Roku TV · Remote not working
Roku remote not working? How to fix it
To fix a Roku remote, put in a fresh matching pair of batteries, restart the TV, and pair a voice remote again by holding its pairing button (or Back and Home) for 5 seconds until the light flashes. A Roku simple remote uses infrared, so it never pairs: point it straight at the TV and clear anything in the way.
Fix your Roku TV remote
Which TV do you have?
Roku remote stopped working? Put in a fresh pair of batteries, restart the TV, and pair a voice remote again by holding its pairing button, or Back and Home, for 5 seconds. A simple remote doesn't pair, so point it straight at the TV and clear the way. While you sort it out, your iPhone can be the remote over your home Wi-Fi.
Every fix, step by step
From Roku TV’s own support pages. Work down the list.
Simple remote or voice remote?
A Roku simple remote has no voice or microphone button. It uses infrared and has to point straight at the TV. A Roku voice remote has a microphone or magnifying glass button, and some voice remotes connect to the TV wirelessly, so they must be paired. Roku's fixes differ for each.
Simple remote: clear the path to the TV
Roku says the most common reason for missed button presses is something in the way of the signal, and the second most common is low or dead batteries.
- Make sure nothing blocks the front of the TV.
- Try pointing the remote from different angles.
- The remote can't work through cabinet doors or walls. It needs a clear line to the TV.
Simple remote: reset it with fresh batteries
- Take the old batteries out.
- Press any two buttons to reset the remote.
- Put in a fresh matching pair of batteries.
- Put the battery cover back on and try again.
Check the signal with a phone camera
Point the front of the remote at a phone camera and press several buttons. If you can't see a flashing light on the phone screen, replace the batteries.
Voice remote with batteries: restart the remote
- Take both batteries out.
- Press any two buttons.
- Put the batteries back in, negative end first.
- Put the cover back on.
Rechargeable voice remote: restart and charge
- Hold the pairing button for 20 seconds. If there's no pairing button, hold Back and Home for 20 seconds.
- Wait for the light on the remote to stop flashing.
- Charge the remote with the cable that came with it for at least 5 hours.
Voice remote: pair it again
- Restart the TV first (see below).
- If the remote has a pairing button (on the back or under the battery cover), press and hold it for 5 seconds until the status light flashes.
- If there's no pairing button, press and hold Back and Home for 5 seconds until the status light flashes.
- If pairing fails, make sure the TV and the remote are both in pairing mode at the same time, and check for other electronics or obstacles between them.
Pair a voice remote when no remote works
- Unplug the TV's power cord.
- Wait at least 5 seconds, then plug it back in.
- When the Home screen appears, put the voice remote in pairing mode as above.
Restart the Roku TV
Roku says a system restart is the least invasive reset and won't change your settings. If no remote works, unplug the TV for at least 10 seconds and plug it back in.
Use your iPhone while you fix it
Your phone can stand in for the remote. Roku's free Roku app has a Remote tab: install it, sign in, connect it to your Roku TV, and select Remote. Your phone and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Roku says the app can't find a Roku TV that isn't connected to the internet, for example after a reset or during first-time setup.
- The TV must allow phone apps: Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Control by mobile apps. If this was switched off, you need the Roku remote to switch it back on.
- Simple TV Remote is an iPhone remote that works over your home Wi-Fi. It works only if your TV runs a platform it supports. Check your model at /compatibility/.
- A phone remote can't help with a TV that has never been connected to Wi-Fi.
Use your iPhone instead
Simple TV Remote works with Roku TVs over your home Wi-Fi. Check your model, then try it free in the app.
Sources
Every compatibility fact on this page comes from these sources. Dates show when we last checked each one. How we build the TV list.
- Roku Support: Fix your Roku remote (simple or voice)
- Roku Support: How do I resolve problems with my Roku IR (infrared) remote?
- Roku Support: How to set up and pair your Roku voice remote
- Roku Support: How to system restart your Roku streaming device
- Roku Support: Use the Roku remote app on your phone
- Roku Support: How to install the Roku remote app (Control by mobile apps)
Questions
Why is my Roku remote not working?
Roku says the most common cause is something in the way of the signal, and the second most common is low or dead batteries. Clear the path to the TV and put in a fresh matching pair of batteries. If you have a voice remote, it may also need pairing again.
How do I pair a Roku remote to my TV?
Press and hold the pairing button on the back or under the battery cover for 5 seconds until the status light flashes. Then wait for the TV to confirm. Restarting the TV first helps.
How do I pair a Roku remote without a pairing button?
Press and hold Back and Home together for 5 seconds until the status light flashes. If the remote has no voice or microphone button, it's a simple remote. It uses infrared and has to point straight at the TV.
How do I reset a Roku remote?
Take the batteries out, press any two buttons, and put the batteries back in (negative end first on a voice remote). For a rechargeable voice remote, hold the pairing button, or Back and Home, for 20 seconds until the light stops flashing, then charge it for at least 5 hours.
Why is my Roku remote blinking?
A flashing status light means the voice remote is in pairing mode. If it keeps flashing and never pairs, the TV isn't in pairing mode at the same time. Unplug the TV for 5 seconds, plug it back in, and pair again when the Home screen appears.
Why is my Roku remote not working with new batteries?
Check that the batteries face the right way and that nothing blocks the front of the TV, then restart the TV. A voice remote may need pairing again. If a phone camera shows no flashing light from the remote as you press buttons, the remote may be faulty.
How do I restart a Roku TV?
Press Home, then go to Settings > System > Power > System restart. It won't change your settings. If the remote doesn't work at all, unplug the TV for at least 10 seconds and plug it back in.
Why is my Roku app remote not working?
Make sure your phone and Roku TV are on the same Wi-Fi network, and that Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Control by mobile apps is switched on. The app also can't find a TV that isn't connected to the internet, for example after a reset.
Can I use my iPhone as a Roku TV remote?
Yes, if the TV is on your Wi-Fi. Roku's free Roku app has a Remote tab. Simple TV Remote also works on Roku TVs for navigation, volume, typing, apps and turning the TV off, and you can check your TV free first.
Why is my Roku remote light flashing?
A flashing status light means the voice remote is in pairing mode. Wait for the TV to show that it's paired. If it keeps flashing, restart the TV and pair again so both are in pairing mode at the same time.
Does a Roku simple remote need pairing?
A simple remote has no voice button and uses infrared, so it doesn't pair. Point it straight at the TV, clear the path, and put in fresh batteries.
Can I use my phone as a Roku remote?
Yes, if the TV is connected to the internet. Use the Roku app's Remote tab with your phone on the same Wi-Fi, and make sure Control by mobile apps is switched on in the TV's Advanced system settings.
Check your TV free. Pay once if it works.
Simple TV Remote pairs with your TV and sends real commands before you pay anything. If it works, unlock it for $5.99, once.