There are many reasons why your Roku light might be playing up, whether it’s on the Roku player or on your remote. It can be frustrating trying to work out why it’s not working correctly and how to fix it. This is why I have put together a quick guide for common issues you may experience with the lights on your Roku device.
The light on your Roku device will be flashing, not working or changing colour if there is a connection or power issue with the device. Connection issues involve problems with the HDMI cable, WiFi or remote pairing. Power issues arise when there is not enough power or the device is overheating.
I will discuss in detail each problem you may come across with the lights on your Roku, and how you can solve each issue.
Roku Keeps Flashing
There is one light on the Roku player and two lights on the Roku remote. One of the remote lights is found in the battery compartment. Any of these lights may be flashing at you, indicating that something is wrong with your Roku device.
Sometimes it may not be a light flashing, but the TV screen. Regardless of what your issue is, there is always a reason and usually an easy fix.
White Light Flashing on Roku Player
This is most commonly an issue with the WiFi connection. You will notice the light flashes twice repeatedly. There are a few ways to fix this.
First try resetting your router and your Roku player. If that doesn’t work, try moving either your Roku player or your router so they are closer together. Sometimes having them in separate rooms can cause connection issues.
If this still doesn’t work, you might consider changing the connection channel on your router. This will be different for every router, so you will need to look this up in your operating manual.
There is also the possibility that your connections are fine, but the internet is down in your area or the Roku servers are down. This is, unfortunately, something that you have no control over.
However, some people have experienced a blinking white light when the HDMI cable is faulty. If this is the case, you might benefit from trying a different cable.
Light Flashing on Roku Remote
If the flashing light is on the front of your Roku remote, you will need to change the batteries.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on April 4, 2021.
If it is the light in the battery compartment that is flashing, then this is another connection issue. This light is known as the ‘pairing light’ or ‘pairing LED’. It is supposed to flash when the Roku remote is attempting to pair with the Roku player.
If you are having this issue, I have discussed how you can fix this connection further down, under ‘Roku Pairing Light Keeps Flashing’.
Screen Flashing when Using Roku Player
Some people have reported their TV screen flashing when using the Roku player. This may seem like an unusual issue, but you are not alone.
One likely issue is that the ‘Auto-adjust Display Refresh Rate’ is not working correctly. In this case, you can disable this feature in settings. Below is the pathway you will need to follow to change this setting.
Settings > System > Advanced System Settings > Advanced Display Settings > Auto-adjust Display Refresh Rate
If this does not solve the issue, try using a different HDMI cable. The cable might be faulty, or you may need a 4K compatible cable instead.
Roku Flashes Twice
If the Roku light flashes twice, repeatedly, this is an issue with either your WiFi connection or the Roku servers. Sometimes it may also be that the HDMI cable is faulty. If you would like more information, you can find this above under ‘Roku Keeps Flashing’.
Solid Blue Light On Roku
A solid blue light on Roku indicates that the device is turned on and connected to the internet. However, if the blue light stays on and the device is not responding, there could be an issue with the device. Here are some possible reasons and solutions to fix a solid blue light on Roku.
- Check the HDMI connection: The first thing you should do is check the HDMI connection. Make sure that the HDMI cable is properly connected to both the Roku device and the TV. If the cable is loose, reconnect it and see if the blue light goes off.
- Restart the device: If the HDMI connection is fine, try restarting the Roku device. To do this, unplug the device from the power source and wait for a few seconds. Then, plug it back in and turn it on. Check if the blue light goes off.
- Check the remote control: Sometimes, the issue may be with the remote control. Check if the batteries are working and replace them if necessary. Also, ensure that the remote control is paired with the Roku device.
- Reset the device: If none of the above solutions work, you can try resetting the Roku device. To do this, press and hold the reset button on the back of the device for at least 20 seconds. Then, release the button and wait for the device to restart.
- Contact Roku customer support: If the blue light still stays on, contact Roku customer support for further assistance. They will be able to diagnose the issue and provide a solution.
Roku TV Won’t Turn On Red Light Blinking
If the Roku player light is red, this means there is an issue with the power. A blinking red light specifically means there is not enough power to use your Roku.
Roku players are commonly connected directly into a wall socket for power. Unless your wall socket does not have a normal output, you should not have this issue. But if you do, try plugging it into a different socket.
There are some Roku players that have the option of plugging the power into a USB port in the TV. The TV then provides your Roku device with power.
If you have this setup, the Roku player requires time to power on and you may be prone to insufficient power issues. You will probably see a message on the screen saying “insufficient power” or “USB port will not power this Roku”.
First, you should try plugging the USB cable into a different USB port. Some ports can provide more power than others.
If this doesn’t work, you can try replacing the USB cable. Some people have found that the cable that comes with the Roku player has this issue, but their own USB cable works perfectly. It may simply be that it’s faulty.
If all else fails, connect your Roku player directly into a wall socket like you would with any smartphone USB connection. This will ensure you have enough power to the device at all times.
Solid Red Light
Some people have experienced a solid red light rather than a blinking red light. This means that the Roku player is overheating. You should also get a warning message on the screen that reads “your device is overheating”.
In this case, you should unplug it to let it cool down. You should give the Roku player at least 10 minutes to cool down before plugging it back in and trying to use it.
If you have the same issue, unplug the device and wait another 10 minutes for it to cool down. If it still has a red warning light, try leaving it in a cool, well-ventilated and dry area overnight. When you reboot the device, the light should be white again.
This issue is known to occur in the following scenarios.
· Your Roku player in an enclosed space such as a glass TV cabinet.
· You sit the Roku player on top of other electronic devices.
· There is prolonged direct sunlight on the Roku player.
Once you have cooled the device down, perhaps consider moving it to a different location.
Roku Not Working Blinking White Light
A blinking white light is one of the most common issues with the Roku player. As I mentioned earlier, this is either a connection issue with the WiFi or the Roku server. It could also be an issue with the HDMI cable.
You can find a detailed description of this issue under ‘Roku Keeps Flashing’.
Roku Pairing Light Keeps Flashing
The Roku Pairing Light is found in the battery compartment of the remote control. It is a little green light that should be on. If it is flashing, this means that there is a connection issue between the remote and the Roku player.
To reconnect the remote to the Roku player, you can follow the steps listed below.
Step 1: Unplug the Roku player.
Step 2: Replace (or re-insert) the batteries from the remote.
Step 3: Plug in the Roku player.
Step 4: Press and hold the ‘Reset’ button in the remote’s battery compartment for three seconds.
Step 5: After the Roku player has started up, there will be a pairing notice on the screen.
Resetting both the Roku player and the remote will allow these devices to find one another again. The pairing process is automatic, so following the on-screen instructions will finalise this process.
Roku Pairing Light Not Flashing
The Roku pairing light should flash when you are pairing the remote to the Roku player. As I mentioned earlier, pairing begins when you press and hold the ‘Reset’ button in the battery compartment for three seconds.
If you notice that the pairing light is not flashing after holding down the ‘Reset’ button, try again. This time, hold the button down for 5-10 seconds. If it is still not working, it is more than likely the batteries are dead and need to be replaced.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on April 4, 2021.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on April 4, 2021.