Roku Channels Won’t Open – Fix

I was sitting down, getting ready to enjoy some Disney+ shows on my Roku Ultra, when suddenly, channels wouldn’t open when I tried to launch them. I went to select Netflix, and it did the same thing. Every channel I opened would flash me back to the Home screen.

Luckily, I solved this problem. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can take when your Roku channels won’t open.


Clear Cache

Performing these steps can solve a lot of issues. Clearing the cache is what solved this problem for me. After performing these steps, I was able to launch all channels again.

To clear the cache on the Roku, press the following buttons on the remote:

🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠 + ▲ + ⏪️⏪️ + ⏩️⏩️

  • Home 5 times
  • Up 1 time
  • Rewind 2 times
  • Fast Forward 2 times

If done correctly, the screen will go black for a few minutes, then your Roku will restart. Be patient as it may take several minutes for the restart to complete.


Check For System Updates

Perhaps the RokuOS is to blame for your problems. Sometimes updates can be released with bugs that are later fixed. Be sure you have the latest version of the system software by going to “Settings” > “System” > “System update“.


Check For Channel Updates

  1. From the Home screen, highlight the channel you wish to update.
  2. Press *.
  3. Select “Check for updates“.

Uninstall & Reinstall Channel

  1. From the Home screen, highlight the problematic channel.
  2. Press *.
  3. Select “Remove channel“.
  4. Select “Remove“.
  5. Wait for the channel to be removed.
  6. Press “Home” to go back to the Home screen, then select “Streaming Channels“.
  7. Navigate to the channel that needs to be reinstalled, then follow the steps to reinstall it.

Switch HDMI Port

Sometimes the HDMI port can cause this issue. If you have another HDMI port you can plug your Roku into, try it. You may also want to try cleaning the contacts on the cable and HDMI port.

 


Change HDMI Cable

Channels kicking you out can indicate a connection problem. Try replacing the HDMI cable you are using with a new one.


I hope there was something in this list of steps that helped you solve the problem with Roku not loading channels. Let us know how it worked out in the comments section.

 

This post applies to Roku Ultra, Express, Streaming Stick, Streambar, and Roku integrated TCL, Insignia / Toshiba TV models.

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