Max if it's not working properly.
And what if Max is down for everyone? While you wait, be sure to check out the many other great (and free) streaming services out there to stay entertained. Once Max is back up, you can return to enjoying your favorite Max originals.