Updated
Why Does My Video Buffer or Stutter?
Stream plays the file from the source you connected. A stall usually means the device is waiting on the network, the server, or its own decoder. The checks below are the ones that match how Stream plays video.
Stream does not transcode a file into a smaller version, and it has no playback-quality menu. It also has no network speed test. Changing metadata or scanning again will not make a slow stream faster.
Before You Begin
- Confirm the video actually starts. If the source never opens, fix the connection first. For SMB, use Why Can't Stream Connect to My SMB Share?.
- Note whether the file is on your LAN, such as a NAS, or on a remote server or cloud drive.
Give the Stream a Better Path
- Use a wired connection for the NAS or PC when you can. On the Android device, wired Ethernet or a 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection is a stronger test than a distant 2.4 GHz link.
- Keep a home server and the phone or TV on the same LAN. Guest Wi-Fi and client isolation put the device on a network that cannot reach the NAS cleanly, or at all.
- Pause other heavy work on the server, such as a large copy or a backup, and try the video again. A busy NAS has less capacity left for playback.
- For OneDrive, Aliyun Drive, WebDAV, or a media server you reach over the internet, playback depends on the bandwidth between the Android device and that server. Stream cannot raise that bandwidth from inside the app. See OneDrive, Aliyun Drive, and WebDAV when the source itself is remote.
The same network limits apply on the upcoming Android TV app. A TV on guest Wi-Fi is a common reason a NAS video stalls. See How Will Stream Work on Android TV? (Coming Soon).
Clear the Playback Cache
Open Settings and choose Clear playback cache. Stream removes cached video data. Your library, account, and downloads are kept. On the upcoming Android TV app, Settings is on the home screen, and the same Clear playback cache action is in that panel.
Try the video again after the cache is cleared. If it still stalls at the same spot, the cache was not the limit.
Try a Simpler File, Then Check the Decoder
Play a modest MP4 before you judge a very large, high-bitrate file. A smaller file is an easier test of the path between the server and the device. Free playback on a phone also treats MP4 and M4V differently from other containers. See What Does Stream Pro Unlock?.
Video decoding uses the decoders on the device. If Stream says the device could not decode the video or audio, retry, or try a file in a different encoding. 10-bit H.265/HEVC needs an HEVC Main10 decoder on that device. Codec support depends on the device. Stream Pro does not add decoders.
The library scan recognizes .mp4, .m4v, .mov, .mkv, .avi, .flv, and .webm. RM and RMVB are not supported. Converting those files is outside Stream. A format error is not buffering.
Supported Scope
These checks apply to every source Stream plays directly, including SMB, WebDAV, Plex, Emby, OneDrive, and Aliyun Drive. Stream does not offer a quality ladder or a transcode setting for Plex or Emby.