Why Your Roku TV Is So Slow? (Find Out How To Make It Faster)

Why Your Roku TV Is So Slow? As great a device, a Roku streaming stick or Roku TV is, it can get slow from time to time. Sometimes, When I press the Netflix button on the remote, it takes a few moments for the app to load. Other times, it takes a few seconds for a movie to load.

A 5 or 6 second delay may not seem like much, but it is very annoying and ruins my viewing experience. That’s why I needed to find a solution to this problem.

Many factors can cause your Roku TV to slow down. It could be because of network congestion, an unstable internet connection, a faulty hardware component, or even a service outage. These problems can be resolved by expanding or boosting your network, replacing faulty hardware, or resetting your Roku TV.

WHAT SLOWS DOWN MY ROKU TV?

As mentioned above, anything from service outages and an unstable internet connection to faulty hardware and network congestion can slow down your Roku TV. To know the fixes, you need to understand these problems with a bit more depth.

1. CONGESTED NETWORK

If you have a single WiFi router connecting all of your devices in your home, network congestion will cause your Roku TV to slow down. A single WiFi router has limited capabilities and must quickly switch between all devices.

When the network is overburdened with too many devices, this becomes a problem. The problem is exacerbated when your ISP provides limited bandwidth. While a 30Mbps connection is sufficient to power a single 8K stream, the bandwidth is shared by all devices connected to the network, slowing down your Roku TV.

2. UNSTABLE INTERNET CONNECTION

As previously stated, limited bandwidth can ruin your Roku experience when streaming UHD content. When you have an unstable internet connection, the experience is similar. My previous ISP frequently had internet connection problems.

So, whenever I launched a streaming app on my Roku TV, the loading time was more than five seconds just to load the interface. When I watched a movie, the problem worsened. The movie would load after a few seconds, and buffering would be an ongoing problem.

3. DAMAGED HARDWARE 

When you have damaged or faulty hardware, it will be difficult to use your Roku TV. It could be a faulty Roku timer that sends delayed signals to the Roku TV, or it could be a damaged HDMI cable that sends delayed signals from the Roku streaming device to your TV.

It could also be the result of a faulty router or Roku Streaming stick. Signal transmission may be delayed if your hardware is faulty. It may also occur if you use old devices.

Older hardware is almost always less technologically advanced than newer devices. That’s why my old second-generation Roku streaming box feels like a dinosaur in comparison to my TCL TV with Roku built in.

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HOW TO FIX YOUR SLOW ROKU TV?

Now that you know about the problems, fixing them is going to be an easy job. I’ve personally tried these troubleshooting methods and was able to see a significant improvement in response speed on my Roku TV. 

1. RESTART YOUR ROKU TV

This is the simplest and first step I take when diagnosing a problem on my Roku TV. Using the Roku TV for an extended period of time can cause cache problems. Bugs may also cause your Roku TV to slow down. These software issues are usually resolved by restarting the device.

To restart your Roku TV:

1. Select Settings by pressing the Home button and scrolling down the menu.
2. Using the arrow keys, navigate down to System.
3. After that, select Power and scroll down to System restart.
4. After that, select Restart and wait a few minutes for the Roku TV’s system to reboot.
5. The Roku TV should no longer lag after restarting.

You can also reboot the system by unplugging your Roku TV and plugging it back in, or by using button shortcuts on the remote. To restart your Roku TV using button shortcuts, press the following buttons in the following order:

1. Press the Home button five times.
2. Press the up button once.
3. Press the rewind button twice.
4. Press the fast forward button two times. 

Alternative Video: Fix Roku TV Lagging or Being Slow

2. BOOST YOUR WIFI SIGNAL

As previously stated, your Roku TV uses your home WiFi connection to interact with accessories and the internet to stream content. If either of these connections becomes weak or unstable, your Roku TV’s responsiveness and media streaming will suffer.

Begin by testing the WiFi signal and internet connection on a different device, such as your phone, tablet, or computer.

If the connection is strong and stable on other devices, check the connection on your Roku TV by selecting Check connection from the Network menu in the Settings menu. Roku will rate your network as excellent, good, fair, or poor after it has checked it.

If the internet or WiFi connection gets a poor rating, your Roku TV may be too far away from your router and your home network may be congested with too many devices. You can fix this issue by upgrading your internet plan and pairing your WiFi router with a WiFi extender.

Also see: How Much Does Roku Monthly Fee Cost? (Find Out Everything)

3. CHECK THE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY

When you have a problem with your streaming device, never dismiss the possibility of a slow internet connection. There are several methods for resolving wifi issues on Roku TV.

An unstable internet connection will cause Roku tv to lag and also take longer to open apps/channels, leading you to believe the lag is a hardware issue. Make sure to check the network’s signal strength and speed.

1. Click and open the Settings icon from the Home screen.
2. Select Network, then About. You can see the signal strength and download speed, as well as other network information, in this section.
3. Select the Check connection option to test your connection for more accurate analysis.

You’re good to go if the feedback for strength and download speed is good or excellent. If, on the other hand, it’s fair or bad, it means your internet connection is unstable.

If you have a bad internet connection, try testing the network with an internet speed tester software on another device, such as your smartphone. If the speeds are erratic, try rebooting the router/modem.

After a few seconds, unplug the router/modem and re-plug it (approx. 30 seconds). Check for any issues with the connection once more. If you’re still having issues, try the following.

Switch To A Wider Bandwidth For Better Latency

In terms of streaming, network congestion is a major red flag because it can result in increased latency. This means that if your network’s traffic is high, you may experience lagging and buffering issues, owing to insufficient bandwidth allocation.

If your router supports dual-band networks, try switching to a higher bandwidth. Because nearly all Roku TVs support dual-band connections, you can easily connect to a 5 GHz band for lower latency. Follow these steps to change the network on your Roku TV.

1. Click and open Network on the Settings tab.
2. Select Wireless from the Setup connection drop-down menu.
3. Enter the password for the 5 GHz band network.

Change The Wi-Fi Channel On Your Router

Sometimes, if your Wi-Fi network is allotted to a channel that may have high latency and interference issues, you may experience a sluggish interface. To rectify this issue, try changing the channel for your network on your router portal.

To change the wifi channel on your router:

1. Connect the router to your computer using an ethernet or USB cable. Enter your router’s IP address into the browser.
2. To log in to your account, enter your user ID and password once the portal screen appears.
3. On the advanced settings menu, look for the Wireless channel menu.
4. Ensure that the 2.4 GHz band is assigned to one of the first, sixth, or eleventh channels. For the 5 GHz band, select the lowest available channel.
5. Save your changes and exit the portal. Restart the router/modem and connect the Roku TV to the network again.

Switch To A Wired Connection

A wired connection is not affected by interference or traffic issues that a wireless connection is. If you have a poor internet connection, it is best to connect via Ethernet cable.

To connect via a wired connection, follow these steps:

1. After connecting the Ethernet cable, navigate to the RokuTV Settings menu.
2. Select Set new connection from the Network menu.
3. When you select Wired, the device will automatically configure the connection.

Please keep in mind that not all Roku TVs have an Ethernet port. Some television manufacturers may skimp on this component of the hardware.

Read this: Where Is The Power Button On TCL Roku TV? (Follow This Easy Guide)

4. UPDATE YOUR ROKU TV

Running your Roku TV on outdated firmware may result in slow interfaces and lagging apps. By completing the remaining updates on your system, you can remove bugs and errors that are affecting the performance of your system.

To upgrade your Roku TV to the most recent version, follow these steps:

1. Click and open System on the Settings tab.
2. To manually check for updates, go to System Update and select Check now.

Install any updates that are available after the scan. Check for problems after restarting the device.

5. RESTART YOUR ROKU TV

Even though this step is easier said than done, there are several ways to refresh your Roku TV. A restart/refresh can clear all temporary bugs while also refreshing the cache memory.

An overflowing cache, more often than not, causes the system, particularly the apps/channels, to slow down. The most straightforward method is to run a power cycle test on your Roku device. Simply unplug the television and re-plug it after a few seconds.

Another option is to restart the device using the Roku TV’s interface commands.

1. On the Settings tab, click and open System.
2. Click on Power, and then System restart.
3. Click on Restart to confirm the process.
4. Restarting using button pushes on the remote control.

Another way to restart the system is to use your remote to perform a series of button presses. If the TV is unable to execute any commands, use this pattern on the remote to restart it.

1. Five times, press the Home button.
2. Then, press the Up button twice, followed by the Rewind button twice.
3. Finally, two times press the fast forward button.

The display will turn off and on again after a few seconds to complete the restart.

6. ISSUES WITH THE REMOTE

An unresponsive remote can make commands sent to the TV appear slow before they are executed. Examine the batteries to see if the remote has enough power. If the signal appears to be lagging and incomplete, you should consider changing them.

You could also try unpairing the remote from the TV and reconnecting it to the TV to refresh the connection. Follow these steps to do so.

1. Turn off the television and take the batteries out of the remote control.
2. Reinstall the batteries and press the pairing button next to the battery compartment after turning the TV back on. Wait for the onscreen prompts when the LED begins to blink.
3. To connect, simply follow the onscreen instructions.

If it is a problem with the remote hardware, you may have to replace the remote with a new one. Try verifying the issue by checking the connection with another remote.

If there are no problems, your previous remote may be damaged. You can either go for a Roku proprietary remote or a universal one, like the Harmony remote.

7. CHANGE THE BIT RATE USING THE SECRET MENU

Apps/channels like Netflix and HBO MAX are complete data hogs because they require more bandwidth to function properly. This can be a problem, especially if you have a lot of devices on the same network as the Roku TV.

Changing the device’s bit rate is a likely, but technically challenging, solution. This is useful for some apps and channels, but most streaming behemoths, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and others, have network-based auto adjustments within the channel.

Follow these steps to override the bit rate menu on your Roku TV.

1. On your Roku Remote, press these buttons in tandem- Home button: five times, Fast Forward button: two times, Reverse button: three times.
2. Once these button pushes have been made, the Roku Secret Menu will pop up.
3. Select the Bit Rate Override Menu.
4. Here, you can change the bit rate to your convenience.

Try the 3 Mbps option if the speeds are unstable. Although, the Automatic option may also be helpful.

8. REMOVE AND RE-ADD THE CHANNEL CAUSING THE ISSUE

If the problem is with a channel, try removing the app and then re-add it from the channel store. Channels can be sluggish at times, which is usually due to bugs on the back end.

Some Roku TV users experience channel issues, which can be resolved by logging out and re-logging in, but this is not always the case. Removing the channel will get rid of any lingering bugs and errors. Follow these steps to do so.

1. Hover over the relevant channel on the Home Screen.
2. To access the channel options menu, press the * button on the remote.
3. At the bottom of the menu, select the Remove Channel option.
4. To delete the channel, click the Remove button.

Restart the device after removing the channel. Go to the channel store and look for the channel under Streaming channels.

9. FACTORY RESET THE ROKU TV

A reset may be all that is required to clear out the device’s clogged-up cache memories and altered preferences. Resetting the device will make it faster than it is now.

On the Roku TV, follow these steps to reset the device.

1. Click and open System on the Settings tab.
2. Select Advanced System Settings from the drop-down menu.
3. Select Factory Reset.
4. Enter the special code from the screen’s bottom right corner, then click OK.

Wait for the process to finish. Set up the television and see if it has become snappy.

CONCLUSION on Why Your Roku TV Is So Slow

When it comes to a snappy interface, memory availability is critical. To free up space and cache memory, remove any unwanted or unused apps. Make it a habit to check your TV for updates on a regular basis.

If your Roku TV continues to be slow to respond, contact Roku’s customer service or the TV manufacturer for assistance. Older televisions tend to slow down over time, and the only solution is to replace them. If you miss the Roku experience, you could also try using a standalone Roku device.

FAQs About Roku TV Slowness