Roku Keeps Freezing? Discover 11 Instant Remedies Here!

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Does your Roku freeze so often that it might as well be in the North Pole? If the answer is “yes,” you’re not alone. 

Many avid Roku users, like this Roku TV user, have been experiencing this problem. So, we’re here to help.

The solutions outlined in this article are not only have these troubleshooting tricks been tested by our dedicated in-house tech team, but they’ve also been tried by various users in online forums.

Are you ready to defrost your frozen Roku?

If so, let’s get started!

1. Perform a Soft Reset (Temporary Solution)

Soft resetting your Roku is a simple way to temporarily fix any glitches that may arise while using it.

This solution won’t fix any of your device’s hardware or software issues. So, if you suspect the freezing is a result of a more serious problem, soft resetting your Roku probably won’t do the trick.

Still, this is a good first step if you encounter any issues with your Roku, including freezing.

Follow the steps below to soft reset your Roku.

Step 1: Unplug your Roku player or TV from power for at least 30 seconds.

Step 2: Reconnect it to power, wait for it to start up, and see if the freezing issue has been temporarily resolved.

2. Turn Off the Menu Volume

By default, Roku plays a noise every time you highlight or select an option from the menu. 

While you may not even notice this sound (or even enjoy it), it could be interfering with your Roku’s functionality and causing it to freeze, as users in this Reddit thread discovered. 

The solution is simple: disable your Roku’s menu volume. 

Follow the steps below to turn off your Roku player/TV’s menu volume. 

Step 1: On the Home screen, open the Settings and click on Audio.

Step 2: Navigate to Menu Volume and select the Off option to the right of the screen.

3. Reinstall the Channel & Perform a System Restart

For a while, I frequently experienced this issue when using my Roku’s Netflix app. If your Roku also freezes whenever you open or navigate a specific app/channel, it’s a good idea to reinstall the channel before performing a system restart. 

Not only do I recommend this solution, but so does an official Roku forum moderator who has extensive knowledge about how to troubleshoot almost any Roku problem.  

Follow the instructions below to fix a frozen app/channel.

Step 1: On the Home screen, find and highlight the freezing channel. Then, click your Roku remote’s Asterisk (*) key to open the Options menu.

Step 2: From here, select Remove app.

Step 3: Click Remove to confirm.

Step 4: Now, restart your Roku from Settings by going to Settings > System > System Restart  > Restart.

Step 5: When your Roku turns back on, head to the Roku channel store, search for the app you just deleted, and reinstall it.

Now, open the app (log back into your account if needed) and see if your Roku continues to freeze when using it.

4. Reset Your Roku TV Using This Key Combination

While some users’ Roku TVs started freezing after a few years of use, other users, like this one on Reddit, began experiencing this problem immediately after unboxing their new Roku TV. 

After some troubleshooting, they finally stopped their Roku TV from freezing by using the following key combination to reset their device. 

Step 1: Hit your Roku remote’s Home key five times before pressing the Up button once. 

Step 2: Press the Rewind button twice. Then, hit the Fast Forward key twice.

Step 3: Once you’ve completed the sequence, wait around 30 seconds for your Roku to clear its cache and restart. 

5. Skip Forward & Back (If You’re Frozen in the Same Spot of the Same Video)

For a while, every time I opened my Netflix app to watch the movie Hustle, the app froze at the same spot in the movie no matter how many times I refreshed it.

Needless to say, I got pretty tired of watching the first half an hour of the movie over and over again. 

Luckily, there’s a simple way to fix this problem. 

Simply fast forward the video 10 seconds before rewinding 10 seconds to reach the same spot in the movie. In many cases, people have found this solution to stop their app’s videos from freezing. 

Of course, it’s also a good idea to soft reset your Roku for good measure by following the instructions listed in Solution #1.

6. Turn Off the Power-Saving Mode

Building on the solutions we’ve discussed for keeping your Roku running smoothly, let’s tackle another common issue: a frozen screensaver.

It turns out that disabling the Power-Saving Mode can prevent this frustrating problem as this user has found out.

This mode automatically shuts your Roku off after 20 minutes of inactivity to save energy, but it can also inadvertently freeze your screensaver.

Here’s a quick guide to turning off the Power-Saving Mode and keeping your Roku ready for action:

Step 1: Go to Settings on your Roku.

Step 2: Select System, then Power.

Step 3: Choose Auto power saving, then uncheck the box After 20 minutes of no interaction.

7. Cast the App From Your Phone/Laptop onto Your Roku

This Reddit user’s Roku would freeze each time they tried opening and watching the Netflix channel on their device. 

Thankfully, they found that mirroring their phone’s Netflix app to their Roku fixed the problem as their Roku’s Netflix app was faulty. 

If one of your Roku apps is causing your Roku to freeze, consider opening the same app on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop and casting/screen mirroring it to your Roku. 

Casting content from your smartphone to a Roku is an easy process which we’ve already covered in our article How to Connect a Smartphone to a Non-Smart TV? (Wired & Wireless).

8. Factory Reset Your Roku

Factory resetting your device can be a pain since it logs out of your Roku account, prompting you to log back in, reselect your desired language, and repair your remote. But, if you’re dealing with persistent issues, like freezing, it’s a good way to completely reset your Roku’s software and hopefully fix the problem.

Note: Once your Roku has been factory reset, simply log back into your Roku account to access your personal information and apps.

Follow the steps below to factory reset your Roku player or TV.

Step 1: In the Settings menu, go to System.

Step 2: Navigate to Advanced system settings and click on Factory reset.

Step 3: Type the 4-digit code on-screen into the keypad and click OK.

Step 4: Click Start factory reset.

9. Upgrade to a Newer Roku Model or Get a Fire TV Stick

Unfortunately, Roku devices and TVs don’t last forever.

If you’ve had your Roku for several years or are simply fed up with the freezing, trading in your old Roku for a new one, or even a Fire TV Stick, maybe your best bet.

This user connected a Fire TV Stick to their TV in replace of the frozen Roku and fixed the issue in no time.

Thankfully, Roku and Fire TV Sticks are budget-friendly and widely available, so you won’t need to break the bank to purchase a new one.

10. Other Solutions that Many People Recommend But I Don’t Think They Work

As we delve deeper into troubleshooting and optimizing your Roku’s performance, it’s important to discuss those solutions that often get recommended by various sources, including some Roku customer service representatives.

While these recommendations are well-intentioned, I’ve found that they are too general or sometimes not even related to the problem.

Nevertheless, understanding these suggestions can save you time and effort by knowing what might not work as well as expected. Here’s a closer look at these commonly recommended but potentially less effective fixes:

1. Check the HDMI Connection & Disconnect Other Devices: Ensure your HDMI cables and ports are in good condition and remove any devices not being used from the setup.

2. Adjust the Refresh Rate on Your Roku: Go to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Advanced display settings > Auto-adjust display refresh rate > On to enable automatic refresh rate adjustment.

3. Update Your Roku: Occasionally, updating your Roku can resolve hidden bugs. Update your device via Settings > System > Software update > Check now and apply any available updates.

4. Turn Off Bandwidth Saver: This feature will automatically stop your Roku from streaming if there is no response from the remote for the continuous 4 hours. To turn it off in the settings menu, go to Settings > Network > Bandwidth Saver > Off.

5. Check Network Connection: To ensure your Roku has a stable connection, go to Settings > Network > Check connection > OK > Follow any prompts to improve connectivity.

11. Contact Roku Technical Support

No one knows Roku players and TVs better than Roku’s dedicated customer support agents. 

To get in touch with Roku customer care, head to Roku Support, select Device issues, and sign into your Roku account. 

Follow any additional on-screen instructions to start talking to a Roku customer service agent.

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