"Roku not working" covers a lot, so the fast way through is to do the one universal fix, then jump to your exact symptom. Most Roku glitches are a temporary hang or a network hiccup — a restart clears the first, and the symptom-specific guides handle the rest.
Do this first — restart it
- Soft restart (if you can reach the menu): Settings > System > Power > System restart.
- Hard restart (if frozen): unplug it from power for at least 30 seconds, then plug back in and let it fully boot.
And one thing that fixes a lot of stick problems: power it from the wall adapter, not the TV's USB port. An underpowered Roku freezes, drops Wi-Fi, and boot-loops.
Then match your symptom
Won't connect to Wi-Fi, or "connected but no internet" See Roku not connected — covers the join-Wi-Fi vs no-internet split, and the router DNS fix.
Stuck on the loading screen / spinning forever See Roku not loading — power/heat vs network, and when to factory-reset.
Black screen or no picture On a Roku TV, that's usually the backlight; on a Roku player, a resolution/HDMI issue. See Roku TV black screen and Roku TV screen dark.
Remote not responding / blinking green The blinking light means it's trying to pair. See Roku remote blinking green for the re-pair order (reboot the Roku first).
Everything's just slow and laggy See why is my Roku so slow — storage, channels, and older-model limits.
If nothing fits
A factory reset is the last resort — Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset, or the physical reset button (hold ~10–20 seconds). It wipes your apps and settings, so it's the final step, but it clears a corrupted state that nothing else touches.
FAQ
What's the one fix that helps most? A restart — unplug for 30+ seconds and power from the wall adapter (not the TV USB). It clears the largest share of glitches.
It's frozen and won't respond to the remote. Hard-restart by unplugging for 30+ seconds. If the remote still won't respond after it boots, re-pair it (and check the batteries).
Apps won't load but the Roku menu works. That's the network. Reboot the router and set its DNS to 8.8.8.8 — see the "not connected" guide.
When should I factory-reset? Only after restarting and the symptom-specific steps. It erases your apps, so it's the last resort.