Hulu is an American subscription streaming service owned by The Walt Disney Company. Launched in 2007, it features an array of movies—from Disney Pictures, 20th Century Fox, ABC, and much more. But, Hulu subscribers have recently faced the issue where Hulu won’t fast forward.
Users have also asked why Hulu won’t let me rewind. This guide will show you how to fix the Hulu won’t fast forward or rewind problem when streaming your favorite movie. Read this guide to know more.
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How to Fix Hulu Won’t Fast Forward or Rewind Issue
If you’re one of the users wondering, “Why can’t I fast forward on Hulu movies?”, it can be due to various reasons. But, it’s essential to know that contents aired on the same day are not skippable; the same goes with live TV.
However, if you cannot fast-forward or rewind while streaming on-demand content, you can try the fixes below to solve this annoying issue.
Fix #1: Power Cycle Your Smart TV
Power cycling is an effective solution to most bugs on the Hulu app. It helps by resetting your TV’s components and processes that might be causing the Hulu fast-forward or rewind bug. To power cycle your smart TV, follow these steps:
- Turn off your smart TV and unplug its power cable from the socket.
- Wait for 20 minutes to drain the power. You can also press the power button on the side of the TV a few times.
- Switch on your smart TV and launch the Hulu app. Watch your desired movie and see if the fast-forward and rewind buttons work.
If your TV is a Samsung, we have a guide devoted to How to Fix Hulu Not Working on your Samsung TV.
Fix #2: Clear the Hulu App’s Cache
Outdated cache and other temporary app data can sometimes cause glitches in the Hulu app and its features. These data can quickly pile up, consuming much of your streaming device’s internal storage.
To clear the Hulu app’s cache on various devices, follow the steps below:
On Android
- Go to Settings > Apps and select Hulu.
- Choose Clear Cache and Clear App Data.
- Reopen the Hulu app and see if the issue is fixed.
On Roku
- Turn on your smart TV with the Roku device connected.
- Press the Home button on the Roku remote five times.
- Select the Up button once and the rewind button twice.
- Next, press the fast-forward button twice. Your Roku device will now begin to clear cache data and reboot.
On Fire Stick
- Switch on your smart TV with the Fire Stick device plugged in.
- Navigate to Settings > Applications and select Manage Installed Applications.
- Choose Hulu and select the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons.
- Reboot your device and open Hulu. See if the issue is solved.
If this fix does not work, please read our article which fully explains Hulu Firestick issues and how to fix them.
Fix #3: Restart Your Stream and the Hulu App
Sometimes, you might experience bugs on the media player while watching your desired movie on Hulu. A quick fix to this will be restarting the stream and checking if all buttons—including fast forward and rewind buttons—work normally. If it’s ineffective, you can try restarting the Hulu app and see if it fixes the problem.
Fix #4: Reinstall the Hulu App
Another solution to the fast-forward and rewind bug on Hulu is reinstalling the app. This way, the latest version of the app will be downloaded on your device and can potentially solve other streaming issues. To reinstall the Hulu app on your streaming device, proceed to these steps:
On Streaming Devices
- Turn on your smart TV together with your streaming device.
- Navigate to Settings > Apps and select the Hulu app.
- Go to the Options menu and select Uninstall.
On iOS
- Find the Hulu app icon on the home screen.
- Press and hold the app icon until it shakes.
- Select the Remove App option.
After uninstalling, you can reinstall the Hulu app on your streaming device via its dedicated app Store. Then, you can now log in to your Hulu account and see if the fast-forward and rewind buttons on the media player now work well.
Fix #5: Contact Hulu Support
If you still have the same issues despite trying all the fixes above, you can try contacting Hulu Help for further assistance. Experts from their support team are capable of finding the cause of the fast-forward and rewind problem on your Hulu media player. They can also recommend some troubleshooting tips that you can follow to help solve this issue.
Final Thoughts
When watching a movie through Hulu, there are some scenes on film that you’ll want to skip forward or rewind when you’ve missed a scene. But it’s important to remember that all live events and streams are often unskippable; hence, you might assume that the buttons are broken.
However, it’s also possible to face this issue when watching on-demand content. Hence, this guide hopefully helps you to solve the Hulu won’t fast forward or rewind issue when streaming a movie on the Hulu app.