Roku Streaming Issues After 10.5 Update

Roku TV Issues Following OS 10.5 Update

Numerous Roku customers are currently reporting difficulties with their Roku TVs after installing the Roku OS 10.5 update. These reports, appearing on official Roku customer forums and platforms like Reddit, detail a range of problems.

Streaming App Malfunctions

Many Roku TV owners find that several of their preferred streaming applications – including HBO Max, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+ – are no longer functioning correctly. Others are experiencing sporadic issues, such as problems with Netflix.

Additional Problems Reported

Beyond app failures, some users describe frozen screens and unresponsive Roku remotes. It remains uncertain whether these issues are directly connected to the OS 10.5 update or represent separate concerns.

Roku's Response

Roku has acknowledged the reported problems and states that they are actively working towards a resolution.

Update Rollout and Impact

The 10.5 update initially began distribution in October, prioritizing Roku streaming players before extending to Roku TV devices. Consequently, many affected customers only recently received the update, triggering a surge in complaints when their streaming apps stopped working.

The issues aren't limited to Roku TVs; Roku Ultra devices are also impacted.

Long-Standing Issues

While the problems gained prominence on Roku forums last week, some users had been experiencing non-functional TVs for several weeks prior, prompting them to seek alternative solutions like Chromecast or Fire TV sticks.

Affected Devices and Networks

An extensive 18-page thread on Roku’s community forums reveals reports from users with Westinghouse, TCL, Sharp, and Hisense TVs, among others. Numerous other threads exist, each containing dozens of responses. Both hardwired and wireless network connections are affected, according to customer feedback.

Some users found temporary relief by rebooting their TV or router, but others reported that even a factory reset failed to resolve the issues.

Roku's Investigation and Initial Fix

Roku forum moderators have been actively collecting information from affected users, requesting details such as serial numbers, device models, device IDs, and software OS versions.

As a temporary measure, Roku has begun rolling back the update for some users, downgrading their devices to software version 10.0.0. However, this rollback isn’t being automatically applied to all customers.

Limited Rollback Availability

Instead, Roku representatives are privately messaging users with instructions after they share their device information. This individualized approach is causing frustration among some customers who believe a broader rollback should be implemented.

Timing and Impact on Holiday Viewing

These issues arise during the Thanksgiving holiday period in the U.S., when many consumers have increased leisure time for television viewing. Popular Thanksgiving traditions, such as watching NFL football via livestreaming services like Sling TV and Hulu, are being disrupted by the software problems.

Roku initially declined to comment when contacted for a statement.

Update: Software Rollback Announced

Update, 11/23/21, 12 PM ET: Roku has officially announced awareness of the issues and released detailed instructions for accessing the software rollback. These instructions can be found here.

Additional YouTube TV Issues

Separately, Roku reported that they, along with other streaming platforms, are experiencing some problems with YouTube TV and are working to resolve those as well.