Disney Plus Malfunction: what to do with error codes

by Joost Nusselder Updated on: July 28, 2021

Has Disney Plus a fault?

Is there a Disney Plus outage? For example, can't you:

Login? Can't play movies and series? Or does the "continue look" function not work?

Check this page to see if there is currently a malfunction and what you can do about it yourself. If you experience a malfunction yourself, report it via the button below. This way you help other Disney+ viewers.

Thank you for your message! Also check out the ways to fix it yourself now or check out one of the alternatives to watch something right now.

A play theme in your mailbox every month?

Fun play tips, activity books and more, with the first email being our free mini-guide "educational toys"

Yes I want that!

We will only use your email address for this newsletter and respect your privacy

Most common issues with Disney+

The following problems are most common:

• Log in to Disney+ (30%)
• Watching a movie or series (56%)
• “Look further” button (14%)

Ways to solve your current outage

Are you stuck? Then these are the ways to contact Disney Plus, or read on for possible solutions.

Call Disney Plus Customer Service

Unfortunately, not every malfunction can be solved remotely. Then it is necessary to call Disney+ customer service. Fortunately, they can often help adequately. You can do this at the following phone number:

0800 – 022 14 76

Available daily from 08:00 to 24:00

Disney Plus email or chat

It is also possible to have contact by email or live chat. You can do this via the Disney+ customer service page:

Disney+ customer service page

Can't figure it out now and still watch something right away?

Check out one of these alternatives that you can sign up for or try for free:

Path at home

SIGN UP FOR FREE

Amazon

30 DAYS FREE TRIAL

How can you fix Disney Plus streaming problems?

Disney + has been in the Netherlands for some time now and although the launch of the streaming service in the US was a bit technically shaky, the Netherlands seems to have been spared all problems and malfunctions after the first weeks.

That said, some users still experience the occasional hiccup, including out-of-sync audio and video playback and buffering.

Here are some ways you can minimize any streaming issues you may encounter.

Is your Disney Plus freezing?

Having used the service myself, I know what can happen, although I haven't had too many problems. Recently, however, while watching the second episode of The Mandalorian, I noticed a few glitches.

I was eating, so I half-watched the intro, but when I looked up, I noticed the screen was frozen as the audio continued. After a short break and play, it continued with the rest of the episode.

Frustratingly, I had to turn off the subtitles because they went off a full second or two before the footage.

While it may not solve every problem you encounter, we've consulted the Disney+ troubleshooting page so you don't have to do it yourself.

How to solve Disney Plus video playback problems?

We recommend following the steps in the order below. In between steps, try looking at Disney+ again to see if the issue is resolved. If you don't notice any improvement, continue to the next step.

• Close the Disney+ app completely: Start by completely shutting down Disney+ (and any other apps or programs running in the background), then try opening Disney+ again.
• Perform a power cycle: Turn off your device (and if applicable, the modem and router). Wait a few minutes and then turn it back on.
• Check your connection: Run a speed test on your device and compare your results with these recommendations.
• Improve your connection: If speeds aren't up to the recommendations, there are steps you can take to improve your connection.
• Test other apps or programs on your device: If you notice similar issues, it could be due to a bad connection. Contact your ISP for more information on how to improve your connection.
• Check for app and system updates: Visit your device's app store to check for updates to Disney+. Go to your device's settings menu to check for system updates.
• Clear cache and data: You can clear the cache/data from your device's settings menu. This step removes temporary files to free up the necessary space.
• Uninstall and reinstall Disney+: On certain devices, you can uninstall and reinstall the Disney+ app to improve any streaming issues.
• If you've tried these steps and you're still having playback issues, please contact customer service through one of the contact channels below.

Why won't my Disney+ video play?

Check your internet connection

A slow internet connection could be the problem. Check your location and the number of Disney+ devices connected to your network. Both can delay playback.

A weak internet connection can also cause problems. Check the strength of your device - if it's low, try moving closer to your Wi-Fi router.

Try it on another device

Try another Disney+ device to see if the problem occurs with that device.

Update your device

Make sure your device is running on the latest version of the operating system.

Why do I see a spinning wheel?

• Refresh, close or restart your web browser or app and open it again
• Close other applications on your device that may be running at the same time
• If your device is on a 3G, 4G, or 5G mobile network, try using a Wi-Fi network for more reliable video streaming

Why am I seeing a blank screen?

Make sure you don't have a content filter, antivirus, proxy accelerator, or pop-up blocker that prevents you from streaming video content.

If you use this, please disable these services and try again.

Disney Plus Troubleshooting on Apple Devices

• Tap and hold the Disney app icon until it shakes
• Tap the x in the top left corner
• Press Delete
• Reinstall the app from the Apple App Store

Disney Plus Troubleshooting on Android Devices

• Tap Play Store
• Tap the three lines in the top left corner
• Tap My apps
• Tap the app you want to remove
• Tap Delete and confirm
• Reinstall the app from the Google Play Store

This way you can be sure that you are using the latest version of Disney +. Please note that if the Disney+ app is removed from your device, your downloads will be deleted.

My Disney Plus is still not working. How do I solve this?

If none of Disney's tips solve your problems, you still have a few options. The first one is very simple, test other services you have. Check Netflix or Videoland if you have a subscription to them and if not, load YouTube.

If it still buffers, the problem is your internet, which means it may not be able to keep up with your data needs or there may be an ISP or modem problem.

After you've tested other devices to confirm it's not your internet, it's time to turn to Disney. Take screenshots or photos as evidence, log the issues and when they occurred, and take all the evidence to the Disney help desk.

There is a live chat option otherwise call the support team or ping them on social media. It's open seven days a week from 08.00 a.m. to midnight, according to the site.

Disney Plus channels

Here you can reach Disney Plus in case of possible malfunctions

Various Disney Plus error codes

While the Disney Plus development team will no doubt fight any bug they encounter, we're here to provide additional support with our guide to the app's various bug reports.

disney plus error 83

Device compatibility issue.

Error code 83 seems to be one of the biggest issues plaguing subscribers. If you see this message, it means there is a device compatibility issue. Essentially, Disney Plus doesn't work with the specific device you're trying to watch videos on.

This may seem frustrating because if your device isn't compatible with Disney Plus, how did you manage to download the app in the first place? Well, there are a number of other factors that can affect device compatibility.

The first thing to try, and we hate to say it, is to turn your device off and on again. As stupid as that advice is, you don't know how often a simple power cycle is the answer to all your technical woes.

Then check to make sure your device is actually compatible with the service.

If you've tried these steps, the next step is to make sure your firmware is up to date on the device you're using.

This won't affect most new devices, but if you're running a particularly old iOS or Android operating system, for example, Disney Plus may reject your device. So make sure to update your iOS or Android to the most recent version before trying to run the app again.

If you're trying to watch on another device, such as a smart TV, PlayStation 4, or Xbox One, you'll find software update guides on the manufacturer's websites.

That said, you'll almost always find the software updates in a "system," "about," or "general" menu in just about any internet-connected device.

If a firmware update is ready to install/download, you will likely see a small notification indicator (like when you get a new message or email).

If all else fails and you desperately want to stream Disney Plus, try logging in on a different device.

As frustrating as that may sound, a device compatibility issue like Error 83 means the app has a problem with the specific device you're using, so switching to a computer, game console, or smart TV should yield a different result.

Disney Plus Error Code 42

Problems connecting to the service.

Another common error code that Disney Plus spews out is Error 42. In a cruel twist, no one seems to be able to find a solution to the error code that also appears to be common.

Based on what we can gather from internet forums, error 42 indicates a problem connecting to the Disney Plus service. That could be a server error on the Disney end or a problem with your internet connection.

If it's an issue with Disney's servers, Disney Plus may struggle to meet the demand of everyone streaming at the same time.

Problems like this usually occur during peak usage times (e.g. when a new episode of The Mandalorian comes out), and unfortunately there is no other solution but to wait. Disney has admitted that it hadn't fully anticipated the app's popularity before launch.

(How it didn't anticipate such popularity when it offered exclusive access to a brand new TV show from one of history's biggest franchises is a mystery, but hey).

This won't be a problem forever. Disney will eventually beef up its servers to meet the demands of hungry Star Wars and Marvel fans around the world, but that will take time.

The second possibility is that your internet connection is not strong enough to stream Disney Plus. This is especially relevant if you're trying to stream in 4K (which uses more bandwidth and data than a standard or high-definition stream).

Glad if so because there are quite a few troubleshooting solutions for poor internet connection like we discussed above as well.

(If your home internet speeds are typically less than 5 Mbps, it's probably time to upgrade anyway).

disney plus error 73

Location availability issue.

Subscribers reporting error code 73 are reporting location and availability issues. This appears to affect subscribers attempting to stream Disney Plus in countries where it is already available.

First of all, it's important to note that this can be a content availability issue. The availability of content differs per country.

For example, Avengers: Infinity War was available in Australia and New Zealand at launch, but not in the US and the Netherlands. If there's a chance you've found your way to a Disney Plus title through a Google search or streaming search engine, you may have landed on a title that isn't yet available in your location.

If you're receiving error 73, the first step would be to reset your Internet connection by restarting your modem if you're on a home network, or refreshing your network connection by turning airplane mode on and off when you're on a mobile device.

If that doesn't work, it's worth checking if you're browsing from another country using a VPN app or browser plugin.

Follow these steps to try to diagnose your location issue:

• Check if the title is available in your country by searching for the title on Disney Plus.
• Reset your Wi-Fi modem or cellular network connection (wait 30 to 60 seconds before reconnecting).
• Check where you are currently looking from using an IP address lookup tool.
• If the results show that you are browsing somewhere other than your current location, check your browser plugins and running apps. If a VPN is active (e.g. ExpressVPN), close the application or reset your location settings.

Disney Plus Error 24 and 43

Login or connection problem.

Two similar error codes that hurt us all: error code 24 and 43. You have a login or connection problem, so what should you do?

• First check your internet connection.
• If fixing those issues doesn't work, try logging out and out of Disney+.
• If that doesn't work, check your billing information. One of these solutions should fix the problem.

Disney Plus Error Code 39

Streaming through Xbox One issue.

This error code is one for the Xbox One users. There's a quick and easy solution to this problem: make sure you're not streaming Disney+ on another device at the same time. So check your laptop, computer, smartphone or tablet.

Once you close the Disney+ app on those devices, refresh your Xbox One and it should work!

But another lesser-known solution worth mentioning: change your HDMI port on your TV that connects to your Xbox.

All Disney Plus error codes

Lees meer: is a Disney+ subscription worth the money?

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.