The Roku is an amazing piece of hardware with its ability to replace cable TV, all packed in a box that fits in the palm of your hand. As great as the device is, it’s not perfect. It freezes at times. There have been several occasions where mine has been stuck on a “retrieving” screen. Other times, the device won’t start properly.
When you have problems with the Roku, the best solution is usually a soft reset. If that doesn’t fix the issues, a factory hard reset will usually do the trick. Here’s how you can do both.
Soft Reset
A soft reset will simply restart the Roku without losing data or settings.
From Remote
If the Roku is frozen, you can try to reset using the remote control by pressing the following buttons:
- Home 5 times
- Up 1 time
- Rewind 2 times
- Fast Forward 2 times
This should work on all Roku models.
From Menus (Newer Models – 4, Premier, & Ultra)
- From the Home screen, select “Settings” > “System” > “Power” > “System restart“.
Using Button (Older Models)
- Find the “Reset” button on the back or bottom of the device. Some models will require a paper-clip to press the button.
- Press the button, then release after about one second. The device should reset successfully.
Power Pull
If none of the above soft reset options work for you, you may need to disconnect the power cord for about 20 seconds, then plugging it back in.
Hard Reset
A hard reset will clear all settings from the device and reset it to factory defaults.
Via Menu (Newer Models – 4, Premier, & Ultra)
If a soft reset doesn’t fix your problem, a hard reset may be your only option. This will clear all data off the Roku and reset it to factory default settings.
From the Home screen, select the following depending on your device:
- “Settings” > “System” > “Advanced system settings” > “Factory reset“.
- “Settings” > “Factory reset” > “Factory reset” > “Yes“.
Using Button (Older Models)
- Remove all cables except the Power cord.
- Press and hold the “Reset” button on the back or bottom of the device for about 20 seconds. Some models will require a paper clip to press the button.
- Continue to hold the “Reset” button, then remove the Power cord from the back of the unit.
- Release the “Reset” button, then plug all of the cords back into the device.
The Roku should factory reset, then walk you through the setup process again.
Sarge says
It’s not the freezing I’m getting. It’s the split second black screen, then back on TV. But I understand a bunch of the consumers that complained about the Rokus being wonky.
Jeff Martin says
Absolutely not…….
Molly Francis says
Doesn’t work. Tv still stuck. Very disappointing.
Dan says
I have a roku stick and voice remote. It is very buggy and unreliable. I have done the following to resolve the issue of the remote or stick crashing.
Purchased the accessory dongle to keep the stick from overheating from a direct connection to the TV
Updated both the stick and remote software to the latest versions
Unplugged the stick from power and removed the batteries from the remote
Remove one battery from the remote for a count of ten
All of these method are only temporary fixes. If I turn the TV power off then the remote crashes when the TV is turned back on
Riki engineering. I also have an Amazon fire stick and it does not have these issues
John DeHaven says
I bought a Roku “stick” on Ebay. Plugged into TV, pushed the reset button and received a prompt asking me to pair the remote.. There is no pairing button and no way to use the remote. What have I missed? Thank you
Tutu says
WTH. I am like all other customers, wanting to watch a little tv. I was sitting watching the tv, went to answer the door came back and the tv was off, I thought my husband cut it off. I went to turn it back on and nothing happen. I have tried for 3 days now all the step and even leaving it unpluged over night and still nothing, just a blinking red light. This tv is only year old and I know this not suppose to happen. I have on downstairs that is older and it still work. I hope to get some kind of answer from customer service cause I can’t buy a new one.
Sareeah says
The hard set fid nit work. Still won’t get past setup screen. It was working a week ago. Turned off TV, one night, turn on the next morning, Riku went to setup screen, and stays there. I have tried everything I found d online to troubleshoot and went thru them all. Still doesn’t work.
Catherine Walls says
NO. None of the suggestions has worked. The remote will not connect to the Stream stick. This Roku Streaming Stick 4K is about one month old. Worked when I first installed it. Went away for a week and when I got home it was no longer working. Repeat: NONE of the reboot/restart/reset strategies helps.
Jessica says
No, this did not work. Even the hard reset reset several times and nothing. It’s only a couple of months old. Think it’s time to go back to a Fire Stick.
Rachella Creations says
This is frustrating I did everything and it’s not even allowing to even set back up I did everything 😒
Susan Dowell says
Mine just keeps restarting. I have done everything I have found to try. Seems to be 5 minute intervals. Frustrating as I have not the finances to buy a new one.
Sharina S says
I think that Roku doesn’t care about their customers. customers like me who work dead end jobs with long hours and low pay yet still manage to buy this $756.83 Ruko tv for it to just sit in my living room on recovery mode. This company has had plenty of customers reporting the same issue with no resolve. It just racks my brain that their is nothing being done. Even after going thru both the forced manual upgrade and reset this issue still remains. My was a early Christmas gift for my children. Something I had to save for ,I cant just by another tv like its nothing. This is so awful to me that even going thru the whole Roku account options no so called support has actually supported any kind of change. More and more new customers are developing the same issue. How can a company with so much revenue fail this bad . More TV’s stuck in recovery mode or freezing , please just come up with actual ways to mix this issue instead of offering the same ones that don’t work.
Peggy Reed says
Nothing happened for me. It was working fine turned off my tv went to watch the next morning and nothing. I have put it on 2 other TV’s so I know it’s my Roku device. I’ve had it about 6 months and now it’s useless to me.
Jim says
No it did not work tried everything just won’t move.
Mary says
my TV does not recognize my roku. It worked fine up until I started using cable now I can not get the TV to recognize the Roku. The light on roku turns on but I get a no signal on my TV.
Donna Roberts says
No help! Tried all the steps and nothing! The light on the roku will blink a little, but nothing happens!
Jeffery Grose says
This is not working for me. I can reset my roku but cannot go through ther options to get the device back in order. It’s like the remote does not work anymore.
Erica says
My roku tv is frozen on let’s get started and won’t move forward even though I’ve done the reset, unplug and press 5 times etc
Erica Johnson says
My roku tv is frozen on let’s get started and won’t move forward even though I’ve done the reset, unplug and press 5 times etc
Kar Pon says
I tried all the methods. Nothing. Finally I plugged in an HDMI device, a USB flash drive, then banged on the TV a few times. Voila!!
Terry Hegwood says
None of this is working for me.
My tv went into sleep mode due to inactivity , so I used my dish network remote to turn the tv off. I have a solid red light but the tv will NOT come back on.
I’ve done the unplug, hold power button 1 minute to drain all power. Reset on the back. Home 5 times up 1 rewind 2 ff 2 NOTHING WILL TURN MY TV ON.
PLEASE HELP !
I’ve had the tv a little over a year. After about 2 months of having it I realized all the apps I downloaded on day one was not needed so I did a reset with the button on the back. Needless to say I’ve had a fumble tv ever since. I dont have any of the things that originally was on the tv and it will NOT let me connect to the internet.
Something went wrong during the reset and when I called roku they tried charging me $65 for a new pin or code (like you 1st get with the tv)
Yet one , their web site said theyll never ask for money, two there was no where to put any codes in.
So I said the heck with it and plugged my cable in and went that way. So buying this so called fancy smart tv has done me no good.