Is your Roku RV slow, delayed, or experiencing lag? This article will cover the fixes necessary to find a solution to your problem.
You can cure an unresponsive or lagging Roku TV by ensuring it has the latest software updates. Ask your ISP for assistance, restart your TV, or massage the remote buttons for two minutes. Try to switch out the batteries and check that Roku supports your remote control manufacturer.
Let’s explore fixes involving remote control batteries, faulty remotes, and unsupported remote controls.
We’ll also cover asking your Internet service provider (ISP) for assistance, resetting your TV, and updating it to the latest version.
Why Is My Roku TV Slow & Lagging?
It’s frustrating when your Roku TV has a 5 – 10 second delay between button presses or when your Netflix, Youtube, or Hulu takes three or four minutes longer to start up.
A lagging, slow, or unresponsive Roku TV could be due to several factors. It may be that your Roku TV is missing a critical software update, or perhaps there is a fault in your internet line or with your internet service provider. Otherwise, it could be related to your TV or remote.
Regardless, the good news is there are a handful of options to help you resolve the issue and get you back to watching your favorite series!
Ensure Your Roku TV Has The Latest System Updates
Ensuring that your Roku TV has the latest software updates is crucial if you want it to operate as intended. Computer software is called “drivers,” so you want an experienced driver to operate machinery.
To ensure your Roku TV has the latest system updates:
- Push the Home button on the remote control
- Select Settings from the list, then select System
- Choose System Update. This screen also shows your current software version and the time and date of application.
- Finally, select Check For Updates Now.
If your Roku TV runs an update, it may or may not restart, depending on the nature of the update.
Replace Your Remote Control Or Batteries
Delay and unresponsiveness may be a symptom of a faulty or unsupported remote control or flat batteries.
It may be that the remote control you use for your Roku TV does not support Roku. For instance, Phillips remote controls work with Roku TVs, while Samsung remotes do not.
In this case, opting for a universal remote that works on multiple systems would be a good idea. You may also want to try a remote from an older Roku device; it will get the job done.
If you have a supported remote control, consider swapping out the batteries to check the current ones.
Press A Key Combination To Reset Your Roku TV
By pressing a combination of keys on your remote control, you’ll be able to reset your Roku TV and remove the lag and unresponsiveness you feel between button presses or when cycling through the menu.
Here’s the key combination:
- Find and press the Home button five times
- Press the Up arrow button one time
- Push the Rewind button two times
- Press the Fast Forward button two times
You don’t need to press them in quick succession, but try to push them at least five seconds after one another.
Once you’ve completed the key combination, you will notice that the TV screen will freeze, and none of your inputs will register any longer – don’t panic! It’s supposed to freeze because it’s in the process is shutting down active applications so that it can restart.
Give it a minute or two to restart, and afterward, you should notice that you no longer need to battle with lag or unresponsiveness.
Have You Tried Turning Your Roku TV Off & On Again?
It might sound silly, but turning electronics off and on is a magical fix that wipes any existence of a fault and makes it start new. In this case, it can quickly solve delays or lay regarding your Roku TV.
We’ll want to restart the TV through the System Settings by doing the following:
- Press the Home button
- Navigate to Settings and select System Restart
This option will not cause you to lose any of your data. Sometimes data can become cluttered, and restarting it loosens it so it can flow again.
Have You Tried Restarting Your Internet Modem?
Since your Roku TV gets its internet from your router, it makes sense to go to the source and restart it.
Your router may be experiencing an influx of data, or it’s clogged and unable to work fluidly. By restarting it, you flush away all the bad stuff and clear the passages!
A Dual-Band Router Can Make Your Roku TV More Responsive
A TV’s wireless receiver may be susceptible to interference from other devices.
As such, sending and receiving information takes longer, making it lag and causing delays. Getting a dual-band router or something similar that helps to prevent interference will ensure your TV remains lag-free.
Slow Internet Will Make For slower Roku TV Response Times
Having a minimal internet speed means data travels much more slowly and, therefore, increases the time for your Roku TV to load.
If you want to stream with the best possible quality, you will need a minimum internet speed of 5Mbps – 10Mbps. It is imperative when you stream at higher resolutions like 720p or more. Additionally, this speed requires that your Roku TV be the only device connected to the internet.
You need a faster internet connection if you want to connect multiple devices simultaneously.
Contact Your Internet Service Provider To Diagnose The Issue
Ask your ISP for assistance because they can examine your internet line and let you know of any faults or unusual activity causing lag or unresponsiveness.
They can then suggest manual tweaks to your router settings or even offer you an upgrade to a faster internet service.
Consider Massaging The Remote Control Buttons
If you’re having trouble with slight delays whereby you push right, but it only moves right after four seconds or more, this is an easy way to apply a fix. Furthermore, it will prevent letters from popping up after a time when you try to search for something on Netflix or Youtube.
To apply this fix:
- Turn your remote over and remove all the batteries
- Hold the remote control upright between both palms of your hands, and use your thumbs to press every button.
- Work your way from top to bottom, pressing every button multiple times and with a reasonable amount of pressure.
- Continue pressing all the buttons for about a minute or two, and give it a slight whack against your hand to loosen any debris caught between the buttons.
- After two minutes, place the batteries back in the remote and check to see whether the remote is more responsive. If it’s not, repeat the process two or three more times.
Despite the absurdity, this fix works for some people because when there’s dirt or some form of debris – coffee, hand lotion, water – on or between even one button, it can affect all the other buttons on the remote.
Conclusion
You can fix lag or delay on your Roku TV by ensuring its system is up to date. Try swapping out the batteries, and while they’re out, massage the buttons by pressing them multiple times to loosen any debris between them.
Contact your ISP to check your internet for faults or unusual activity. You can also reboot your Roku TV and router to free up data that may be causing interference.
Try a key combination by pressing the Home button five times, Up one time, Rewind twice, and Fast Forward twice to let the TV reset. It can help to wipe out any faults and remove lag and delay.