How Can I Get My Roku to Work Again

Roku has quickly get a become-to name for all things streaming. With the company's assortment of excellent quick-connect media hubs and top-rated TVs, owning a Roku-branded product is one of the best means to footstep into the world of popular movie and Idiot box show apps like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and more.

Designed for the cord-cutters and internet devotees of the A/V globe, Roku devices are incredible, reliable, and adequately low-cost, but that doesn't mean they're invincible. Maybe you've noticed that your Roku device hasn't been working equally fast lately, or you've encountered a glitch or 2 with some of your favorite apps. In this guide, we'll intermission downward some of the most common problems you may experience with your Roku hardware and what you tin exercise to try and fix things.

Roku Voice Remote Pro. — Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends

How to restart, update, and reset your Roku

Most Roku issues tin be apace solved by a restart, a software update, or in worst-instance scenarios, a factory reset. Earlier moving on to any other troubleshooting steps, try these first.

How to restart your Roku

Press the Home button on your Roku remote.
Scroll up or downward and select Settings.
Select System.
Select System restart.
Utilize the remote'south directional pad to highlight the Restart button and press OK.
Your Roku device will now restart.

Sometimes, your Roku streaming device will simply freeze up, and the remote appears to be completely unresponsive. When this happens, you tin often restart the device without needing the on-screen menus. To do this, follow this button-printing sequence on your Roku remote precisely:

Press the Habitation button five times.
Press the Up pointer once.
Press the Rewind push button ii times.
Printing the Fast Forward button two times.
Later a few seconds of completing this sequence, your Roku should restart.

And if your Roku won't even respond to these commands, a third option would be to completely disconnect the device from power. Unplug, wait about ten seconds, then reconnect the ability cable. Once your Roku restarts, grab your remote to check if your device is responding to button prompts again.

How to update Roku software

If a restart doesn't help, your software may be the problem. Roku software updates usually happen automatically in the background, without any need for yous to take activeness. But now and and then, this process doesn't work and information technology's a good idea to cheque and update your Roku OS manually. If yous're experiencing problems, it's always a practiced idea to check the condition of your Roku software earlier moving on.

Roku Check now menu. — Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

Press the Home push on your Roku remote.
Coil up or down and select Settings.
Select System.
Select Organization update.
- This screen will show yous the current software and build version and the date and time information technology was added to your Roku.
Select Cheque now to manually check for updates.
If an update for your software or your installed channels is bachelor, it volition be downloaded and installed automatically and your Roku will reboot. It's very of import that this process is allowed to complete without interruption.

How to factory reset your Roku

A factory reset is a thermonuclear pick for fixing problems. As the proper noun suggests, it returns your Roku to the same country it was in when you pulled it out of the box. This means that all of your settings including downloaded channels and network preferences will exist wiped out. Every bit such, nosotros suggest keeping this one in your back pocket for when everything else fails.

Press the Abode push button on your Roku remote.
Coil up or down and select Settings.
Select System.
Select Advanced organisation settings.
Select Manufacturing plant reset.
Select Manufacturing plant reset everything and then follow the on-screen instructions.

The higher up steps assume your Roku is even so responsive and gives you the option of using the on-screen menus. If information technology doesn't, switch to plan B past using the physical reset push button on your device.

The four kinds of Roku factory reset buttons.

On some Roku products, like the Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick+ 4K, the reset push can be pushed with your finger. On set-top devices like the Roku Ultra, it'south usually a recessed button that requires a paperclip or other pocket-sized, pointed object to press.

Once you've found it, make sure your Roku device is powered on, and so press and hold the reset push firmly for most x seconds. The indicator light will glimmer rapidly on almost Roku devices when the factory reset is complete.

Gear up Roku remote control problems

Roku devices come with 2 different kinds of remote controls. One kind is an infrared (IR) remote and the other is an enhanced "indicate-anywhere" remote. Before y'all effort to gear up problems with your Roku remote, y'all should figure out which one you take.

How to tell what kind of Roku remote you have

Remove the battery encompass from the back of the remote. Just below where the batteries sit, you may discover a small push button. If you do, you've got an enhanced "betoken-anywhere" remote. If you don't, yours is an IR remote.

Alternatively, yous can e'er try downloading the Roku Remote app from the iOS or Google Play store . The app allows your phone to office equally a Roku remote and might provide a solution if your remote is damaged beyond repair.

For IR remotes

IR remotes need to be able to "see" the Roku device they control. Virtually all problems with IR remotes stem from the remote non having a direct line-of-sight to your Roku device. Well-nigh of the time, IR signals can bounce off walls and ceilings to reach their target, merely even then, if your Roku device is stuck behind another object, those IR signals won't go far.

Incorrect placement for Roku devices with IR remotes

When seated wherever you commonly lookout TV, if you can run across the unabridged forepart side of your Roku device, y'all should be fine. If you can't, motility the Roku until y'all can. Never place a Roku device that uses an IR remote behind your TV or inside a cabinet.

The remote's batteries also can exist a problem. If the remote works well sometimes, but not all the time, endeavour pulling the batteries out and replacing them. That might fix a problem with a poor connection.

Weak IR signals tin can be some other problem. Recall of an IR remote equally a flashlight that shines a calorie-free that you lot tin't come across. If the batteries are old, that low-cal will be too weak. If the batteries are actually depleted, the remote might not respond to button presses at all. Try replacing the batteries with new ones.

For enhanced 'point-anywhere' remotes

These remotes are a scrap more sophisticated, so at that place are several ways to troubleshoot their functioning. The first step is to endeavor the aforementioned bombardment tricks as in a higher place — remove and supplant them, or merely install new ones.

If this doesn't help, the next footstep is to restart both the Roku device and the remote:

Remove the ability cable from the Roku device.
Remove the batteries from the remote.
Plug the Roku device dorsum in, and wait for it to cease booting up — you should come across the home screen.
Reinsert the batteries into the remote and wait about thirty seconds. The remote should now respond to push presses.

If the restart procedure doesn't fix your trouble, you may demand to pair the remote over again to your Roku:

Remove the power cable from the Roku device.
Remove the batteries from the remote.
Plug the Roku device dorsum in, and await for it to cease booting upward — you should see the domicile screen.
Reinsert the batteries into the remote, but don't supersede the battery embrace yet.
Press and agree the pairing button inside the battery compartment of the remote for three seconds or until y'all come across the pairing light on the remote begin to wink. Depending on your remote, the pairing light might exist abreast the pairing push button, or on the top surface of the remote, near the bottom cease. If the light does non flash, try again. If the light nonetheless does not flash, attempt replacing the batteries.
Look for 30 seconds while the remote establishes a connexion with your Roku device.
You should and so meet the remote pairing dialog on your Tv set screen.

In rare instances, wireless signal interference can cause problems with enhanced remotes. If you own a Roku Streaming Stick or Streaming Stick+ and they're plugged into an HDMI port on the rear panel of your Television set, an HDMI extender cablevision could help motion the Stick away from the main body of the TV, thereby reducing whatever interference the Telly could be causing. If you own a Roku Streaming Stick, Roku will send you one of these cables for free.

It's as well possible that there's simply as well much congestion on the 2.4GHz frequency used by the remote to communicate with the Roku. I way to solve that problem is to switch your Wi-Fi router to a different wireless channel. Another solution is to switch your Roku to your router'due south 5GHz network if it has one.

Gear up Roku Wi-Fi bug

Wi Fi router on a table. — Ijansempoi/Shutterstock

If yous're experiencing degraded video or audio quality, overall slowness of your Roku when responding to commands, or you see "non connected" in the summit correct corner of your home screen, you lot're probably dealing with Wi-Fi issues. Checking Wi-Fi signal strength is the all-time identify to outset. Check the condition of your Internet connexion forcefulness past going to Settings > Network. Assuming you're really connected to Wi-Fi, the signal strength volition be listed as Excellent, Practiced, Fair, or Poor. If it'south Fair or Poor, you should endeavor to improve it.

Evidently, relocating your Boob tube won't be an option very oftentimes, simply you might withal benefit from relocating the Roku itself. Endeavor repositioning it and encounter if it helps. Roku Sticks are harder to reposition because they're commonly plugged right into the Television set, but an HDMI extender cable can give you the extra play you need to reposition them.

If your Roku device has an Ethernet port and yous're able to connect it to an Ethernet cable, this is an easy way to examination if information technology's your Wi-Fi that's at fault.

A "not continued" message on the home screen indicates that you're either completely outside of your Wi-Fi network'due south range, or you've entered the wrong Wi-Fi password for your router. If your phone, tablet, or laptop is continued via Wi-Fi — in the same general location every bit your Roku — that suggests a problem with the password. Check your Roku's network settings and try once more.

If yous see Roku error code 009, information technology means that your Roku is successfully connected to your router, just it can't reach the Net. If your other Wi-Fi devices are operating unremarkably, restart your Roku. If the other devices can't connect either, effort rebooting your modem and router, and so restart your devices. If this fails, you should contact your Isp.

If moving your Roku is out of the question, consider moving your Wi-Fi router, or adjusting its external antennas if it has any. Fifty-fifty small changes to your router can have a big impact on how wireless signals movement around your house. If you've noticed Wi-Fi troubles with one or more devices in your dwelling (other than your Roku), it may be worth it to upgrade to a new router birthday.

If your habitation is on the bigger side, or there are many walls and floors between your amusement devices and your router, a mesh organization may exist your all-time bet. With a mesh network, your principal router will broadcast to a series of smaller "nodes" throughout your home. Instead of struggling to pair with the main router, a device similar a Roku volition take a much easier fourth dimension connecting to one of your new network's satellite nodes.

Fix Roku audio problems

Audio problems on the Roku, similar no audio, distorted audio, or audio dropouts, can be caused by software settings or problems with your hardware and/or cables depending on the complication of your setup.

Earlier trying any of the following solutions, we advise yous offset turn off your Roku and continued devices, unplug the power, wait 10 seconds and then plug it dorsum in and ability your gear on again. It sounds silly, but you'd be amazed how many bug — including audio troubles — this tin can fix.

No audio at all? Check your connections and selected inputs

(If your Roku is a stick-way device connected directly to your TV, you tin can skip this section.)

Check to make sure your HDMI, optical, or component cables are deeply inserted into your Roku on the 1 end, and your A/Five receiver, HDMI switcher, or soundbar, on the other terminate.
Make sure all of your components are powered on.
Check that y'all've selected the correct input on your A/5 receiver, HDMI switcher, or soundbar.
Cheque to run across if your audio component'southward mute function is on (if it is, turn it off).
Adjust the volume level on your audio component higher and lower to see if this makes whatever difference.

Still no audio? Check your Roku'due south audio settings

If your Roku is connected to an A/Five receiver or soundbar using an optical (TOSLink) cable, try the following:

Press the Home button on your Roku remote.
Ringlet up or down and select Settings.
Select Audio.
Ready HDMI and S/PDIF to Dolby D (Dolby Digital).

If your Roku is continued to an A/Five receiver, soundbar, or Idiot box via HDMI, attempt the following:

Press the Domicile push on your Roku remote.
Scroll upward or down and select Settings.
Select Audio.
Set up Audio style to Stereo.
Gear up HDMI to PCM-Stereo.

All the same no audio? Swap your cables

Information technology's fairly rare, but on occasion, your HDMI, optical, or component cables can exist faulty. If none of the steps so far take helped, endeavor switching out your cable(s) with another fix. This can be frustrating if you don't have an extra fix handy, but the good news is that all three types are inexpensive and you can notice them at your local retailer or online.

Selective audio

Sometimes, you'll hear sound on some kinds of content merely non others. This is usually a compatibility problem with the sound format(s) y'all're trying to play and the audio format(s) your continued gear tin support. If this happens, try the same procedure as in a higher place for HDMI devices and if you're using an optical (TOSLink) cable, set HDMI and S/PDIF to PCM-Stereo.

You lot're expecting environment sound but you're only getting stereo

Normally your Roku tin can determine the capabilities of your Tv, A/V receiver, or soundbar automatically, simply sometimes information technology needs aid. If you're watching surroundings sound content that's presented in Dolby v.ane or Dolby Atmos, but you tin can only hear stereo sound:

Press Home on your remote control.
Scroll up or downwardly to Settings.
Select Audio.
Your HDMI (or HDMI and S/PDIF on Roku players with an optical connector) will likely be gear up to Auto Notice. Choose the option that matches the capabilities of your TV, A/Five receiver, or soundbar.
Channels can have their own discrete sound settings. For example, Netflix may require you to select English (5.i) under Audio and Subtitles.

Garbled or distorted sound

We've seen reports, specifically related to the Roku Ultra, but possibly on other models besides, of garbled or distorted audio. A fix that seems to work in this instance, is to begin playback of the desired video, and so:

Press the Star or Asterisk (*) push.
Curl to Volume Fashion.
Select OFF by scrolling correct.

Audio and video are out of sync

Some users have reported that their audio and video lose sync while playing content. Though somewhat counterintuitive, a fix that seems to piece of work involves tweaking the video refresh properties:

Press the Abode button on your Roku remote.
Scroll up or down and select Settings.
Select System and then select Advanced system settings.
Select Advanced display settings.
Select Automobile-adjust display refresh rate and choose Disabled.

Continue in mind that while this has been known to fix audio sync issues, information technology can besides introduce some unwanted video problems like paradigm jerkiness. If this happens, switch Automobile-adjust back to Enabled.

Prepare Roku video problems

Bug involving video quality like buffering, stuttering, or degraded detail can ordinarily be traced dorsum to your network connection. Earlier moving on, see our section on Wi-Fi bug. If your Wi-Fi connectedness is stable, it's possible that your internet plan doesn't provide sufficient bandwidth for the content yous're trying to stream.

Roku recommends a minimum download speed of 3.0 Mbps for standard definition and up to 9.0 Mbps for HD content. 4K HDR content may require upwardly to 25 Mbps. You can cheque your actual download speed hither.

If your programme provides the necessary speed for the content you're trying to watch, check to run into if anyone else in your home is using high bandwidth applications on your other devices. You may also want to check your router'southward administration settings to see if at that place are whatever unknown devices using your connection.

Manually adjust your scrap rate

If you've tried everything to solve your buffering problems and are fix to throw in the towel, here's one more trick that might help.

Normally your Roku will choose the best scrap rate to utilise automatically — one that matches your network connectedness speed — but on rare occasions, setting this manually needs to happen. Y'all exercise this through a hidden settings screen:

On your Roku remote, press Home 5 times.
Printing reverse scan 3 times.
Press forward scan twice.
From the Scrap Rate Override screen that is displayed, select Manual selection.
Select a lower bit rate and see if that solves the trouble. If not, repeat this sequence and choose a lower bit rate.

Set Roku HDMI bug

Another common Roku trouble relates to the use of HDMI cables. When two or more devices connect via HDMI, they must establish a "handshake." Generally speaking, once established, that handshake continues to govern the connectedness without issue. Even so, now and so the handshake doesn't happen when the devices connect, or the handshake gets interrupted.

When this happens, it tin cause a diverseness of problems from black screens to flashing video, to HDCP error messages. As with many bug, a reliable set up is to power everything downward, remove and reinsert the HDMI cablevision ends into each device, and then restart.

HDCP errors

HDCP errors that aren't resolved this way may be a symptom of a unlike problem. HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection, and it'southward a fashion of preventing people from copying movies and shows that they stream on devices similar a Roku. But unless each device in your HDMI chain supports the aforementioned level of HDCP, the video signal can't get through and you'll see an HDCP error.

For instance, if you're using a Roku Streaming Stick+ or a Roku Ultra to stream 4K content from Netflix, all of your devices must support HDCP 2.2. Just if y'all take whatsoever older A/5 receiver or soundbar between your Roku player and your 4K Tv, it may not exist HDCP 2.2 uniform.

To test to meet if this is the problem, try connecting your Roku directly to your Television. If the trouble goes away, that'south a good sign your middle device isn't HDCP 2.2-compliant. Your choice at this point is to stick to non-4K content (only 4K requires HDCP 2.ii), discover a mode to bypass your A/V receiver or soundbar for video (perhaps past using the HDMI ARC connection on your Telly), or upgrade that eye device.

Replacing cables

Though a rare Roku issue, occasionally the HDMI cables themselves are the problem. If you lot're seeing flashing video, or no video at all — or peradventure video with "sparkles" — these can all indicate potentially faulty cables. Earlier ownership new cables, try swapping your Roku's HDMI cable with any other HDMI cablevision you have, as a test. It's very unlikely that ii of your cables have problems, so if one works, you know you should replace the ane that doesn't.

At that place is ane situation where you may need to replace a perfectly good HDMI cable. 4K HDR signals use a lot of bandwidth — much more than HD. Older HDMI cables might lack the necessary bandwidth to carry all of that data reliably between devices, specially over longer distances like x feet or more.

If you suspect this applies to your situation, you probably demand to buy a new Premium High-Speed HDMI cable. Only don't worry — they're relatively inexpensive and you can buy them most anywhere. Bank check out our full HDMI cable buying guide.

Ready Roku hardware problems

Roku devices are ordinarily highly dependable, just hither are ii situations where the hardware itself tin feel problems.

Overheating

If your Roku device sits on summit of other equipment or is located in a poorly ventilated infinite, it can overheat. If this happens, you'll come across an on-screen warning message appear in the top right corner of your screen. Some Roku devices similar the Ultra and Roku Limited too have a front LED that will turn solid red when they overheat.

If your device overheats, immediately plough information technology off, unplug the power and disconnect all cables. Wait at to the lowest degree 10 minutes before reconnecting information technology and powering it back up. If you encounter the solid red low-cal or warning message again, echo this procedure. If it still happens, you should contact Roku Support, as information technology may point a more serious problem with your device.

Insufficient power

If your Roku device is powered past USB — e.k., Streaming Sticks and Roku Express — at that place's a possibility information technology'southward non getting enough power. This normally happens when people plug their USB power cable into an bachelor USB port on their Boob tube or their A/Five receiver. Unfortunately, not all USB ports deliver the same amount of ability, and some aren't intended to supply power at all.

The best way to solve the "insufficient power" on-screen alert (or flashing red LED on the front end of Roku Express or Express+) is to plug the USB cable into the USB ability adapter that shipped with your device. This adapter is designed to deliver the correct amount of ability your Roku needs. If, afterward switching to the included adapter, you all the same become the insufficient power warning, yous should try plugging the adapter into a different ability outlet. If you lot're using a power strip or an extension cord, try plugging the adapter straight into a wall socket.

Prepare Roku app bug

The Roku app for iOS and Android is a must-have add-on for your telephone. It can act as a replacement remote command, plus you can add/remove channels, apply the private listening office, and bandage videos and photos from your phone to your Idiot box.

Just none of those things will work if the app tin't find your Roku device.

Your Wi-Fi network is likely at the middle of the problem, and so before moving on, consult the Wi-Fi problems department. If that doesn't help, here are a few things y'all can try.

Brand sure your phone and Roku are on the same network

Some Wi-Fi routers let y'all create a guest network that is physically separated from your normal Wi-Fi network. It's possible that your phone or your Roku are using these two dissimilar networks. If so, they won't encounter each other. Make certain both devices are using the verbal same Wi-Fi network.

Virtually Wi-Fi routers create two separate networks for each Wi-Fi frequency band (2.4GHz and 5GHz). Though technically it shouldn't matter if your phone and Roku are using different frequencies (both bands share the same subnet on your router and so devices can talk to one another), to exist absolutely sure, place both your phone and your Roku on the aforementioned Wi-Fi frequency band.

Check your Roku'south network access

Information technology's possible that network admission to your Roku has been disabled. Here'south how to check and right:

Press the Home push button on your Roku remote.
Select Settings then Organization followed by Advanced system settings.
Select External Command and and then Network Admission.
Brand sure Default or Permissive is selected.
"Default" should work, but if not, try "Permissive."

Withal tin can't observe your device? Endeavor connecting manually

Within the Roku app, at the bottom of the device discovery screen (or within the iii-dots bill of fare), tap Connect Manually and enter the IP accost of your Roku device. You lot can find the IP address past visiting Settings > Network > Virtually on your Roku device.
Restart your Roku device and ensure it is continued to the right wireless network.
Restart the Roku mobile app.
- On iOS devices with a dwelling house button, double click the Home button and then swipe the Roku app to close it. One time it'due south closed, tap on the Roku app icon to launch.
- On iOS devices without a dwelling button, swipe upward from the bottom of the screen and slide your pollex or finger to the correct in one continuous motion. Swipe through the list of open apps until yous detect the Roku app and so swipe up on the app to close it. One time it's closed, tap on the Roku app icon to relaunch.
- On Android devices, press the Recents button and then swipe the Roku app to close it. Once it'southward airtight, tap on the Roku app icon to relaunch

Alternatives to Roku

If you're still experiencing issues with your Roku and want to give other gear a spin, here's a short list of some competitive streaming devices, along with noted perks.

Apple tree TV 4K — With 4K streaming, Airplay mirroring, iCloud syncing between your iOS devices, and plenty of apps, the Apple TV is a solid bet for media streaming (especially for Apple fans).
Amazon Fire Tv — Are you a fan of all things Alexa? The Amazon Fire Telly offers Alexa-powered voice controls, along with enough of apps and skills to make your smart TV experience smarter than e'er earlier.
Chromecast with Google Idiot box — In that location'southward a lot to love about Google's latest Chromecast. Enjoy app-casting from a phone or tablet, forth with a customized home screen with movies, shows, and other content recommended only for you. At $49, the Chromecast is a difficult deal to beat.

For more on smart streaming devices, check out our total guide to cutting the string .

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