How to Fix Roku Remote App Not Working Issue

Roku devices are known for their handiness to use, and the Roku mobile App just adds to its quality. With the Roku App, users can do a multitude of things. One such feature is the app’s mobile remote, where your mobile becomes the virtual remote. But, sometimes, this remote app feature might not work properly and would cause trouble. This issue can be fixed by doing some basic troubleshooting methods. Go through this article and get to know how to fix the Roku remote app not working issue.

Reasons for Roku Remote App Not Working

There could be many reasons why this issue happens. Most of the time, this issue is caused due to,

• Network & Connection issues
• Accumulation of corrupted files
• Using an incompatible app

How to Fix Roku Remote App Not Working Problem

The list of troubleshooting methods to fix the Roku Remote app not working problem is provided below.

• Enable Control from Mobile
• Check Wi-Fi Network
• Power Cycle Wi-Fi Router
• Update the Roku App
• Clear Cache on Roku
• Disconnect VPN
• Uninstall & Reinstall the Roku App
• Factory Reset Roku Device
• Contact Customer Support

Enable Control from Mobile

There is a setting in Roku that you must enable to allow the Roku App to control your Roku device. Ensure that feature is turned on on your Roku device. To do this process,

1. Turn on your Roku device.

2. Press the Home button on your Roku remote and go to its home screen.

3. Scroll down and choose Settings.

4. In that, select System and go to Advanced System Settings.

5. Then, choose Control by mobile apps. On some older Roku devices, this option is displayed as External controls.

6. There, you can see Network access. Set it to Default.

Now, try pairing your Roku app with the TV and see if the remote feature works. If not, go to the next step.

Check Wi-Fi Network

In order to connect the Roku app to your Roku device, both of them should be on the same Wi-Fi network. The Roku app uses network detection technology to locate and connect with your Roku device. To check if both devices use the same Wi-Fi network and band,

1. Turn on your Roku and go to its home screen.

2. Scroll down and choose Settings.

3. In that, go to Network settings.

4. Click on the About option in that.

5. There, you can see the Wi-Fi network your Roku device is connected to.

Meanwhile, go to your Phone’s Connections setting and see if it is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the Roku device. If they are connected to the same network, and you still face problems, try the next fix.

Power Cycle Wi-Fi Router

Doing a power cycle helps in removing any minor glitches present in that device. Here, power cycling our Wi-Fi router would eliminate minor network issues that might be causing the remote app not to work properly. Power cycling of a Wi-Fi router involves,

1. Press the power button on the router.

2. Wait for the device to shut down.

3. Unplug the power cord from the router and wait for a minute.

4. Replug the power cord and turn on your Wi-Fi router.

5. Pair your Roku device and the Roku app.

6. Test if the Roku remote feature is working in it.

If this method, too, doesn’t yield any results, proceed to the next workaround.

NOTE: Also, try power cycling your Roku device simultaneously and see if it solves this issue.

Update the Roku App

A simple update of the Roku app has the ability to fix the Roku remote app not working issue. You might be unknowingly using the outdated version of the Roku app. Sometimes using the older versions of the app causes incompatibility with the devices. One way to update the app is,

1. Connect your mobile device to the internet.

2. Go to the respective application store on your devices and search for the Roku App.

3. If any updates are available, the Update option gets displayed. Click on it.

4. Wait till the app gets updated.

After updation, re-pair your Roku device with the mobile app and check if the remote feature works. If not, go to the next method.

Clear Cache on Roku

Cache files are data temporarily stored on your device that assists applications to run faster. But these files get accumulated on your device over time and cause your device to slow down and bring up other problems too. Clearing these unwanted cache files can fix this issue of the Roku remote app not working too. To clear cache files on your Roku device,

1. Turn on your Roku device.

2. On your TV remote, press the Home button 5 times in a row.

3. Following that, press the Up arrow button once.

4. Now, press the Rewind button twice, and finally, press the Fast Forward button twice.

After a few seconds, your Roku device would shut down and restart again. This process would take a minute or two. By now, your Roku remote issue should have been fixed. If not, get going to the next set of solutions.

Disconnect VPN

Sometimes, you might be trying to stream content from the Roku app in a geo-restricted area using a VPN. Since some VPNs route all applications through it, this may cause your Roku TV to not display in the Roku app. If you are using a VPN, disconnect it and check if it solves the issue that occurred.

Uninstall & Reinstall the Roku App

Try uninstalling the Roku app on your mobile devices and reinstall the app. This method can fix any minor technical snags that are causing the problem. After reinstalling the app, pair your Roku device and the mobile app and check if the Roku remote feature is working fine. If not, try the penultimate step provided below.

Factory Reset the Roku Device

If no other troubleshooting methods yielded any positive results, we are fated to do the factory reset method. In this method, all the data saved on your Roku device gets eliminated. This data includes cache, account information, downloads, etc. But this method has a high chance of fixing your problem. To do a factory reset of your Roku device,

1. Turn on your Roku and press the Home button on your remote.

2. Scroll down and select the Settings menu.

3. From Settings, choose the System option.

4. Scroll down and select Advanced system settings.

5. Choose the Factory reset option.

6. Enter the Pin displayed on your screen and then click OK to start the reset process.

7. Finally, click on the Start factory reset button from the pop-up window and complete the resetting process. After this, your Roku will shut down automatically.

Upon completing the factory reset, turn on your Roku device and connect your Roku device to the same network as the Roku app. Pair both devices. Check if the remote option is working fine. Hopefully, it would work fine in most cases.

Unfortunately, if you still face the problem, you have to get the assistance of the customer support team.

Contact Customer Support

So far, we have provided you with all the basic troubleshooting techniques to solve this issue but to no avail. But as luck would have it, Roku has dedicated customer support to solve our issues. You can contact them through their customer support website and post your queries there. They’ll definitely provide you with expert assistance in solving the problem.

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