Reasons & Fixes for HBO Max App Not Working on Samsung TV

Most smart TVs let you install apps from their respective app stores. So, a Samsung TV would definitely let you install a streaming platform well-known as HBO Max. So, what if the HBO Max doesn’t work on your Samsung TV anymore? What would you do? In this guide, we will find the reasons for the HBO Max app not working on Samsung TV and suggest some troubleshooting tips or fixes.

Why HBO Max app on Samsung Smart TV Not Working? (Some Fixes!)

It is frustrating when you find out HBO Max won’t open or load on your Samsung TV for some reason. Even more annoying when you can’t seem to find the reason why suddenly the HBO Max is not working anymore on your Samsung TV.

The reasons for the HBO Max app not working on your Samsung smart TV can be anything ranging from a poor internet connection, software update, or full system reset. In the following section, we will share with you several reasons and troubleshooting tips in great detail.

1.   Check whether HBO Max is offline

It is not uncommon for a video streaming platform to suffer from occasional service outages. The main reasons for it usually are technical issues that typically occur during the release of highly anticipated content on their platform.

However, these service outages aren’t usually global and often located in a specific area. Also, HBO usually gets it back running as quickly as possible. So, if the HBO Max is not working, then instead of trying the other typical fixes such as checking the internet connection or restarting your devices, check the status of HBO Max.

You can do that by visiting HBO Max’s Twitter handle. They often release tweets if there are any outages. Alternatively, you can visit the Down Detectors’ site for real-time updates on HBO Max’s service status.

2.   Weak or no internet connection

Another simple reason for the HBO Max app not loading on your Samsung smart TV might be due to internet or network-related issues. In the following, we have shared a number of troubleshooting tips that you can apply when facing different internet-related issues.

Check and reset your Wi-Fi router

First and foremost, check whether you have an internet connection. Sometimes, while streaming HBO Max, your internet connection might drop. So, try connecting your phone or any other device to your Wi-Fi network and check whether it receives a connection.

If it doesn’t connect, there is a problem with your Wi-Fi router or your Internet Service Provider (ISP). In such a case, you could try resetting your Wi-Fi router. Here’s how you would do it:

1. First, Switch off your Samsung TV
2. Then disconnect the router and the modem from the power source
3. Now wait for at least 60 seconds before connecting the modem and router back to the power source
4. Next, turn on your Samsung TV and try reconnecting to the internet
5. If it still doesn’t work, then contact your Internet Service Provider for further assistance

But if there is no problem with your Wi-Fi network, the issue might be your TV’s Wi-Fi settings. So, you could try disconnecting and reconnecting to your Wi-Fi network. Usually, this does the trick.

Check Internet speed

HBO Max is a video streaming service; on your smart TV; it needs to stream high-quality video. It should have access to the internet and a very strong internet connection. As a result, HBO Max on your Samsung TV may not work properly if your internet connection is poor.

For streaming the HBO Max app on your Samsung TV, it recommends that you have 5-10 Mbps for 1080p streaming. And at least 25 Mbps internet speed for UHD (4K) streaming and around 50 Mbps for stable 4K streaming.

You can check your internet speed on an online speed testing site. If the results of the speed are lower, then you can contact your ISP to increase your speed. And if you have adequate internet speed and still the HBO Max app doesn’t load on your Samsung TV, then there are a few following things you can try.

1. Disconnect other devices from your Wi-Fi router when using HBO Max. This will give you the most internet bandwidth for viewing HBO Max.
2. Move your Samsung TV closer to your Wi-Fi router to get the strongest Wi-Fi signal strength.
3. Switch to the Dual Band Wi-Fi router that uses a 5 GHz frequency

3.   Check for the compatibility of HBO Max with your Samsung TV

If you cannot download or find the HBO Max app on your Samsung TV in the first place, then you might be suffering from compatibility issues. Samsung TV models that were released before 2016 and some during that year don’t support HBO Max.

The main reason is that HBO Max, Netflix, and other apps need storage space on your TV to download their app and related resources. And older smart TVs didn’t have that support. Nonetheless, Samsung smart TVs from 2016 onwards do support HBO Max and other apps. In fact, you can find the list of HBO Max compatible Samsung smart TVs on Samsung’s page.

There is a way to figure out the release year of a Samsung smart TV if you don’t know whether it was released in 2016 or earlier. You have to visit your Samsung TV and search for the HBO Max app. If it doesn’t appear in the search, your Samsung TV doesn’t support it. Furthermore, streaming platforms such as HBO Max come preinstalled in most newer Samsung TV models.

Here’s how to check whether your Samsung TV supports HBO Max:

1. On your Samsung TV, head over to the ‘Apps’ section. It is the app store of your Samsung TV.
2. Then in the search field, type “HBO Max” and search for it in the Samsung app store.
3. If you get no results, then your Samsung TV doesn’t support HBO Max.

However, if you are among those who are using a Samsung TV that doesn’t support HBO Max, but wants to stream it, then there are two ways to do it. Luckily there are two other alternative methods that let you stream HBO Max on your smart TV using external devices like streaming devices or screen casting. We’ll be explaining both methods in great detail later in the guide below.

4.   Shut down & turn on your Samsung smart TV (Power cycle)

The most common and recommended troubleshooting tips are turning off and on your device. In fact, we’ve already suggested a similar fix when resetting your Wi-Fi router earlier.

So, when the HBO Max app has frozen on your Samsung smart TV, the first and safe course of action is that you should try shutting your TV down and then turning it on again after a few minutes. It is also called “power cycling” your Samsung TV.

This action deletes any corrupt cache files and solves other issues like app unresponsiveness, app crashes, and lag/buffering.

The issues can be defined as many things. For instance, the HBO Max app is not loading, or it is completely frozen, etc. It can be due to lag caused by poor internet speeds or from corrupted cache files.

Steps on how to power cycle your Samsung TV to fix the HBO Max app not working or loading issues:

1. If your TV has a power button, hard press and hold the ‘Power‘ button. You can skip this step if there is no ‘power’ button.
2. Next, turn off the switch from the power outlet to the TV and remove the plug.
3. Now wait for at least one minute
4. After that, plug your Samsung TV into the power outlet and turn it on.

What would you do if HBO Max freezes on your Samsung TV?

In the event that the HBO Max app freezes on your Samsung TV, you can ‘cold boot’ it. So, basically, you are going to press the ‘Power‘ button on your TV or the remote until the TV turns off. After a few minutes, turn on the ‘power’ on your TV and launch the HBO Max app again. This action should unfreeze the HBO Max on your Samsung TV.

5.   Update the HBO Max app on your Samsung TV

Normally if you’ve turned on the “Auto-Update” feature on your Samsung TV, then it would have dealt with updating your apps, such as HBO Max. So, if you’ve not set the auto-update feature or the HBO Max has been outdated for quite a sometime, then it might cause some issues.

Moreover, older Samsung TV models don’t even warn users that their apps might need updating. Software updates fix any previous bugs, so it is important to frequently update your apps on your Samsung TV.

Here’s how to automatically update an app on your Samsung TV:

1. First, press the “Home” button on your TV remote control.
2. Scroll down and choose “APPS“.
3. Next, select “Settings” from the upper-right corner.
4. After that, turn the “Auto Update” feature ON.

6.   Reinstall the HBO Max app on your Samsung TV

A corrupted version of the app might be installed on your Samsung TV. This might lead to your HBO Max not working on Samsung TV. So, in such instances, installing and then reinstalling the HBO max app on your Samsung smart TV is the best course of action.

However, in newer Samsung TV with Tizen OS, the HBO Max app comes pre-installed. This means that you cannot delete the apps from the TV. But what you can do is reinstall the app on your Samsung TV.

Here’s how to reinstall the HBO Max app on your Samsung TV

1. First, press the “Home” button on your TV remote and head over to the home screen.
2. Next, select “Apps” and click the ‘Settings‘ icon from the top-right corner.
3. After that, locate and select the HBO Max app and click on the ‘Reinstall‘ option under it.
4. After you’ve re-installed the HBO Max app, restart the Samsung TV.
5. Then open the HBO Max app on your TV and sign in to your account. You should now be able to access HBO Max without any issues.

7.   Clear App cache on Samsung TV to save storage space

When you install an app on any device, it accumulates a lot of cache data that usually help you run that app faster and smoother. However, sometimes it might cause issues like eating up your storage space, the app not loading, or the app crashing. So, it is recommended that you frequently clear any app cache files. Once you’ve cleared the cache files of HBO Max, then it should be working on your TV.

Here’s how to clear the HBO Max app cache on Samsung smart TV:

1. First step, press the ‘Home‘ button on your Samsung TV remote.
2. Next, head over to “Settings” and select “Support“.
3. After that, click on “Device Care” and then “Manage Storage”.
4. Now select the “HBO Max” app from the list of applications and click on “View Details.”
5. Then click on the “Clear Cache” option to remove your HBO Max app cache from the TV.

On some Samsung TV models, this process can be slightly different. So, on your Samsung TV’s home screen, click on Settings > Support > Self Diagnosis > TV Device Manager. Now click on the “Clean Now” button under the ‘Memory Boost’ and ‘Clear Running Apps’ sections. After that, click on the “Show App List” under the Manage Storage option. Now select the HBO Max app from the list, then click on View Details > Clear Cache.

8. Reset the Smart Hub on your Samsung Smart TV

The Smart Hub is the menu system of your Samsung TV. Sometimes streaming-related issues, buffering, screen freeze, or a glitch will prevent the HBO Max app from working on your Samsung TV. A reset of your Samsung Smart Hub will remove all information from your account.

Here’s how to reset the Samsung Smart Hub:

1. First step, press the ‘Home‘ button on your Samsung TV remote.
2. Next, head over to ‘Settings’ either from the remote or by clicking on the Settings icon.
3. After that, click on the Support > Self Diagnosis tab.
4. Next, click on the Reset Smart Hub option.

After the reset is complete, you need to restart your Samsung TV and then open the HBO Max app. It should work now without any hassle.

9.   Update your Samsung TV firmware

Another reason why the HBO Max app not working on Samsung TV is the outdated TV software. The most common issue you would face is that your apps are regularly crashing. Keeping your TV’s firmware up-to-date is a great way to keep apps such as HBO Max from crashing.

Here’s how to update your Samsung TV OS software:

1. Press the ‘Settings’ button on your Samsung TV remote.
2. Go to ‘Support’
3. Next, head over to ‘Software Update‘ and select ‘Update Now.’

10. Try a full factory reset of your Samsung TV

Even resetting the Smart Hub of your Samsung TV and updating the TV software doesn’t fix the issue. You should consider performing a full factory reset. This action will bring your TV to a full factory setting and should solve any remaining issues.

However, it is a drastic action and might cause you to lose all the other apps you’ve downloaded, your saved passwords, and your preferences. So, it should be your last resort.

Here’s how to reset your Samsung TV to the factory setting:

1. Press the “Home” button and then go to Settings.
2. Next, click on Support > Self Diagnosis > Reset. (For other models: General > Reset)
3. After that, enter your PIN Code (which by default was “0000”), and your TV will automatically turn off and on again.

11. Check whether HBO Max is available in your region

Many people don’t realize that HBO Max isn’t available in some regions. However, it does cover most major regions in the world. So, if you are in a country that doesn’t support HBO Max, you cannot stream it on your Samsung TV.

However, you could use a VPN to circumvent the geo-restriction imposed by HBO Max.

Here is the list of countries where the HBO Max streaming service is available:

Mexico, United States (including Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the US Virgin Islands), Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Belize, Bolivia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Åland Islands, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Ceuta, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Hungary, Madeira, Melilla, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Svalbard & Jan Mayen, and Sweden.

12.  Check your HBO Max subscription’s validity.

Another reason why your HBO Max app is not working might be that your subscription has expired and hasn’t been renewed yet. So, renewing your subscription again might get your HBO Max to start working again. So, head over to the HBO Max site and make a subscription.

13. Contact HBO or Samsung customer support

By now, the HBO Max app should have started working properly on your Samsung TV. All the above-mentioned fixes cover all the troubleshooting tips that you would need. However, if the HBO Max app continues to crash, doesn’t load, or you get a black screen on your Samsung TV, then you could contact the customer care of HBO Max or Samsung for their support.

If some of your other apps not working on your Samsung smart TV, then check out our other related articles on this matter:

• Reasons & Fixes for YouTube App Not Working on Samsung TV
• Reasons & Fixes for Amazon Prime Video Not Working on Samsung TV

Other Ways to Access HBO Max on your Samsung Smart TV

For some reason, the HBO Max doesn’t work on your Samsung TV, or your TV is an older model that doesn’t support HBO Max; you can still watch it. As we’ve already mentioned, you can watch HBO Max on your Samsung smart TV using a streaming device or by screen casting from your iPhone. Here we will show you both methods.

Method 1: Pair a streaming device with your Samsung TV

With the help of a streaming device, you can pair it with your Samsung TV to access HBO Max and other apps. It doesn’t matter if you have an older Samsung TV that isn’t compatible with HBO Max or a newer model that is compatible. Both of them will work when coupled with a streaming device.

Some popular streaming device that supports the HBO Max app is Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV, and many more. For more information about devices that support HBO Max, you can visit their site.

Typically, you would need an HDMI cable to connect your streaming device with your Samsung TV. Next, you need to select HDMI as the source on your Samsung TV. After that, your streaming device should be up and running on your TV.

Method 2: Screen cast HBO Max from iPhone to Samsung TV

Screen casting HBO Max from your iPhone to your Samsung TV is an ingenious method. With this, you don’t need an additional streaming device. All you need to do is play the HBO Max app on your iPhone and then share the screen with the TV via an HDMI cable or wirelessly.

Steps on how to mirror your iPhone to a Samsung smart TV:

1. Start the “Control Center” by swiping down from the top-right of your iPhone home screen.
2. Next, tap on the “Screen Mirroring” option from the control center.
3. Then select your Samsung smart TV from the list of available devices.
4. A passcode will appear on your Samsung TV. Enter that passcode on your iPhone.
5. After that, your entire iPhone screen should appear on your Samsung TV.

Do all Samsung TVs support HBO Max?

Samsung TV models that were released in 2016 and later are most likely to support the HBO Max. So, Samsung TV from before 2016 will not be compatible with HBO Max. You can find out more about the list of Samsung TV that supports HBO Max on their site. 

However, the best way to confirm whether your Samsung TV supports HBO Max is by trying to install it. So, on your Samsung TV, select “Apps” and then type and search for “HBO Max” in the Samsung app store. If you cannot find HBO Max, then it isn’t supported by your Samsung TV.

How do I install HBO Max on my Samsung TV?

Why can’t I install HBO Max app?

The HBO Max app is not available in all countries. If you are in one of those countries where the HBO Max service isn’t available, you’ll receive their “Sorry, HBO MAX isn’t available in your region yet” message. This means you won’t be able to install the HBO Max app on any of your devices.

How to uninstall HBO Max on Samsung Smart TV?

Deleting an app on your Samsung smart TV is very straightforward. First, you need to press the Home button on your remote, then head over to Apps and click on the Settings icon from the top right corner. After that, select the app that you want to remove and select Delete and click Delete again for confirmation.

That being said, HBO Max is one of those apps that come preinstalled on your Samsung TV. You cannot delete this app from your Samsung TV.

Wrapping Up!

In this guide, we’ve learned all the reasons why the HBO Max app not working on Samsung TV. Moreover, we’ve discussed how to fix the HBO Max not working issue on Samsung TV. We hope that you will find this article very helpful and informative.

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