Rokus provide the best streaming experience around. They give you access to a vast library of shows from various streaming services. But Rokus can be slow, especially after using them for a few years.
If you notice your Roku is slow, there are a few things you can do to speed things up. For this guide, we came up with various troubleshooting tips and fixes for you to fix your Roku slow response problem.
Why Is My Roku Slow?
We’ve included the four most common causes of the slow response of your Roku Streaming device.
We also include a step-by-step guide on troubleshooting and fixing the most common issues.
- The trouble with Internet Connection – Roku is an advanced technology device that offers multiple streaming platforms to be shown via a high-speed Internet connection.
- Network Congestion on your WiFi – The Roku uses your home Internet router via WiFi or wired connection, depending on the version of the device you purchased.
- Service disruption – Several things can cause service interruption. Whether the interruption involves an ISP or the streaming service has some type of issue that prevents or disrupts normal operation.
- Hardware problems with Roku – Several hardware-related issues can result in the poor operation of Roku. One of the most common problems is slow response.
See also: Roku Keeps Freezing: How to Fix In Seconds
Tips to Fix “Roku Slow to Respond” Problem
Here are all the tips that will help you speed up your Roku:
1. Restart Your Roku
The first thing to try may seem too obvious, but just like your computer has an operating system, so does the Roku.
For this reason, many issues can be resolved by simply restarting the Roku and letting it come back up. There are several ways to restart the Roku, and by following the steps we include, it is easy to do.
Roku System Menu
- Using the remote control, push the Home button.
- Select the Settings option on the screen.
- Select System from the options on the screen and click OK.
- Select System Restart from the options on the screen and click OK.
- Wait for the Roku to reboot (restart)
Remote Control
- Push the Home button five times consecutively.
- Push the Up button a single time.
- Push the Rewind button two times consecutively.
- Push the Fast Forward button two times consecutively.
- The Roku will automatically reboot itself.
Unplugging the power cord
- Unplug the power cord, HDMI cable, and Ethernet cord (if applicable).
- Wait 2 minutes and hook all of the cables back up to the Roku.
- After the Roku powers back on, check for normal operation.
See also: How to Sync a Roku Remote Without a Pairing Button
2. Check Your Internet Connection
Streaming video smoothly requires a very stable, high-speed Internet connection.
Otherwise, you may experience issues like a frozen Roku or out-of-sync audio. The Roku comes in two versions WiFi connected and wire connected.
If you have the WiFi version, you need to check the speed of the internet connection through Roku. This will tell you whether your internet speed is sufficient.
Ensure that your Roku device is within range of your router and close to the middle of your home.
3. Check Your Roku Internet Strength
Next, you’re going to check the strength of the wireless signal your Roku is receiving.
- On the remote control, push the Home button.
- Select Settings on the menu on the screen.
- Select the Network option on the menu.
- Choose Connection Speed on the menu.
- Look for the result on the screen.
Good to Excellent indicates acceptable operation. Poor to Fair indicates unacceptable for normal operation.
If you see the below good, you should investigate your home WiFi. There could be several reasons for this, including issues with your WiFi router or too many devices connected to the router.
4. Power Cycle Your WiFi Router
Since you previously tried to restart the Roku and there was no improvement, the next step would be to look at your WiFi router.
By restarting the router, you should be able to restore the normal operation and connection speed.
Restarting your WiFi router
- Turn off your WiFi router by unplugging the power cord from the back of the router.
- Wait 60 seconds for it to completely power down.
- Plug the power cord back into the router and wait for it to power back on.
- When the Roku comes back up, go into the settings and check for the speed.
- Check to see if the Roku is operating normally again.
If your Roku also has a wired internet option, try plugging the Roku directly into your Internet router.
- Find an Ethernet patch cord around the house.
- Plug the cord into the back of the Roku and the other end into an open port on the router.
- Follow the steps to check the internet speed through the Roku.
If the results are different, then there could be an issue with the WiFi connection.
5. Replace the Batteries Inside Your Roku Remote
If the previous troubleshooting tips did not fix the slow responsiveness of your Roku, maybe the issue is in the remote control.
Try replacing the batteries and re-pairing the Roku remote with your Roku device.
To do this, follow the steps below:
- Remove the batteries, and be sure to turn off the television that your Roku is connected to.
- Turn the television back on.
- Put the batteries back into the remote control.
- Depress the pairing button on the back of the remote control. Check for the flashing green light on the Roku remote.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the pairing process.
Test to see if the Roku responds to the buttons you press on the remote.
6. Charge Your Roku Remote
If you own the new Roku Voice Remote Pro with a rechargeable battery, you need to keep it charged. A single charge can last up to two months and take roughly 3 hours to fully charge.
To charge your Roku remote, connect the small, micro-USB end of the USB charging cable to the charging port on your remote, and connect the other end to a standard USB power adapter.
When the status light stops blinking, you’ll know your remote is finished charging. Check to see if your Roku is still running slow.
7. Factory Reset Your Roku
If all of the previous things didn’t fix the problem, the last resort would be to factory reset your Roku device.
Unfortunately, when you complete the factory reset, it will erase all your settings and personal preferences.
To do a factory reset, follow all of the steps below:
- Using the remote control, push the Home button.
- Select Settings on the on-screen menu
- Select System from the onscreen menu options
- Select Advanced System from the onscreen menu options
- Select Factory Reset from the onscreen menu options
- Wait for the Roku to restart (reboot) automatically
Once the Roku comes back on, you will need to set it up all over again like you first set it up.
When that is done, you will want to check to see if it is fully functional and no longer responding slowly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Roku streams 1080p and 4K video streams, requiring an extremely high amount of bandwidth to display the video signal consistently. That means there is a massive amount of data being transferred. On average, your Roku uses 7 to 8 GB every hour your stream.
Yes, to ensure that you get the best performance out of your Roku, you should regularly keep an eye on the Internet speed. Use the step-by-step instruction the is mentioned previously to be able to get into the settings of the Roku to check it out.
Final Thoughts on Roku Running Slow
Your Roku device may be running slow for various reasons, including a slow internet connection, faulty remotes, corrupt cache files, insufficient storage space, and outdated software.
I hope this assisted you in fixing your “Roku slow to respond” problem. If you fixed the problem with any other solution, please share it in the comments section.
