Starlink says “obstructed”: read the map and fix it

How to read the obstruction map

After setup, Starlink says the app shows a live obstruction map of where blockages actually happen. It’s the sky seen from your dish, flattened into a circle. Here is our own drawing of one, with the five things to look for:

Match each patch to something real. Stand next to the dish, face the direction of the patch (the map’s N, E, S and W are compass directions), and look up at about the height the patch reaches. Low patch: look near the horizon. Patch halfway to the middle: look about halfway up the sky. You’ll usually find the tree, roofline or wire right away.

How long until the map is accurate

Not right away. Starlink says it can detect most obstructions in less than a day, and the map keeps updating. While it learns, frequent “Obstructed” alerts are normal: “This is more common while Starlink is still learning the nearby obstructions.” Starlink also says the alert “can disappear as Starlink learns the surrounding obstructions and gets better at avoiding them.”

And it keeps getting better: “As the obstruction map becomes more accurate, and as more satellites are launched, Starlink can route around more obstacles. That means fewer interruptions.” So the rule is simple: after installing or moving the dish, wait about a day before you judge the map or move anything.

“It says obstructed, but nothing’s there”

Work down this list before you move the dish:

1. It’s still learning. New install or just moved? Give it a day.
2. Something new is in the way. Starlink’s list of common culprits:
   • New branches or leaves, especially in the spring, when trees fill in and are more likely to block the field of view.
   • Material on the Starlink. Check that nothing has fallen on it or coated it, such as dead leaves or soil.
   • Snow on the Starlink. The Starlink melts ordinary snow. A blizzard can leave temporary snow buildup.
3. It’s misaligned, not obstructed. The app shows a separate “Misaligned” alert once the dish is 5° or more out. A mount that shifted in wind is a common cause. Re-run the alignment: Wait until your Starlink is online. Tap Alignment in the Starlink app. Follow the prompts on the screen.
4. You’re looking at the empty band. It’s supposed to be there.
5. It was a switch, not a dropout. “Switches around trees and buildings are generally imperceptible. Do not move the dish for that alone.”

Then check what actually happened. The app’s Statistics show speed, uptime, latency, outages and alerts. The Event Log shows outages, router issues and other events. A “Recent interruptions” alert means online and healthy now, but elevated packet loss in the last 15 minutes; may be weather, network or obstructions. If drops line up with a storm, it’s weather, not the trees.

Move it, or leave it?

Starlink is clear that waiting only goes so far: “An obstruction that stays in the field of view can still cause intermittent outages, dropped packets, and lower speeds.”

Fix it in six steps

Starlink’s own fix comes in three steps:

1. Relocate your Starlink to a clear spot. Unplug it and reboot it when you move it.
2. If there is no other installation location, clear the obstruction, such as removing a branch, or raise the Starlink above the obstruction with a Starlink mount. Extended cables are available in the Starlink shop. You can also use a third-party tower or pole.
3. If you cannot safely install the Starlink or clear the obstruction, do not proceed. Seek professional assistance. See the Terms of Service.

Here’s how that works in practice:

1. 01

   Step 1: Screenshot the map and note where the patches are

   Open the obstruction map in the Starlink app. Note which side each patch is on and how far it reaches toward the middle. Check Statistics and the Event Log for how often you actually drop.
2. 02

   Step 2: Walk the property for a clearer spot

   Use the app’s sky scan from other spots and heights: the other end of the roof, a gable wall, a pole spot, an open corner of the yard.
3. 03

   Step 3: Move the dish, then unplug and reboot it

   Starlink says to relocate the dish to a clear spot and unplug and reboot it when you move it. Then confirm it is in a clear location, mounted firmly and oriented correctly.
4. 04

   Step 4: No better spot? Clear the obstruction or raise the dish

   Remove the branch that shows up on the map, or lift the dish above it on a Starlink mount, a pole or a third-party tower. Use a longer official cable if you need one; don’t splice.
5. 05

   Step 5: Re-align the dish with the app

   Wait until it is online, tap Alignment in the Starlink app and follow the prompts.
6. 06

   Step 6: Wait a day, then compare

   Starlink says it can detect most obstructions in less than a day, and the map keeps updating. Compare the new map and your drop count with the screenshots from step 1.

• Longer cable: Starlink sells a 45 m (147 ft) cable, and advises against cutting, splicing or joining cables to add length.
• Pole mounts: Starlink says its installers can’t do them. Plan a DIY pole or a local contractor. Pole and mast mounts, and the sky angle calculator for the height.
• Trees: one limb is often the whole problem. Trim, raise or move.

Can you reset the obstruction map?

Starlink’s help articles we read don’t describe a reset for the obstruction map. What they do say: when you move the dish, unplug it and reboot it, and the map keeps updating as the dish learns. So after a move, reboot, re-align, and give it a day to draw the new sky.

If you can’t fix it

Some homes can’t get a clear enough view without work you can’t do. If you bought the kit on starlink.com, Starlink’s return policy covers exactly this: Starlink gives a full refund on a starlink.com kit returned up to 30 days after the Payment Due Date, for any reason, including a dish whose sky turns out to be blocked. To return it you have to cancel the subscription. If you bought it in a store or from a reseller, Starlink says “contact them directly to return your Starlink.” Store return windows can be shorter, so check the receipt.