Forum Discussion
Starting & closing the Telus TV app on Firestick
Hi,
If you don't specifically exit from the Telus TV app from the Settings menu, (you turn off the Firestick or it goes to sleep) then the next time the Telus TV app is launched (next day) it doesn't properly load by going to the "Who is watching" screen, it loads to where it was, freezes for a while, jumps to the "Who is watching" screen and then suddenly exits the app completely. Only then can you start the app properly anew. Is there a way to fix this? It is quite annoying, since exiting from apps on firetv is usually done by the back button, but that doesn't work on Telus TV app (unless they added an exit from app popup like the Silk Browser app I suppose). This daily cycle wastes a lot of time and seems like it could be improved.
6 Replies
TELUS_SupportOfficial Support Team
After doing some research, these are other options I'm seeing.
Use a "Background Apps" Killer
Since navigating the settings menu every day is tedious, many Firestick users install a utility app like Background Apps and Process List (available for free in the Amazon Appstore).
Opening this utility gives you a list of all running apps.
You can quickly select Telus TV+ and hit "Force Stop" in one or two clicks rather than digging through layers of Fire TV settings.
3. Clear the Cache Periodically
If the "freeze and jump" behavior is getting worse, it’s likely that the app's cache is bloated with old session data.
In the same Manage Installed Applications menu mentioned above, select Clear Cache (do not select "Clear Data" unless you want to log in again).
Doing this once a week can reduce the "handshake" time when the app tries to verify your profile on launch.
4. Adjust Firestick Sleep Settings
If you find the Firestick goes to sleep too quickly, causing the app to "zombify" while you're just grabbing a snack:
Go to Settings > Display & Sounds > Screensaver.
Adjust the Start Time to a longer duration. This won't fix the overnight issue, but it prevents the app from freezing during short breaks.
If you have identified the issue as being the "handshake" time when the app tries to verify the profile, don't you think it would be better if the app handled this situation, rather than requiring everyone to apply workarounds? Apps should just work, shouldn't they? Good programmers foresee and handle corner/edge cases ensuring the software always works cleanly... or maybe AI is now doing the coding as well as the support? It would be nice if it could be fixed.
- TELUS_Support
While we’ve provided some temporary fixes, such as clearing the cache or using a background app manager, we recognize that these are not ideal long term solutions. We're here to help and will continue working to make the app experience better for all users.
KHRTELUS Team Member
If your app isn't loading properly with a new session, there's a good chance that the Fire TV isn't actually being turned off or going to sleep; it is likely your television is being turned off or going to sleep and the Fire TV is still on. A turned off Fire stick WILL exit all apps and they'll cold start the next time the device is powered on and an app is launched.
There are 2 ways to exit the TELUS TV+ app on a Fire TV device; 1 is to exit through settings as you've discovered, 2 is to press the Home button on the Fire TV remote. Back/exit does not quit all apps; it does not close Netflix for example.
Ok, but whatever the cause, the user experience would be improved if the app handled the situation better. I use the power button on the firestick which turns off the TV. The screensaver in the firestick settings is set to never, and I'm not sure what other settings are relevant, and I have no control over how other users of the TV choose to turn it off, but the next day when I try to load the Telus TV app from the main menu, the issue I initially described occurs.
I can "Force Stop" it as mentioned in the other reply here, but that isn't convenient either. I just click the app, wait for it to do its jumping back to "Who's watching" and then jumping back to the main menu, and then it will load once I click on it again, but it is not ideal.
- TELUS_Support
Thanks for explaining this so clearly. Let's try force-stopping the app to see if that helps. Go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Telus TV > Force Stop, then relaunch the app.
