Amazon Fire TV stick users can reduce lag with one setting

Buffering and slow-loading screens can impact anyone and be an annoyance when trying to load something up.

Even if you’re not using the latest version of the Fire TV stick, it is likely not the device itself that’s causing the issue.

There’s a simple change that can be made in the settings, which should sort this problem if it arises.

What setting should Amazon Fire TV stick users change to reduce lag?

The section that will need to be altered is ‘Featured Content autoplay’, which runs preview videos on the home screen as you browse the available content.

These small snippets start loading before you’ve even hit play, so they end up competing for bandwidth with your stream.

As a result, this could potentially make the device run a bit sluggishly.

If you want to change this, you can navigate to ‘Settings’ after clicking ‘Home’. From here, select ‘Preferences’, and open ‘Featured Content’.

After that, switch ‘Allow Video Autoplay’ to off, and do the same for ‘Allow Audio Autoplay’.

This should allow the home screen to run at a much quicker pace, and content should load faster without any lag.

If this doesn’t do the trick, a soft reboot of the device might help, which can be accomplished by holding ‘Select’ and ‘Play/Pause’ simultaneously.

It could also be useful to update the software of the Fire TV stick by going to ‘Settings’ and checking for any updates.

Are fire sticks illegal in the UK?

Amazon Fire TV Sticks are legal in the UK, but become illegal when modified.

These devices, often referred to as being “jailbroken”, offer access to premium, subscription-only content such as live sports or movies without the appropriate payments being made.

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) issued a warning at the end of 2025 to anyone using “dodgy” Fire Sticks in the UK.

The warning follows a high-profile case involving Jonathan Edge from Liverpool.

He was jailed for three years and four months for both running and personally using an illegal streaming service.

FACT chairman Kieron Sharp said: “This campaign makes it clear that end users of illegal streaming services are breaking the law.

“The risks are real, from potential criminal liability to exposure to scams, viruses, and harmful content.

“We urge people to protect themselves and their families by only using legitimate providers.”

Amazon is also working to block the use of illegal fire sticks, working to block apps that are identified as helping users gain illegal access to pirated content.

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A spokesperson said: “Piracy is illegal, and we’ve always worked to block it from our Appstore.

“Through an expanded program led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition fighting digital piracy, we’ll now block apps identified as providing access to pirated content, including those downloaded from outside our Appstore.

“This builds on our ongoing efforts to support creators and protect customers, as piracy can also expose users to malware, viruses, and fraud.”