Do Rokus Ever Go Bad? Common Problems, Signs & Tips

As the world continues moving away from cable TV and toward various streaming services, devices such as Roku are becoming more and more popular.

However, when you’re buying a Roku, you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your money.

So, you must be wondering if they ever go bad.

Rokus do eventually go bad, like all electronic devices. This can be due to problems such as short circuits, soldered connections failing due to years of use, or the device may be too outdated and no longer supported. Typically, you can get about five years out of a Roku device.

The rest of this article will explain how long a Roku should last, what type of problems can make a Roku go bad, and how to prevent those problems.

I’ll also discuss various signs to look for that might indicate your Roku has gone bad.

How Long Should a Roku Last?

Roku devices won’t last forever. Many people don’t realize all electronics will eventually “go bad,” simply because most of us upgrade our electronics every several years or so.

However, if you have the same Roku you’ve always had, and it’s finally gone bad, it’s most likely due to years of use.

A Roku should last about five years on average.

While some people may get more prolonged use out of their Rokus, they’ll typically go bad due to an accident or a short circuit in the device.

If yours has lasted longer than five years, it’ll most likely go bad due to several years of use.

Let’s go over a few of the reasons a Roku may go bad and why this happens.

A Short Circuit

If you’re like most people, you probably just know you need to plug the Roku in and hit the power button.

Therefore, things such as short circuits may not be something that crosses your mind.

However, they’re more common in electronic devices than you may think.

A short circuit is a problem between the electric current’s voltage that can result in circuit damage, or worse, a fire.

Most of the time, short circuits just fry the electrical device, making it no longer work.

How To Prevent a Short Circuit

Unfortunately, once a short circuit has fried a Roku, you can’t easily fix it.

However, there are ways you can prevent this from happening.

The best way to prevent short circuits is to have your house inspected once a year by a professional.

An electrician will look at your electrical wiring and outlets to determine if anything is wrong, making it easy to prevent any electrical surges.

Therefore, ensuring your Roku won’t short circuit, including all the other electronics in your home, will save you money.

Too Many Years of Use

Using the same electronic device for many years can cause it to go bad suddenly.

There are many reasons why this might happen, but typically it’s due to temperature failure.

Rokus usually stay plugged in at all times, and to function, the device continuously heats up and cools down.

Over time, this can cause the soldered connections to fail, resulting in the Roku no longer working.

The Device Is Outdated

While your Roku device being outdated doesn’t necessarily mean it’s “gone bad,” an outdated device won’t have the best functionality or the most recent updates.

Whenever Roku releases new models, the older models get less popular, which means it won’t get the latest updates.

Many TVs and apps will eventually stop supporting them.

So, what does this mean for the older Rokus?

You can still get use out of your older Roku, as long as the apps you’re using still support it.

Some people claim to have had the same Roku for 8+ years with no issues.

However, no longer getting updates can cause the device to lag and not work as great.

Which Roku Devices Are No Longer Supported?

Roku has nine different generations of Roku devices, and the first and second generation of Roku is no longer sold or supported by Roku.

Here’s a list from Roku Developers of some of the legacy models that are no longer updated:

Roku Streaming Stick (3400X, 3420X)
Roku DVP (N1000)
Roku HD (N1100, 2000C, 2500X)
Roku 2 HD (3000X)
Roku LT (2400X, 2450X)
Roku XD (2050X, 2050N, 2100X, 2100N)
Roku HD-XR (N1101)
Roku SD (N1050)
Roku 2 XD (3050X)
Roku 2 XS (3100X)

If you own any of these Roku devices and you’re having trouble with getting it to work, it might just not be supported.

Signs Your Roku Might Have Gone Bad

If your Roku is causing you trouble, you’re probably looking for any answers to try to fix it.

Coming to terms with your Roku going bad is difficult, but you shouldn’t spend too much time trying to fix something you can’t repair.

There are several signs to look for that might indicate your Roku has gone bad.

Not all of these mean that you need a new one, so you should contact Roku for any questions before running to the store.

Roku Is Constantly Rebooting

The device constantly rebooting itself can be a sign of something wrong.

Before deciding your Roku has completely gone bad, check the outlets and cords you’re using and try a factory reset.

I’ll go over how to perform a factory reset later in the article.

If your device continues to reboot and causes problems after a factory reset, it’s most likely an electrical issue in the device that has caused it to go bad.

Roku Won’t Work on Any Outlet

If you plug your Roku in and it’s still not turning on, it most likely has gone bad.

Trying different outlets around your house is a good idea to make sure it’s not your power; however, it most likely short-circuited or a mechanical problem in the device made it go wrong.

If your Roku has gone bad and you’re looking for another one, I recommend the Roku Streaming Stick+ from Amazon.com. This Roku device has great ratings.

The Streaming Stick+ has a longer range than most other devices, includes various streaming services that offer endless entertainment, and it’s painless to set up.

Most Common Roku Problems

Like most electronics, things can go wrong and cause problems. While it might be frustrating, they’re usually fixable.

There are various issues involving Rokus that you can easily fix.

So, if your Roku isn’t working correctly, it might not be bad! It might just need a quick reboot.

Here are a couple of the more common issues people deal with involving Rokus:

Overheating

Since people usually plug in their Roku and never unplug it, it’s a common issue for them to overheat.

There are several ways you can tell if your Roku is overheating:

There’s a red light. Some Roku players will show a solid white light most of the time. When it turns solid red, this is an indication that the device is too hot.
There’s a warning on your TV. This is usually one of the first signs you’ll see, especially if you’re streaming something using your Roku device. A warning will pop up on the screen, indicating your device is overheating.
It’s very hot to touch. If your device is in an enclosed space with limited to no airflow, you’ll risk it becoming too hot and overheating. It’s a good idea to allow airflow and touch the Roku often to ensure it’s not overly hot.

Frozen Screen

Like constantly rebooting, if your Roku device messes up and you have a frozen screen, you might need a factory reset.

Typically, a factory reset will fix the internal issue, and your Roku will begin working as usual.

To perform a factory reset, Roku recommends following these steps:

Press the home button.
Select settings.
Select system.
Select Advanced system settings.
Select factory reset.
Select factory reset everything.

You might also like: Why is your Roku TV screen black?

Final Thoughts

Rokus can go bad, but depending on how often you use the device and how you take care of it will determine how long a Roku will last for you.

You can typically expect around five years of use out of a Roku, assuming you use it an average amount of time and there are no accidents such as a short circuit.

However, if your Roku outlasts that amount of time, it’ll eventually become outdated and no longer be updatable.

Which, in a sense, is considered “going bad” as many TVs or apps will stop supporting it.

Check out: Can You Use Roku and Firestick at the Same Time? 10 Steps