Forum Discussion

anna_ace's avatar
anna_ace
Streaming Star
10 months ago
Solved

Remote and Device Suddenly Stopped Communicating

My stream player and remote suddenly stopped communicating with one another. Roku's animated screen saver shows the swimming fishes but that's it. I have 2 functioning remotes (no battery or charging issues) I only use 1 and keep the 2nd as a backup. I tried both but nothing happened. The device and remote control were working perfectly in the morning but not in the afternoon. I rebooted the device and TV but it only shows the swimming fishes. The device is not a stick, it's the flat one with curved edges and connects through HDMI. What could have happened?

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remotes
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  • RokuTakashi's avatar
    RokuTakashi
    10 months ago

    Hi, anna_ace 

    Thanks for posting here in the Roku Community.

    We appreciate you for letting us know about the issue you have encountered with your Roku device and remote that doesn't function as expected, and our team is here to provide you with troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue. Kindly follow the instructions below.

    If you have a simple remote, follow the steps below:

    1. Locate a new matching pair of batteries
    2. Remove the battery cover on the back of your remote
    3. Remove both batteries from the battery compartment
    4. Insert the negative (-) end of the new battery first and then gently push the positive (+) end until the battery clicks into place
    5. Repeat the previous step to install the second battery
    6. Put the battery cover back on your remote

    You can also visit this support article on How to fix your Roku simple remote that is not working

    If you have a Roku voice remote, follow the steps below:

    If your voice remote uses standard AA or AAA alkaline batteries, use the following steps to reboot your remote by removing and reinstalling the batteries.

    1. Remove the battery cover on the back of your remote
    2. Remove both batteries from the battery compartment
    3. Re-insert the negative (-) end of a battery first and then gently push the positive (+) end until the battery clicks into place
    4. Repeat the previous step to install the second battery
    5. Put the battery cover back on your remote

    For more information, you can visit this support article at How to fix your Roku voice remote that is not working

    We hope you find this information useful, and feel free to reach out to us anytime if you have further concerns or inquiries.

    Best wishes,
    Kash

14 Replies

  • RokuTakashi's avatar
    RokuTakashi
    Community Moderator
    10 months ago

    Hi, anna_ace 

    Thanks for posting here in the Roku Community.

    We appreciate you for letting us know about the issue you have encountered with your Roku device and remote that doesn't function as expected, and our team is here to provide you with troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue. Kindly follow the instructions below.

    If you have a simple remote, follow the steps below:

    1. Locate a new matching pair of batteries
    2. Remove the battery cover on the back of your remote
    3. Remove both batteries from the battery compartment
    4. Insert the negative (-) end of the new battery first and then gently push the positive (+) end until the battery clicks into place
    5. Repeat the previous step to install the second battery
    6. Put the battery cover back on your remote

    You can also visit this support article on How to fix your Roku simple remote that is not working

    If you have a Roku voice remote, follow the steps below:

    If your voice remote uses standard AA or AAA alkaline batteries, use the following steps to reboot your remote by removing and reinstalling the batteries.

    1. Remove the battery cover on the back of your remote
    2. Remove both batteries from the battery compartment
    3. Re-insert the negative (-) end of a battery first and then gently push the positive (+) end until the battery clicks into place
    4. Repeat the previous step to install the second battery
    5. Put the battery cover back on your remote

    For more information, you can visit this support article at How to fix your Roku voice remote that is not working

    We hope you find this information useful, and feel free to reach out to us anytime if you have further concerns or inquiries.

    Best wishes,
    Kash

    • anna_ace's avatar
      anna_ace
      Streaming Star
      10 months ago

      The first remote has fresh batteries and the second one is fully charged but neither were able to get to the homepage.

      • atc98092's avatar
        atc98092
        Community Streaming Expert
        10 months ago

        anna_ace without knowing your Roku model number, we can't say for certain what remote you have. But it does appear that your Roku is not a Stick, so it supports infrared (IR) remotes. Depending on your Roku, it's possible it will only work with an IR remote. Does your remote have volume controls on it, and/or a headphone jack? 

        So, let's discuss IR control first. IR requires direct line of sight between the Roku and the remote. Anything blocking that direct view will stop the remote from working. IR remotes do not require pairing, and simply either work or not. You can test an IR remote for functionality by looking that the end of the remote (the end you point at the Roku) through a digital camera (such as a phone camera) and watch for flashing lights when you press a remote button. No flashing lights, the remote is not working.

        WiFi remotes (Roku also calls them Voice Remotes) require pairing with a specific Roku. Once paired, they work without requiring a direct line of sight, and can even work from another room through the wall. On rare occasions a remote can lose its pairing, so it must be paired again. Roku offers instructions to do that here. The remote you mention as fully charged (meaning it has internal batteries that can't be replaced) is a Voice remote, so it's one that needs pairing to work.

        One thing applies to both types of remotes: battery orientation. Some Roku remotes have both batteries pointed in the same direction, while others have one "up" and the other "down". Look in the battery holder for the direction they need to point. If the orientation is wrong, the remote won't work. 

        You could also try the Roku app on a phone or tablet (Android or Apple) connected to your network and see if it can control your Roku. If that works, then you know at least the Roku itself is working.