[7 Ways] How to Fix Hulu Playback Failure (Updated)

Hulu is one of the most recognized and popular video streaming service amongst various available. Multiple numbers of people at present use it.

It offers plenty of features and a wide variety of content and videos for fulfilling the needs of different users. Although it is widely used but Hulu service comes up with some issues for their users. One of the main issues is that sometimes users are not able to stream or play online videos. Users are severely affected by this service as this restricts the very purpose for which they tend to use the service. This problem leads to the Hulu Playback Failure error message on their screens whenever they try to play a video on Hulu.

There is another message accompanied with the error message “The server key used to start playback has expired. Please try restarting the application“. During this issue, the user sends a request to Hulu servers to play a specific video online but this request is not answered, following which the server key expires and users see the Hulu Playback failure error message on their computer screens.

Why Does Hulu Playback Failure Error Occur?

Hulu Playback Failure can be caused by the outage of Hulu service’s servers which stores everything related to Hulu and also the videos which are available for users to stream online on Hulu. It can also be caused due to an outage at servers which are located far from this chain.

In other words, we can say that Hulu Playback failure error message is produced when the app on your specific device is not able to connect with Hulu servers or when Hulu servers are not able to provide you the streaming of video that you are looking for. So in this case, you need to renew your server key which has expired.

How to Fix Hulu Playback Failure Error?

The error can also be caused due to some issues in your device, home network, or software. Below are some cases which can help you to remove Hulu Playback failure error:

Method #1 General Fixes

Before moving forward, you should try some most straightforward fixes that can help you to solve the Hulu Playback failure error message:

• Check your Internet connection.
• Turn off and turn on your Hulu service.
• Turn off and turn on your device’s modem and router.
• Check if your router needs any modifications and configuration to compete with your network.
• If you’re using a wireless connection to stream videos on Hulu service, then connect your device directly to your router using a wired connection such as an Ethernet cable.

Method #2 Check Hulu Service’s Social Media Accounts

Sometimes Hulu’s streaming services are shut down temporarily as the app crashes due to some technical problems. So if Hulu streaming services are not working and displaying the Hulu Playback failure error message, check Hulu’s social media accounts like Twitter to know if they have intentionally closed the service for some time.

UPDATE: Our developers have made us aware that a fix has been put in place to address the login issue we reported. We encourage users to attempt login once again. Please know that the work will continue to prevent this from happening in the future.

— Hulu Support (@hulu_support) January 25, 2018

The Hulu service might also get closed due to maintenance issues. You can also use DownDetector tool to know the status of Hulu service.

Method #3 Stream Video in Low-Quality Mode

Although it is not pleasurable to stream videos in the low-quality mode but you can use this resolution mode if you are getting the Hulu Playback failure error message. The low-quality videos can be accessed very quickly by you if you have a poor internet connection or speed. You can switch the Hulu service’s Auto quality mode on to let the app change the picture quality depending on per minute network speed.

Method #4 Clear the Hulu Cache

It is crucial to clear up the Hulu cache as it allows the service to run efficiently and smoothly. By clearing the memory, there will be enough space in the service to perform its operations properly. Follow the steps to clear Hulu memory to enjoy a fast speed video streaming on Hulu:

1. Go to Settings in your Android or iOS device.

2. Now go the Apps section and open Hulu.

3. Select Clear Cache option.

4. Clear out the unnecessary files and save the changes.

5. After this, your Hulu will stream the video content faster than before.

Method #5 Update Your Hulu App

The older versions of Hulu app can cause troubles for you while you try to stream videos on it. So update your Hulu app to its latest version to improve its performance. Your Hulu videos will stop playing if you are using older and outdated versions of Hulu app which are no more compatible with the service. So check your browser to get the updates.

Method #6 Restart the Hulu Service

Your Hulu app can lead to errors like Hulu Playback failure if it isn’t open correctly. So restart your Hulu service entirely instead of waiting for it to load the video. If restarting the Hulu service doesn’t help, reboot your device.

After restarting your device, it will reconfigure the connection settings to default and the Hulu service will start playing videos faster now.

Method #7 Do Not Connect Too Many Devices

If you are on a WiFi connection, ensure that the devices connected to your network are limited. You need high-speed Internet to play videos on Hulu app and if there are too many devices which are using your particular WiFi connection at the same time, download speed will get affected.

Method #8 Close Background Tabs

While using Hulu, make sure that no other app or service is running in the background of your device. As Hulu captures a lot of RAM space so clearing the background programs will help you. Try to run only the Hulu service at a time.

Conclusion

The above methods will help you to remove the error message from your device and you can now stream videos on Hulu uninterruptedly.