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ZodInLynn
Newbie

Roku remote unable to hear me

My Roku voice remote has consistently had the error "unable to hear you try again" I have a Roku ultra box bought years ago, And it has never worked.

Roku was completely useless when I contacted them about it and nobody has ever found or even worked on (apparently) any sort of fix for something that is obviously an issue with their remotes.

I know two people who have actually given their roku's away because they couldn't stand the fact that the voice remote doesn't actually have any voice functions that work

I used to recommend roku products to my friends but now i've become embarrassed by their lack of support when their product has problems which are not related to their users

************

and by the way resetting your roku has no effect on this issue (for me or for others who have the same problem) i tried factory resets, battery replacements, and every other "canned response" that has been suggested online and by roku

18 REPLIES 18
RokuKarla
Retired Moderator

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

Hello @ZodInLynn

Thanks for reaching out here in the Community!

Could you please try re-pairing your remote to your Roku device to see if that solves your problem? Please follow the steps below to accomplish this:

-Remove the power cable from your Roku device, wait 5 seconds, and then re-connect the power cable.
-Wait until your Roku device displays the home screen.
-Restart your remote. If your remote uses standard batteries, restart your remote by removing and reinserting the batteries. If your remote is rechargeable, press and hold the pairing button for 20 seconds. The status light should slowly flash green, stop, then flash rapidly. When this happens, release the pairing button and your remote has restarted.
-Press and hold the pairing button for 5 seconds until you see the status light begin to flash. If the light does not flash, charge your remote or replace the batteries.
-Wait for 30 seconds while the remote establishes a connection with your Roku device.
-Once the Roku device is connected to the remote, the pairing dialog should appear on your TV screen.

For more troubleshooting steps, check out this link: How to fix your Roku® voice or simple remote that is not working

 

Regards,
Karla

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nora28226
Newbie

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

My wife suddenly started getting this response to voice commands after 4 months of perfect use. Tried recharging batteries, re-pairing the remote, etc. No joy at all. Then when exploring the voice activation option of the remote I noticed that the switch on the top left side of the remote that activates this feature was in an in-between position, ie, not set in the on position or the off position. Moved the switch fully down to the voice activation "off" position and the remote started hearing perfectly again. The way this switch is situated on the side, it is easy when holding the remote to accidentally nudge up to or down to where it is isn't set at all. This may account why the problem may suddenly occur without any identifiable change. Would like to hear if others find this a solution.

SJMaye
Roku Guru

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

I see no switch to turn voice commands on or off .  We have 2 remotes connected to this Roku Ultra.  Both used to perform voice commands.  Now one of them will not accept voice commands.  I keep getting the, "Unable to hear you" response to any attempt at a voice command.  I replaced the batteries without success.  I removed and repaired the remote without success.

 

Any tips would be appreciated.

makaiguy
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

@SJMaye-

Only the rechargeable Voice Remote Pro has the switch on the left side.  The button turns on/off an added capability of always listening for your voice commands instead of having to hold down the microphone button.

Roku Community Streaming Expert
I am not a Roku employee, only a user like you.  Please, no support questions via private message -- post them publicly to the Community where others may benefit as well.
If this post solves your problem please help others find this answer by clicking "Accept as Solution.".

Ultra 4800 | Streaming Stick 4K+ 3821 | TCL Roku TV 43S245/C107X
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SJMaye
Roku Guru

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

Has anyone found a solution for a remote that continually receives the, "Unable to hear you" response to voice commands?

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

Hi @SJMaye

Thank you for the inquiry!

If your Roku remote is unable to hear you, it's likely that the microphone on the remote is not working properly. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can follow:

  • Make sure that the microphone is not blocked or covered by anything. Sometimes debris or other obstructions can block the microphone and prevent it from working properly.
  • Check that the microphone is enabled on your Roku device. To do this, go to Settings > Remotes & devices > Remote > Enable voice.
  • Restart your Roku device and remote. Sometimes restarting the device and remote can help resolve connectivity issues.
  • Replace the batteries in your remote with fresh ones. Low battery power can sometimes cause issues with the remote's functionality.

If none of the above solutions work, you may need to reset the remote. To do this, remove the batteries from the remote, then press and hold the pairing button (located in the battery compartment) for at least 3 seconds. Then release the button and wait for the remote to restart.


Warm regards,
Lianna

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SJMaye
Roku Guru

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

I performed all the steps you outlined, but I still get the Unable to hear you message on that one remote.

RokuNimfa-C
Retired Moderator

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

@SJMaye

Thanks for following up. 

We appreciate your effort in doing the suggested steps. And we're sorry that it doesn't help. Can you please provide the serial number of your Roku device paired to your Roku remote from Settings > System > About? I'll be able to pass it along to our Support team who can assist you further.


Regards,
Nimfa

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lonewriter
Streaming Star

Re: Roku remote unable to hear me

I finally fixed it. Why does Roku even place a switch on the left side of the remote that turns off the voice fuction? 

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