[Solved] Back button on Roku not working
Hey everyone,
We’ve seen reports where the back arrow button on some Roku remotes isn’t working.
Status update 8/28: We believe the issue is now resolved by performing a system restart.
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My back button on my Roku is not working. It is not working on the remote that came with the Roku and it also doesn't work when I try to use the remote with my phone using the Roku app. All other buttons on the remote are working. I have already tried a system reset.
Hello,
The back button that allows users to toggle between two channels stopped working on all of our Roku devices (5+ devices in same house). I suspect a faulty firmware update. I have reset the Roku receiver (unplugged for 60 seconds) and replaced the batteries in the remote control - but that solution did not work. I would appreciate any help.
Adding the growing pile. Definitely agree that this is related to a recent update. Had some issues with my Roku earlier today. Up until that point it had been working without any issues. Ended up performing a factory reset and initially after restoring all settings and apps it seemed to be functioning as expected until several hours later when in the HBO Max app I attempted to use the back button as I normally would and nothing. Thought the issue was just with the HBO Max app, but also noticed the same behavior with Hulu and Disney, yet it works fine in both the Netflix and Prime Video apps. Also it works intermittently on the Home screen. Been in IT for over 30+ years and if I ever rolled out updates that either broke a system(s) or did not have the capability to roll the updates back in the event of an issue(s) I would have lost my job a long time ago. Have to do better Roku.
Same issue - Roku broke something. To be clear, this is the Back arrow button next to the Home button.
As you said, others are reporting the back button doesn’t even work from the Roku app.
The only workaround I’ve found is toggling on the voice control slider button on the side of the remote (if your remote has one). Toggle it on and see if the back button begins working, then try toggling it off. Play around with it. For me, it fixes the problem temporarily at least. There seems to be some link to voice control.
Roku, please get this fixed.
I can confirm toggling voice search on and off seems to restore functionality at least temporarily.
Over on the Roku subreddit, there is talk that it is home screen related and that after a reboot immediately move off the home screen And open your desired app via search and it won't hose the back button. Haven't tried it yet myself.
The search option to open the app works even without the reboot. They have got a home screen problem - and it just started for us all. Bad update somewhere in their ecosystem.
I updated my Roku today August 27th 2025 and now if I'm inside of an app playing a movie and I hit the back button nothing happens. So I have no way to exit that movie.
From user Antharian on another thread ("Known Issues"):
Further testing shows that if you enter the app via the "Search" menu area, the back button will work. This leads me to believe they published content to the "Home" Content Well that broke things.
For this to work, the "Back" button must be functioning; Hit the "Home" button, then navigate to the "Search" menu, and find the app you want to run. It should function until they get this resolved.
You rock!!! This worked for me. But Roku needs to get on this fast.
Thanks for this workaround!
I have the same issue . Back button ( the bottom next to the home button) stopped working for many apps.
Same issue here. The back button/arrow doesn't work on any apps now on any of my Roku remotes. I even tried the remote control app and it doesn't work from there either.
Me too. Two different Roku Ultras, two different remotes, tried resetting, unplugging power to the roku, repairing remotes, etc.. It just happened all of a sudden not too long ago. The back button (left arrow button to the left of the Home button) simply does not have any effect in any app or even in the main Roku menus like for system settings, etc.. The Rokus register the button press, since I can watch the LED flicker on the Roku, they just don't do anything. They say I last updated the firmware in early July, so if it is a bad firmware update, it must be some counter/clock that took this long to finally overflow. One of them has been stuck "Checking for new software" for a long time now (stuck so badly that I just had to power cycle it), so I'm thinking that maybe this is a more widespread issue and Roku's update server is being hammered?? It smells like a firmware bug to me. I guess we just have to wait for them to release an update. This is a serious problem, since most of my most commonly used apps are largely unusable without back button functionality.
This started for me tonight. I can see the Roku ultra light up when I push the button. But the “back” function no longer works on most apps for two different remotes.
it works for YouTube, Netflix, Prime l
does NOT work for F1, HBO, Hulu, Disney, Crunchyroll, and the Roku OS itself
seems like an OS update bug issue.
Wow, you're right Prime and YouTube are the only apps where "back" button still works.
I tried Hulu, Peacock, Tubi, Starz, Pluto, Rumble, and Roku Channel, and "back" button DOES NOT work!
So, you click on something you don't want to warch, there's no way to back out of it.
I tried all the suggested troubleshooting options multiple times and nothing fixed the "back" button issue.
The 08/27/2025 Roku software update SUX!!!
My back button ONLY works for the Live tv (Roku live tv) and not my antenna, Paramount+, Fandango, Plex, Peacock, Fox61 (local news app), Pluto, Britbox, Acorn, etc. My last System update says 7/3/25 but I also do it manually weekly. So freaking mad!
Doesn't work in Youtube or Directv for me, but the backbutton works in Netflix and Prime. Starting the app from the Search button seems to work, but it's a pain. Hopefully, they'll get this fixed soon.
The same is happening to me in Media Player. I play a lot of content of off a hard drive and started happening today where the Back Button (to the left of the Home) no longer is functioning in media player. It does function in other places, like if I go into some of the menu items in the System Settings of Roku, I can center button to select and drill down, and Back Button to go back.
My guess at least, Roku did an update for Media Player today and broke it.
My "last update" still reads 7/9/25, but my back button (next to home button, NOT 'instant replay' or rewind (next to play)) isn't working either, except in YouTube.
Not working in HBO-Max, Fandango at Home, Pluto, Crunchyroll & numerous others. I can't go back to the previous menu page, so I have to hit the home button, leave the app & re enter it to another page. It also doesn't work in Roku's search.
How about a fix??
The same issue just started to happen to me today (within the past 1-2hrs) with my Roku remote with my HiSense Roku TV. The back button only works on the settings menu from the home page but none of the apps. They probably did an update that messed it up causing this issue. System Restarting the TV from the power menu [Settings>System>Power] did not resolve it and I also tried to use the Roku App on my phone with the same issue (back button not working in the apps - Hulu, Peacock, Starz, etc). The only place it still seems to work are the menus on the home page
Edit:
I just tested and can confirm that the remote back button does work if you do SEARCH > "APP NAME" > *SELECT APP* > OPEN APP -- They went and messed something up with the "home" apps and pushed an update that broke it. (Thanks Antharian)
Same here.
Yay! Finally something that works! Roku reps didn't give this suggestion! Hopefully, they will fix what's ultimately wrong and we won't have to do this any longer! Thanks to everyone for your help!
Further testing shows that if you enter the app via the "Search" menu area, the back button will work. This leads me to believe they published content to the "Home" Content Well that broke things.
For this to work, the "Back" button must be functioning; Hit the "Home" button, then navigate to the "Search" menu, and find the app you want to run. It should function until they get this resolved.
Thank you! This does work and I can pretty much confirm that this is an issue with the 'Home' screen.
The 'search' app keeps the back button working. When I exit the back the 'back' works until I hover at the 'home' Content screen and then the 'back' button stops working again. Even if I go back to the 'search' menu. I have to restart my Roku Ultra and then stay off the 'home' screen.
So for now as soon as you boot up the Roku or TV, immediately stay off the 'home' menu. Yes that's where all our apps are, but that causes the back button to stop. So the search menu may be the best way to open the apps and avoid the current home screen issue.
Hopefully Roku is reading this. Keep the the help and troubleshooting coming! But right now Roku needs to figure out what they did to the 'Home' screen menu between yesterday and today
I just tested and can confirm that the remote back button does work if you do SEARCH > "APP NAME" > *SELECT APP* > OPEN APP -- They went and messed something up with the "home" apps and pushed an update that broke it.
Thanks for posting the solution clearly. Worked for me. :)
Today my Roku back button stop working so I tried the other Roku remotes and the back button doesn’t work either for any of the remotes I can’t go back or exit out a channel or movie
Same here, back button works on most Roku menus but not on channels. Tried two remotes and the iPad app. Light on the Roku ultra flashes when back button is pressed but will not backup as before.
Apple TV, Netflix and sling channels still seem to work.
Tablo, paramount Hulu and peacock don’t work
Same here, I have 4 roku devices in the house all have same problem, the back button does not work within apps. It works for settings and in some other places.
After pressing the Home button the back button works until navigation is moved to app region. It will remain disabled even after navigating using <^> Pressing Home will reenable back button and
When in an app and the back button has been mysteriously disabled via app region, pressing * for caption and audio settings will reenable back button.
Same thing is happening to me, I have two TVs made by two different companies, but they’re both Roku’s systems, on one the back button works perfectly fine with both remotes, but if I try it on the other TV, the back button doesn’t work for either one.
Mine stopped working about 10 minutes ago. It had been working just fine this morning, but now the Back button is dead after going into any app. Resetting the Roku and/or the remote gets it working again until you go back into an app. I changed the batteries despite them testing good.
- Xfinity breaks the Back button.
- Netflix breaks it.
- HBO did not work at first, but eventually it started working. Returning to the Roku menu would cause it to break again.
Whatever software update was recent applied seems to have caused this.
- Firmware version: rtn.4302
- Voice Remote, model RC1079
I would like add that connecting to the stick via the Roku app, and the pressing the Back button on the app also does not work when the remote Back button stops working. The two are tied together in failure.
