In this guide, you’ll learn what to do when a Roku TV keeps freezing and restarting on its own.
Just like many other companies, Roku has one of the most sought-after devices when it comes to modern technology. However, because electronic devices are not perfect, you may experience unexpected crashes, freezing, or restarting.
You are probably reading this guide for a quick fix to your Roku that keeps freezing, either during a streaming session or when browsing channels.
The solutions to fix a Roku TV that keeps freezing or restarting are to allow the Roku TV to cool down, check the HDMI connection, remove and re-add channels, check your internet connection, check for firmware updates, and factory reset your Roku TV.
We have provided a more comprehensive guide to each of these fixes below, but before that, let’s understand why Roku keeps freezing or restarting.
Why a Roku TV Keeps Freezing or Restarting
There are different reasons why a Roku TV keeps freezing or restarting, but the most common are overheating, poor internet connection, or an error or glitch with the device or an app.
You can identify the cause of this issue depending on the previous performance of the TV. If you’ve noticed that your TV has started overheating, then this might cause the device to freeze or reboot at random.
Whichever the cause, we have provided a list of ways to fix a Roku TV that keeps freezing in the next section.
Roku TV Keeps Freezing: Best Ways to Fix
1. Allow the Roku TV to Cool Down
As we mentioned above, one of the reasons why your Roku TV keeps freezing or restarting is because of overheating. Most electronic devices react the same way when overwhelmed by heat.
Although Roku devices are equipped with internal fans, some parts can get worn out with time, and other parts can produce more heat than normal depending on usage.
- Unplug your Roku device from the outlet and allow it to shut off for 2-5 minutes.
- Next, make sure your environment is well ventilated.
- Finally, plug your device back into the outlet and turn it on.
If you have followed these steps and your Roku TV keeps freezing, then proceed to the next solution.
2. Check the HDMI connection
If your Roku keeps freezing or restarting, then you should consider the fact that a faulty HDMI cable is to blame. You should make sure the HDMI connections are tightly in place if you are using an external Roku device connected to a smart TV.
The quality of your cable will also have a great impact on the output. A higher-level device that supports 4K may require an HDMI 2.0 cable.
If you’ll be streaming contents from channels like Netflix and Amazon Prime, you’ll need HDMI cables that support HDCP 2.2 connection.
3. Remove and Re-add the Channel
Most of the time, the freezing issues might affect only certain apps, like Netflix and Sling TV. If this is the case, then a simple update should fix this issue.
The best option will be to remove the app and add it again. But before you proceed, you should try to log out and re-log into the channel.
Follow the steps below to remove the app.
- First, navigate to the channel from the Home screen.
- Next, press the * button on the remote to open the settings menu.
- Now, at the bottom of the list, select Remove channel.
- Finally, click Remove to confirm the request.
That’s all. After you restart the TV, you can now proceed to reinstall the channel from the App Store.
4. Check your Internet Connection
A poor network connection can cause your screen to freeze. That is why you should always pay attention to your Internet speed.
You can use speed testing software on other devices to check the efficiency of your Wi-Fi network.
If speed is the issue, then you should try restarting the router or reducing the number of users on it.
An alternative to reducing the users on your router would be to change the connection to a wider bandwidth. You can change from the traditional 2.4 GHz band to a wider 5 GHz band to accommodate higher traffic.
5. Check for Firmware Updates
Your Roku TV might be freezing because you are running an outdated version with a lot of bugs.
You should always make sure your Roku device is running the latest version. Follow the steps below to update your Roku TV.
- First, go to Settings from the Home screen.
- Next, select “Systems.”
- Finally, click on System Update and select Check Now to manually scan for updates.
That’s all. If you have available updates, they’ll be installed and the issue should be fixed.
6. Factory Reset Your Roku TV
If you have tried the solutions above and the problem is still not fixed, then you are still left with one last option, factory resetting Roku to its default settings.
This means you’ll lose all your channels and any customizations or adjustments you have made to your settings.
This method is helpful if you want to revert the changes you have made to your settings to their defaults. Follow the steps below to factory reset your Roku TV.
- First, click on the Home button on your Roku remote.
- Next, select “Settings” from the menu, and then proceed to “System.”
- Now, select the Advanced System Settings, and then click Factory Reset.
- Finally, you’ll be promoted to confirm your choice by entering the code shown.
That’s all. Your Roku TV should restart after the process is completed.
Most times, your Roku TV freezes or restarts because of some changes you’ve made to settings like screensavers and background settings. The factory reset option is inevitable if you want to revert all those changes.
Final Words
The solutions above should fix your Roku TV freezing issues, but if for some reason it is still not fixed, then you can contact Roku support for further assistance.
If this guide was helpful, you can also check out how to fix Roku TV black screen issues.
Hey! I’m Louis, a Java Developer and Mobile App Developer who has an interest in smart home automation.
