Why Is Netflix Not Working on My Roku?

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You had a long day at work and the only thing that got you through it was the promise of the newest episode of Love is Blind on Netflix waiting for you at home. 

So, when you finally arrived home and turned on your Roku only to find that the Netflix app wasn’t working, you began to panic. Could your day get any worse? 

Have no fear. There are simple solutions for all of your Netflix problems.

Why isn’t your Netflix working on your Roku? And how can you fix it? 

Keep reading to find out! 

1. Your Roku Is Not Connected to the Internet 

Netflix is an online streaming service, meaning it cannot work without a stable internet connection. So, if your Roku Netflix channel isn’t working, the first thing you should check is that your Roku is properly connected to your home’s Wi-Fi. 

Let’s learn what to do to fix your Roku connectivity problems! 

Solution 1: Connect to the Internet

You can connect your Roku to the internet using a wireless or wired connection. 

Let’s learn how to do both! 

Wireless

Step 1: Find your Roku remote and press the Home button to go to the Home page.

Step 2: Head to the Settings. 

Step 3: Navigate to Network. 

Step 4: Select Set up connection.

Step 5: Click on the Wireless option. 

Step 6: You will see a list of available Wi-Fi networks on-screen. Select your home’s Wi-Fi network name then, when prompted, enter the password. Please note that Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive. 

Step 7: Once you’ve entered your Wi-Fi network’s correct password, click Connect. 

Step 8: Wait a few moments for the Checking… process. Your Roku is verifying that your Wi-Fi network’s information is correct.

Once this process is complete, your Roku device should be wirelessly connected to the internet. 

Note: You may also connect your Roku to a mobile hotspot following the steps outlined above by simply clicking on your hotspot’s name when given a list of available networks. 

If you’re still confused about how to connect your Roku to a wireless network, watch the tutorial found below. 

Wired

If your Wi-Fi connection is weak, you can try using a wired connection instead. Wired connections are faster and steadier than their wireless counterparts, making them a great option to use with slow routers. 

Only a few Roku models feature Ethernet ports. You will need to use an adapter, like the UGREEN Ethernet Adapter , which plugs into your Roku’s micro USB port. You can then follow the steps listed below, plugging your Ethernet cable into the adapter’s Ethernet port. 

To learn more about Roku-compatible adapters, check out the article How to Use USB to Connect Your Roku Streaming Device to a Wired Network. 

Step 1: Plug your Ethernet cable  into the Roku or Roku adapter’s Ethernet port. Then plug the other end into your router or modem. You will need to hold the Ethernet cable’s tab when inserting it into the port, then release it once it’s in place. 

Step 2: Click your Roku remote’s Home button. 

Step 3: Go to Settings. 

Step 4: Head to Network. 

Step 5: Open Set up connection. 

Step 6: Click on the Wired option. 

To see how to set up a wired connection on your Roku device, watch the video below. 

Solution 2: Restart the Router/Modem

If you’ve set up a wired or wireless connection on your Roku, but are still having trouble connecting to the internet, there may be a problem with your router/modem. Most router/modem issues are usually minor glitches that can be resolved by restarting them.  

Let’s learn how! 

Step 1: Turn off your Roku device and disconnect it from its power source. 

Step 2: Unplug your router, modem, or both from their power sources. If your router/modem has a power button, you may need to press it before unplugging it. 

Step 3: Wait at least 30 seconds. 

Step 4: Plug the modem back into power and wait a minute before proceeding to the next step. 

Step 5: Now, plug the router into power and wait another minute for it to reboot. 

Step 6: Now that your Wi-Fi setup has been restarted, you can plug your Roku back into power and turn on your TV, navigating to your Roku’s input. 

Step 7: Once your Roku is set up and ready to go, open the Netflix channel and see if it’s working now. 

Solution 3: Get Better Wi-Fi Reception

If none of the above solutions have worked for you, you may need to reposition your router/modem so your Roku can get better Wi-Fi reception. 

Your home’s concrete walls and metal objects may be obstructing the signal from traveling from the router to your Roku. So, consider moving your router to the same room as your Roku if possible. 

If you cannot move your router, consider investing in a Wi-Fi extender, such as the TP-Link AC750 WiFi Extender .

If you need your router’s reception to cover a larger area, you may want to consider investing in a mesh Wi-Fi system. The Amazon Eero Mesh Wi-Fi System  comes highly recommended by our team. 

2. There are Software Bugs

Popular streaming sites with complex software and algorithms may have software bugs from time to time. These “bugs” are errors in the software’s code that may cause the site to glitch or completely shut down.

For instance, Netflix may have software bugs preventing you from clicking on your Netflix user profile or playing videos. 

Luckily, there are a few simple solutions you can try to fix these software bugs and play videos. 

Let’s learn about them! 

Solution 1: Restart Netflix

The easiest way to try to fix a software bug is by restarting the Netflix channel. 

Step 1: Exit the Netflix channel by clicking your remote’s Home button.

Step 2: Reopen the Netflix channel and check if it’s working correctly. 

If the problem persists, proceed to the next solution. 

Solution 2: Restart Roku

There may be a problem with your Roku software, making it impossible to open and play streaming channels. 

If you suspect your Roku device may be to blame, it’s a good idea to restart it. With any luck, rebooting the software will fix any software bugs. 

Step 1: Click your Roku remote’s Home button to navigate to your device’s Home page. 

Step 2: Scroll down the menu on the left side and click on Settings. 

Step 3: Select System. 

Step 4: Depending on your Roku model, there may be a Power option. Select this option if available. If it isn’t, proceed to the next step. 

Step 5: Go to System. 

Step 6: Head to Power. 

Step 7: Select System Restart. 

Step 8: Click on Restart. 

Solution 3: Reinstall Netflix

It’s not uncommon for glitches to occur when you’re installing new channels. These glitches can drastically affect your user experience, but can often be resolved by removing the channel and then reinstalling it. 

Don’t worry. This won’t delete your Netflix account. However, you will have to log back into your account once the Netflix channel has been reinstalled. 

Step 1: Head to the Home page by clicking the Roku remote’s Home button. 

Step 2: Use your remote’s arrow keys to navigate to your Roku’s Netflix channel, highlighting it but not selecting it. Then, press your remote’s Asterisk (*) button. 

Step 3: Click on Remove channel. 

Step 4: Select Remove. 

Step 5: Once you’ve successfully removed the Netflix channel, restart your Roku device (see the above solution for instructions). 

Step 6: Now that your Roku has fully rebooted, head to Streaming channels on the Home page. 

Step 7: Go to Search channels. 

Step 8: Using either the on-screen keyboard or your remote’s voice command feature (if available), search for Netflix. Once the channel appears on-screen, select it. 

Step 9: In the pop-up window, click on Add channel. If your Roku device is pin-protected, enter your PIN when prompted, followed by OK. 

Solution 4: Update Your Roku

Did you know that Rokus also need to be updated? It’s true! 

It’s possible that there was a software glitch in your Roku’s most recent updates, leading to your Roku Channels malfunctioning. 

Your Roku may also be out of date, causing its software to be incompatible with the Netflix channels. 

Additionally, updating your Roku will also update all of its channels, hopefully resolving any bugs in the software. 

Step 1: Press your remote’s Home button to navigate to the Home page. 

Step 2: Open the Settings. 

Step 3: Navigate to System. 

Step 4: Select Check now. Your Roku will need to be connected to the internet to check for and install any updates. 

Step 5: If there are any updates, Download them. 

Step 6: Once the updates have been downloaded, Install them. 

Solution 5: Use a New Roku Account

There may be something wrong with your Roku account, so you may want to consider using a new account. 

To do this, you will need to factory reset your device, erasing all data and (hopefully) any software glitches. Consequently, you will need to reinstall any channels you want to use and log back into your accounts. 

Step 1: First, create a new account on the Roku Sign Up page. You will not need to delete your old Roku account to do this. 

Step 2: Once you’ve successfully created your new Roku account, turn your attention to your Roku player. 

Step 3: Click your Roku remote’s Home button. 

Step 4: Click on Settings. 

Step 5: Go to System. 

Step 6: Head to Advanced system settings. 

Step 7: Click on Factory reset. 

Step 8: Follow any on-screen instructions. 

Step 9: Once the Roku has factory reset, you will see instructions to set up your device on-screen. 

Step 10: Follow the on-screen prompts, which will include connecting your device to a network and linking your device to a Roku account. Ensure you use your new Roku account login credentials when asked to log in. 

Now that your Roku is set up, install the Netflix channel and see if it works properly. 

3. There’s an Issue with Google Widevine 

Widevine is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) service that ensures that premium content is protected by a paywall. This means that you will not be able to view certain content on certain sites (e.g. Netflix or Amazon Prime Video) unless you have a paid subscription. 

While this service usually functions seamlessly, an issue was reported in September of 2022 that prevented the streaming services from working. This meant that users could not access the premium content they had paid for. 

Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to fix this issue expect patiently wait for it to be resolved. 

So, watch some YouTube, read a book, or call a friend. This could take a while. 

4. Netflix is Down 

Netflix, like almost every other website, experiences outages. 

This could be because of a software glitch, a problem with its servers, or even an unexpected influx of visitors. For instance, Netflix crashed when Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2 was released as too many people were flocking to the website to watch it. 

Unfortunately, this means that you won’t be able to watch your favorite Netflix originals until the service is fixed. 

If you suspect that Netflix has crashed, head to their Instagram or Twitter to see if they’ve posted any updates.

Sites like Downdetector are also a great resource to check out when you suspect a site may be down. 

Netflix has an esteemed team of IT specialists so, with any luck, the site should be back up in a matter of hours. Until then, why not check out what other channels your Roku has to offer? 

Good luck! 

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