I have used the Amazon Prime Video app on every device imaginable. I have a love hate relationship with it. The app has great features. Thursday Night Football. The MGM library. X Ray showing actor information. But the interface is terrible. Cluttered. Confusing. Full of rental suggestions when you just want to watch free content.
After years of daily Prime Video usage, I know exactly how the app works. Where to find the free content. How to hide the rentals. How to fix the annoying bugs. And what to do when the app refuses to play anything.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the Amazon Prime Video app in 2026. Installation. Navigation. Settings. Hidden features. Troubleshooting. By the end, you will know how to make Prime Video work on any device.
Part of our guide to best streaming services 2026
Also see: Netflix App Guide → | Hulu App Guide →
How to Install the Amazon Prime Video App on Any Device
Prime Video works on almost every device. Here is how to get it on the most common devices.
On iPhone or iPad: Open the App Store. Search for Prime Video or Amazon Prime Video. Tap Get. Wait for the download. Sign in with your Amazon account. You need an Amazon Prime membership or a standalone Prime Video subscription.
On Android phone or tablet: Open the Google Play Store. Search for Prime Video. Tap Install. Wait. Open. Sign in with your Amazon account.
On Amazon Fire Stick or Fire TV: Prime Video comes pre installed. You do not need to install anything. Look for the Prime Video app in your apps list. The Fire Stick remote has a Prime Video button. Press it. Sign in with your Amazon account.
On Roku: Press the home button on your Roku remote. Scroll to Streaming Channels. Search for Prime Video. Add channel. The Prime Video app appears on your home screen. Sign in with your Amazon account.
On Apple TV: Open the App Store on your Apple TV. Search for Prime Video. Download. Sign in with your Amazon account.
On Smart TV (Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, TCL): Find the app store on your TV. Search for Prime Video. Install. Open. Sign in with your Amazon account. Most smart TVs from 2016 or newer support Prime Video.
On Xbox or PlayStation: Go to the Microsoft Store or PlayStation Store. Search for Prime Video. Download. Launch. Sign in with your Amazon account.
On computer (Windows or Mac): You do not need an app. Go to primevideo.com in your browser. Sign in with your Amazon account. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all work. Prime Video in a browser supports 4K on some computers.
What Prime Video does not work on: Some older smart TVs from 2015 or earlier. Linux computers. Most e-readers.
How to Navigate the Amazon Prime Video App
The Prime Video interface is the most confusing of all streaming apps. Amazon wants you to rent or buy movies. The free content is hidden. Here is how to find what you actually want.
The home screen: This is where Amazon shows you content. But most of it is rentals. Sponsored content. Movies you have to pay extra for. Scroll past the first few rows. The free content is further down. Look for the Prime banner on thumbnails. A blue Prime banner means included with your subscription. No banner means you have to pay.
The search icon (magnifying glass): Tap this to search for specific shows, movies, or actors. Type the name. Prime Video shows results. Look for the blue Prime banner. The first few results are often rentals. Scroll down to find free options.
Prime Video (tab): This tab shows only content included with your subscription. No rentals. No paid content. Use this tab to browse. It is the only way to avoid seeing things you have to pay for.
Movies (tab): This tab shows movies. But it includes rentals. Look for the blue Prime banner. Or use the filter button. Filter by Included with Prime to hide rentals.
TV Shows (tab): This tab shows TV shows. Same issue. Rentals mixed with free content. Filter by Included with Prime to see only free shows.
Sports (tab): This tab shows live sports and sports content. Thursday Night Football is here. Also sports documentaries and highlights. Most sports content is included with Prime.
My Stuff (watchlist): This is your personal list. Tap the + button on any show or movie. It saves to My Stuff. You can organize My Stuff into lists. Create a list for movies. Create a list for shows. Create a list for things to watch with your family.
Continue Watching: This section shows everything you started but did not finish. Prime Video remembers where you stopped. Tap a show to resume from that exact moment.
Important Settings You Should Change
Prime Video settings are hidden in different places depending on your device. Here is what you should adjust.
How to find settings: Tap your profile icon in the top right or bottom right corner of the app. Tap Settings or Account depending on your device.
Streaming quality: Go to Settings > Streaming Quality. Options include Best, Good, and Data Saver. Best uses the most data but gives the best picture. Good uses less data. Data Saver uses the least data. If you have unlimited internet, choose Best.
Download quality: In Settings on your phone or tablet. Choose between Best, Better, and Good. Best looks best but takes the most storage space. Each hour of Best quality download uses about 3 GB of storage.
Autoplay next episode: In Settings. Turn on or off. When on, the next episode plays automatically. When off, you have to press play manually. Most people leave this on.
Subtitles and captions: In Settings. Change subtitle size, color, font, and background. You can also turn on subtitles while watching by tapping the screen and tapping the speech bubble icon.
Parental controls: Go to Account > Parental Controls. You can set a PIN. You can block content by rating. You can restrict purchases. You can create a Kids profile that only shows age appropriate content.
X-Ray: No settings needed. While watching a show or movie, tap the screen. Tap the X-Ray button. It shows actor information. It shows the soundtrack song. It shows trivia about the scene. This is the best feature of Prime Video. Netflix and Hulu do not have anything like it.
Hidden Features You Probably Did Not Know About
After years of using Prime Video, I have found features that most people never discover.
Keyboard shortcuts on computer: Press F for full screen. Press Space or K for play and pause. Press M for mute. Press the left arrow or right arrow to rewind or fast forward 10 seconds. Press the up and down arrows to change volume. Press X to open X-Ray. These work on the Prime Video website in any browser.
X-Ray (best feature): While watching, tap the screen. Tap the X-Ray button. A panel appears showing actors in the current scene. Tap an actor to see their filmography. The panel also shows the soundtrack song. It shows trivia. It shows behind the scenes information. X-Ray works on most Prime Video originals and many licensed movies.
Remove from continue watching: Go to your Continue Watching section on a computer. Hover over a show. Click the X that appears. It disappears from your continue watching list. On mobile, tap and hold the show. Select Remove from Continue Watching.
Watch credits without interruption: Prime Video usually jumps to the next episode or the home screen when credits start. To watch credits, click the screen before the credits start. The autoplay timer appears. Click Cancel. The credits play without interruption.
Download on multiple devices: You can download to up to 3 devices at once. Downloads expire after 30 days. Some content expires faster. Some content cannot be downloaded due to licensing restrictions.
Hide rentals from search: On the website, go to Account > Settings. Turn on Hide Rentals or Buy from Search. This removes rental and purchase options from search results. You only see free content. This setting only works on the website. The app still shows rentals.
Free channels with Prime: Go to Prime Video Channels. Some channels are free with Prime. Amazon Freevee is free with ads. PBS Documentaries is free. Some niche channels are free. Scroll through the channels section to find free options. Most channels cost extra. Look for the free ones.
Thursday Night Football settings: During a live game, tap the screen. Options appear. You can choose different audio feeds. Home broadcast. Away broadcast. Spanish broadcast. You can choose different camera angles. Main camera. Sky camera. End zone camera. You can see real time stats. You can see play by play.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Based on user reports and my own experience, these are the most common Prime Video app problems and how to solve them.
The app is slow or freezing: Prime Video apps are slower than Netflix. First, restart the app. Close it completely and open again. Second, restart your device. Turn it off, wait 30 seconds, turn it back on. Third, check for app updates. Go to your device app store and see if Prime Video has an update. Fourth, reinstall the app. Delete Prime Video, download it again, sign back in.
Prime Video says cannot connect to the service: Check your internet connection first. Open another app or website. If that works, the problem is Prime Video. If not, restart your router. Unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, wait for the lights to return to normal. Try again. Prime Video servers sometimes have issues. Check downdetector.com to see if others have the same problem.
Video quality is poor or pixelated: Prime Video adjusts quality based on your internet speed. If your connection is slow, quality drops automatically. Go to settings and set streaming quality to Best. If you are watching a live event like Thursday Night Football, quality may be lower than on demand content. Live streaming requires more bandwidth.
X-Ray not working: X-Ray only works on Prime Video originals and select licensed movies. Not all content has X-Ray. Make sure you are watching content with the blue Prime banner. If X-Ray should work but does not, restart the app. Check for app updates. Reinstall the app if the problem continues.
Cannot download for offline viewing: Make sure you have enough storage space on your device. Downloads take significant space. Each hour of HD download uses about 1.5 GB. Check your plan. All Prime Video plans include downloads. If you have Prime membership, downloads are included. If you have standalone Prime Video, downloads are included. Restart the app and try again. Some content is not available for download due to licensing restrictions.
The app shows rentals even though I have Prime: This is normal. Amazon wants you to rent or buy movies. The free content is mixed with paid content. Look for the blue Prime banner. Use the Prime Video tab to see only free content. On the website, you can hide rentals from search results. In the app, you cannot hide them. You just have to scroll past them.
Thursday Night Football keeps buffering: Live sports requires a stable internet connection. Amazon recommends at least 15 Mbps for live 4K sports. Lower video quality in settings. Choose Good instead of Best. Use an Ethernet cable if possible. Wi Fi interference causes buffering. Move your router closer to your streaming device. The Prime Video app sometimes has issues during high traffic games. Close other apps on your device. Restart your router before the game starts.
Prime Video App vs Browser: Which Is Better?
You have two ways to watch Prime Video on a computer. The Windows app from the Microsoft Store. Or any browser like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
The browser version is better. You do not need to install anything. You get the same video quality. All keyboard shortcuts work. And you can hide rentals from search results in the browser. The Windows app does not have that setting.
On Mac, there is no Prime Video app. You have to use the browser. Safari supports 4K HDR on newer Macs. Chrome and Firefox are limited to 1080p. Use Safari on Mac for the best picture quality.
The Prime Video app on phones and tablets is the only option. The browser version on phones is terrible. Use the app on mobile devices. Use the browser on computers.
Comparison: Prime Video App on Different Devices
Not all Prime Video apps are the same. Here is what each version can and cannot do.
| Feature | Phone/Tablet | Smart TV | Fire Stick/Roku | Computer Browser |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4K streaming | Yes (on supported devices) | Yes | Yes | Yes (Safari only) |
| X-Ray | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thursday Night Football multi-view | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offline downloads | Yes | No | No | No |
| Hide rentals from search | No | No | No | Yes (website only) |
| Keyboard shortcuts | No | No | No | Yes |
If you want offline viewing, use a phone or tablet. If you want the best Thursday Night Football experience, use a smart TV or streaming device. If you want to hide rentals, use a computer browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Prime Video keep buffering? Check your internet speed. Prime Video needs at least 5 Mbps for HD and 15 Mbps for 4K. Go to settings and set streaming quality to Best. Restart your router. Use an Ethernet cable if possible.
How do I get 4K on Prime Video app? You need a 4K TV. You need a device that supports Prime Video 4K. You need a fast internet connection. Most Prime Video originals are in 4K. Thursday Night Football is in 4K. Go to settings and set streaming quality to Best.
What is X-Ray on Prime Video? X-Ray shows actor information for the current scene. It shows the soundtrack song. It shows trivia. It shows behind the scenes information. Tap the screen while watching. Tap the X-Ray button. It works on most Prime Video originals.
Can I use Prime Video app without internet? Yes for downloaded content. Download shows and movies while you have internet. Watch them offline anytime. Downloads expire after 30 days.
How do I hide rentals on Prime Video? On the website, go to Account > Settings. Turn on Hide Rentals or Buy from Search. This setting only works on the website. The app still shows rentals. In the app, use the Prime Video tab to see only free content.
Is Prime Video app free? The app is free to download. But you need an Amazon Prime membership or a standalone Prime Video subscription to watch anything. Prime membership costs one hundred and thirty nine dollars per year or fifteen dollars per month. Standalone Prime Video costs fifteen dollars per month.
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