Fix Netflix Not Working On Roku [Free Online Tool]

If you’re struggling to load Netflix on your Roku device, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we list several confirmed fixes, listed in the order that will get you the fastest results.

Once you find the solution that works for you, don’t forget to vote (it just takes one click), so we can help others with the same issue.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

A common reason for Netflix suddenly not working on Roku is a broken or weak WiFi connection. You can fix this by restarting your WiFi router. Other common solutions include restarting your Roku device (by unplugging it), checking for software updates, or uninstalling Netflix and then reinstalling it.

Ready? Let’s dive straight in.

Check your internet connection

There are several internet connection issues that can prevent Netflix from working properly on your Roku device.

Even if you’re reading this article on the same internet connection as your Roku device, make sure to check these common issues:

• Is your WiFi working (is it connected to the internet)?
• Is the WiFi signal too weak?
• Do you have a slow download speed?
• Is a VPN causing connection issues?

With the first issue, Netflix won’t load at all.

If it’s one of the other three issues, Netflix may load, but be very slow and have buffering issues.

Note: if other internet-requiring apps are working fine, this isn’t your issue and you can skip these steps.

Is your wifi working?

Try to access your WiFi on another device, such as your phone.

Or run a network connectivity test on your Roku via:

settings > network > check connection

If it doesn’t work, you’ve likely found your problem – the WiFi is down.

You can usually fix WiFi issues by restarting your WiFi router and checking all the physical connections are in place. If this doesn’t fix it, you’ll need to contact your provider. 

Is your wifi signal strong enough?

If the WiFi is working, the next thing to check is your signal strength (this is a common issue if you’ve just moved or set up your Roku).

Run a network connectivity test on your Roku via settings > network > check connection.

The results will show you two important metrics.

• Signal strength 
• Internet download speed 

If they’re both fair, good, or excellent, skip the next steps until to reach restart your Roku.

If either of the results are poor, keep reading. 

Signal strength 

If the signal strength is poor, your Roku and Netflix are going to suffer from performance issues.

There are two solutions to poor signal strength:

• Move the TV / Roku device
• Buy a WiFi extender

Move the TV / Roku device

Your Roku device could be too far from the WiFi router, in which case you’ll need to move it (and the TV closer).

Your Roku device could also be in a ‘WiFi dead zone’, which is a small area of weak signal, sometimes close to the router. Some surprising things can affect WiFi signals, such as fish tanks or plants.

If this is the case, moving the Roku device around slightly can help.

Elevating the Roku or moving it from directly behind the TV are good places to start (a HDMI extender can come in very useful here).

Buy a wifi extender

If you can’t (or don’t want to) move the Roku device, you can bring the WiFi closer to the TV with an extender.

WiFi extenders boost the signal in areas where it’s a bit patchy.

I have several of these TP-Link RE315 extenders dotted around my house. They’re super reliable little workhorses that barely cost anything. Money well spent if you’re constantly running into weak connection issues.

reset network settings

If you or anyone you live with has tampered with the network settings on your Roku or WiFi router (e.g by adding custom DNS settings), this could be affecting Netflix.

To fix this, reset your network settings to default.

Or you can change to another well know DNS server, and see if this fixes the issue.

Internet download speed

If your signal is fine, but the internet download speed is poor, it could be that another device on the WiFi is ‘stealing’ all the power by streaming or downloading big files.

Or you could just have slow internet.

If you have a compatible Roku device, try using an ethernet connection instead of a wireless connection. This generally results in faster speeds.

If this doesn’t work, contact your ISP (internet service provider) to discuss upgrade options.

What download speeds do you need for Netflix on Roku?

• Standard definition: >1 Mbps
• High definition: >3 Mbps for 720p, >5 Mbps for 1080p
• 4K Ultra HD: >15 Mbps

Turn off VPN (if you’re using one)

If you’re using a VPN, this could be the problem.

Using a VPN is technically against Netflix’s terms of service, so if they detect you’re using one, the app won’t work.

Or the VPN could have a weak connection which is causing problems with the internet.

I personally notice this when using cheaper, less stable VPNs. It can be extremely frustrating, especially as you’re not given any warning that the VPN is facing connection issues.

Simply turn your VPN off and see if this fixes the problem.

If it did, it may be time to consider a new VPN provider.

Restart your Roku device

If the WiFi seems fine, the next thing to do is restart your Roku. Restarting your device can solve a whole host of problems.

There are three ways to restart your Roku device.

Manual restart

1. Unplug the Roku device from the wall
2. Wait for at least 10 seconds (but I’d say 30 to make sure)
3. Plug the Roku back in and turn it on

Menu restart

1. Navigate to the Roku homepage (you can press the home button on the remote)
2. Select Settings
3. Select System
4. Select Power (if you don’t see this option, skip to the next step)
5. Select System restart
6. Wait for the Roku to restart

Remote restart

1. Press the home button 5 times
2. Press the up arrow 1 time
3. Press the rewind button 2 times
4. Press the fast forward button twice
5. This should force a restart

Once the Roku has restarted, check to see if Netflix is working again.

And don’t worry, resetting the Roku won’t do anything to the setup of your device (but a Factory reset does, more on this below).  You’re just clearing the cache.

All your settings and channels will remain (although you may have to log back into certain channels). 

Verify that Netflix isn’t the problem

The problem could also lie with the Netflix app itself.

Try to access Netflix via another device. If this works fine you can skip these steps.

If you have a problem on the second device too – you need to troubleshoot Netflix.

Is Netflix down?

This is unlikely to be the issue, but it’s quick and easy to check.

To check if Netflix is down, you can:

• Check the status on the Netflix website
• Check for updates via Twitter
• Use a site like down detector

If there is indeed a user-wide problem with the app, all you can do is wait.

Are you up to date with payments?

If you’ve replaced a card recently, or your account is low on funds, the payment for your Netflix account may have failed to go through.

You should have been notified about this via email, but it can be easy to miss these updates.

To fix this issue, you will need to update your payment details or make sure there is enough money in your account.

As soon as the overdue bill has been paid, you’ll regain access to your account. 

Have you reached the screen limit?

Depending on your Netflix plan, you will have a limit on the number of screens you can use at any one time.

For example, on the cheapest plan, you can only watch one screen at a time. 

If you’re logged into your account in multiple places, it’s possible someone is using your account.

If you know who the culprit is, you’ll need to message them and tell them to get off! 

If you’re not sure who it is, you can log out of all devices via netflix.com and then change your password. 

Check for updates

Software updates happen all the time. Your Roku device should update automatically but for various reasons, this might not have happened. 

And if your software isn’t up to date it can cause issues (like Netflix not working). 

You can manually check for updates by following these steps. You need to check both Roku and Netflix. 

To check for Roku updates

1. Navigate to the Roku Homepage (you can press the home button on the remote)
2. Select Settings
3. Select System
4. Select System update
5. Select Check Now to manually check for updates

To check for Netflix updates

1. Navigate to the Netflix app on your Roku grid
2. Press the * button on your remote
3. Select Check for updates

Side note: it’s also possible that the issue is with a recent update that has a bug.

This happened in late 2021 when Roku released its 10.5 software update. If this is the issue, Roku will release a fix or allow you to downgrade the software again.

Sign in and out of Netflix

This is a simple solution, but it could work and is less hassle than the next option (which is to completely uninstall the Netflix app.

In the Netflix app, navigate to the menu by clicking on your avatar. You should then see the option to ‘sign out’ at the bottom of the menu.

Sign back in and test if the problem is fixed.

Uninstall and reinstall Netflix

Sometimes apps corrupt for an unknown reason.

To fix this, you can uninstall and reinstall your Netflix app. 

To uninstall the Netflix app

1. Navigate to the Netflix app on your Roku device
2. Press the * button on your remote
3. Press Remove app

You will then need to restart the Roku device.

This is very important – this will clear its memory so all traces of Netflix will be gone.

After restarting the Roku, you can reinstall Netflix.

1. Press the Home button on your Roku remote
2. Scroll down to ‘Streaming channels’. This will take you to the channel store.
3. Press Okay
4. Scroll down and select Search channels
5. Type in Netflix
6. Scroll to the right and select Netflix
7. Press Add channel (you may be asked to enter your pin)

Netflix will be at the bottom of your channel grid when it reinstalls, but you can move it up if you wish (via the * button on the remote). 

You will have to re-login to Netflix when you open it.

Note: if you have an active subscription to Netflix through Roku, then you will be unable to remove the channel.

Factory reset

This should be the last port of call because doing a factory will completely erase the Roku stick. 

It will be back to how it was when you bought it. 

But if nothing else has worked, it’s worth trying.

There are two ways to perform a hard reset.

• Press the physical reset button on the Roku device for 10 seconds (you may need something thin like an earring, a straightened paper clip, or a sim opener). Then wait for the device to reset.
• Reset via settings

To reset the Roku via settings

1. Press Home on your Roku remote
2. Select Settings
3. Select System
4. Select Advanced system settings
5. Select Factory reset
6. If you have a Roku TV, select Factory reset everything. Otherwise, move to the next step.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions

Once you have turned the Roku device back on you will need to set it back up again. You can follow the on-screen instructions to do this.

Contact support

Finally, you can always contact Roku or Netflix customer support (I’d start with Roku). 

• Roku customer support: https://support.Roku.com/contactus
• Netflix customer support: https://help.netflix.com/en/contactus

Let us know what worked