How to Factory Reset a Roku Device

Performing a factory reset on your Roku device can fix technical issues or prepare it for a new user. When you follow the steps listed below to factory reset your Roku, you essentially start over with a brand new device that has no channels, account, or personal information.

This article will show you all of the ways you can reset your Roku device and provide some helpful tips along the way.

Restarting Roku

Before attempting a factory reset, you should try restarting your Roku first, as this may fix some of the issues you are experiencing. You can first try using the on/off switch to turn it off and back on. Unfortunately, older Roku streaming sticks don’t have this switch, so you will have to do the following:

1. Using your remote control and starting from your Home Page, press System.
2. Select System Restart.
3. Select Restart on the right side of the screen.
   Your Roku device will then take a couple of minutes to turn back on, and the Home Page will appear.
4. Try and see if your Roku is performing better.
5. If the Roku is frozen, do a restart again with these steps:
6. Press the Home Button exactly five times.
7. Press the Up button once.
8. Press Rewind twice and then Fast Forward twice.
9. The system will restart, which may take a while.

Roku Factory Reset with the Remote

If restarting your Roku Stick didn’t do the trick and you are experiencing issues, you can proceed with a factory reset. Doing this will remove all of your previously set preferences. Your Roku will revert to its default configuration, so you will have to go through the setup again. You will also have to connect your Roku account to the device afresh.

1. Press Home on your remote.
2. Press Settings.
3. Go to the System tab.
   
4. Select Advanced System Settings.
   
5. Select Factory reset on the right side of the screen.
   
6. You will then see a code on the bottom right on the screen. Enter the code to finish the factory reset.
   

Now, your Roku will restart. When the screen comes back on, you’ll notice that all of your channels and personal information is gone.

Roku Factory Reset Without Remote

If your Roku streaming stick isn’t responding to the remote, or you don’t have access to the remote, you can do the factory reset from the device itself or use the mobile app as a remote if possible. We’ll cover both in this section.

Use the Roku App as a Remote

If you have a smartphone, you can download the Roku app and use the remote control function. iPhone users can get the app using this link, and Android users can get it here.

Upon installing the app, you can follow these steps to use your phone as a remote:

1. Sign into your Roku account and connect your phone to the same WiFi network as your TV.
   
2. Tap Devices at the bottom of the screen.
   
3. Tap on your Roku device.
   
4. When your Roku device shows Connected, tap on Remote.
   
5. Now, you can use your phone as a Roku remote.
   

Unfortunately, you may need the Roku remote to set all of this up for the first. If you can’t get the app to work as your remote, don’t worry. You can still perform the factory reset using the reset button.

Use the Reset Button

Fortunately, most of your Roku devices and televisions have a physical button that you can use to perform a factory reset.

Note: If you’re trying to reset a Roku TV, you may need to look up the manufacturer’s manual to locate the reset button quickly. For example, the TCL Roku TV’s reset button is on the right side of the television above the HDMI ports.

1. Locate the reset button or pinhole on the back of your streaming stick or television.
2. You will have to keep the button pressed for at least 20 seconds. If yours is in the form of a pinhole, you will have to insert something that fits and keep it pressed for 20 seconds or so.
3. If you got it right, the power light will start blinking on your device. This means that the factory reset is finished.
4. Release the Reset button.

Resetting the Network

It’s possible that even a factory reset wouldn’t solve your problem if you have some issues with the Wi-Fi connection. In this case, you should do the connection reset by following these steps:

1. From the Starting Screen, select Settings
2. Select System
3. Open the Advanced System Settings tab.
4. Select Network connection reset and then Reset connection on the right side of the screen. This will erase all stored wireless information.
5. Go back to Settings, and open Network.
6. Select Set up a new connection. You will then have to enter the info for your wireless network.

Resetting the Remote

If the Roku remote is the issue, and it’s still not functioning after the factory reset, you can do the following:

1. Remove the battery lid on your remote.
2. Below the battery slots, you will see a Link/Pairing button.
3. With your Roku Stick active, press the button. This should connect the remote to your device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some more answers to your more frequently asked questions.

I’ve already sold my Roku device but forgot to do a factory reset. What can I do?

If you’ve sold or returned your Roku device without performing a factory reset, you may be concerned that someone will use your personal information, channels, or subscriptions. While you can’t perform a factory reset remotely, you can unlink the device from your Roku account.

First, you’ll need to visit the Roku website and log into your account. Then, click on your profile icon in the upper right-hand corner and click My Account. From here, you can scroll down the page and click on Unlink next to the device you’d like to remove from your account.

When you unlink a device from your account, all of your personal information, channels, and passwords will disappear. This means that the new user cannot access your content. Do keep in mind this does not cancel any of your subscriptions. You’ll need to cancel those manually if you no longer wish to keep them.

What happens when I perform a factory reset on my Roku device?

When you follow the steps above to reset your Roku, it will go back to all factory defaults. All your personal information, your account, your channels, and any settings you’ve tinkered with will reset. Of course, after the reset, you can log back into your Roku account and recover the majority of this information if you’d like.

Did it work for you? How do you find the Roku mobile app? Tell us about it below!