Roku Remote Not Pairing? – (Instant Fix Guide)

Wondering why the Roku remote not pairing? Well, after this guide everything will be clear!

The Roku remotes are not the same. Some models have a pairing button, others don’t, some can be reset, others not, and some pair without an issue, others not that much.

So, in this guide, we’re going to unwrap everything that you need to know in order to solve the pairing problem.

To fix the Roku remote not pairing: check the batteries, power cycle the Roku device, and manually pair the remote by holding the pairing button.

Let’s continue unwrapping chronologically!

Important Note:

Only Roku voice (enhanced) remotes need to be paired and some models use a “pairing” button located under the battery cover.

In contrast, Roku voice remotes without a pairing button must be paired through the Roku settings, so you need to be able to control Roku!

Why is the Roku Remote Pairing Not Working?

• The Roku remote doesn’t have a “Pairing” button.
• The Roku remote batteries are low or near dead.
• The Roku TV or Roku player experiences a glitch.
• The Roku remote is damaged or internally faulty.

How to Pair a Roku Remote (with Pairing Button)?

Note: The steps below show how to pair a Voice Roku remote (enhanced)!

1. First, insert fresh batteries into the Roku remote.
2. Then, open the battery compartment remote cover.
3. Locate the small “Pairing” button next to the cover.
4. Hold the button until the status light flashes green.
5. Wait for about 30 seconds until the remote is paired.

Roku TV Remotes | Simple Vs. Enhanced (Voice)

The Roku remotes are generally split into two categories – the simple remote and the enhanced Roku remote.

The main difference is the way they communicate with your Roku device/player.

Roku Simple Remote

The Roku simple remote uses only infrared signal (IR), and doesn’t need pairing at all. Simply point the remote towards the Roku device and press any of the buttons.

The only downside is that the simple Roku remote needs a clear line of sight with the receiver, without obstructions!

Roku Voice Remote

The Roku voice (enhanced) remote uses radio-frequency (RF), and needs to be paired to the Roku player before you can use it.

However, with RF technology, the remote can be used from anywhere, the signal travels through walls and doesn’t need a clear line of sight.

Roku Remote Not Pairing – Solved in 5 Easy Steps!

Tip: Follow the solutions below in chronological order!

1. Power Cycle Roku & Remote

The first method is to perform the so-called “power circulation” on both the Roku remote and the Roku TV or Roku player.

This method will not delete anything from your TV, instead, this will only refresh the operational services to provide you with a fresh start and an opportunity to pair! 

How to Power Cycle Roku Remote?

1. First, open the Roku remote’s battery cover.
2. Gently eject the AA or AAA remote batteries.
3. Long-press the Power button for 30 seconds.
4. Reinsert the batteries back into the Roku remote.
5. Press and hold the “Back” and “Home” buttons!
6. Release the buttons after about 10 seconds!

How to Power Cycle Roku Player?

1. First, power off your Roku TV or Roku player.
2. Next, disconnect your Roku from the outlet.
3. Wait for up to 30 seconds for a full discharge.
4. Reconnect your Roku TV or player to the power.
5. Finally, test pairing your Roku remote again.

Note: For Roku simple (IR) remotes, pairing is not necessary, instead the remote should be working straight away.

2. Replace Roku Remote Batteries!

The batteries are the fundamental barrier, which prevents you from pairing the Roku remote to the Roku TV or Roku player.

The Roku remotes either use AA or AAA batteries so the best next step is to test whether the remote will pair with a fresh set of batteries.

• The remote batteries are dead when the Roku remote pairing light not flashing!

We recommend using batteries from the same brand (manufacturer), to avoid compatibility and power-related issues with the remote.

You can purchase new batteries online or from any store near your location so it’s necessary to replace them before continuing further.

Reminder: Follow the steps shown earlier in the guide to pair your Roku remote correctly! 

3. Use the Roku App Digital Remote

In case your Roku remote won’t pair and you have no control over the Roku TV, then you can set up and use the Roku app digital remote.

The Roku app is available in the App Store and in the Google Play Store, so any iOS or Android phone can download and install the app easily.

• The main requirement is for your Roku TV to be already connected to the WiFi.

Feel free to use the Roku TV physical buttons (if available) to connect your Roku TV to the WiFi and navigate through the menus.

When your digital remote is set up, you can perform additional troubleshooting so let’s keep on reading…

4. Update Roku’s Firmware Version

If you’ve completed the previous step you now surely can control and navigate in the Roku settings so you can perform a firmware upgrade.

This is essential since if you haven’t used your Roku in a while, updating might be the key to pairing your Roku remote easily!

Note: Your Roku TV or Roku player must be connected to the internet to update!

Here’s how to update Roku TV or Roku player firmware version in easy steps:

1. First, navigate into the Settings of your Roku.
2. Go into “System” and select “System Update”.
3. Highlight and select the “Check Now” button.
4. The Roku TV will check for available updates.
5. If an update is available, Roku will update next.

Reminder: Use the steps shown earlier in the guide to attempt pairing your Roku remote the correct way after upgrading the firmware version.

5. Factory Reset your Roku Player!

It’s not excluded that the Roku remote pairing fails due to a fault with the Roku TV or player OS, which causes bugs and errors.

The factory reset is the most-powerful solution that will reset the settings of your Roku TV or Roku player by default, by deleting absolutely all settings and apps!

Here’s how to factory reset your Roku TV or Roku player:

1. Navigate into the Home screen of your Roku TV.
2. Then go to the “System” tab and enter “System”.
3. Next, find and enter “Advanced System Settings”.
4. Select “Factory Reset” > “Factory Reset Everything”.
5. Follow any of the remaining on-screen instructions.

When the Roku TV or Roku player resets, you’ll be prompted to pair your Roku remote so either follow the on-screen steps or use the instructions earlier in the guide.

Put simply, you only need to press the Roku remote’s “Pairing” button and wait for the “Status” light to blink in green color.

If your Roku remote doesn’t have a pairing button, continue reading!

Roku Remote Not Working No Pairing Button?

The Roku simple (IR) remote doesn’t have and doesn’t need a pairing button. In contrast, some voice Roku remotes have and others don’t have a pairing button.

This is when the major hurdle begins as users have no idea what to do in order to pair the Roku remote to their Roku player!

To pair a Roku voice remote, without a pairing button you need to be able to control the Roku TV with a secondary remote, TV buttons, or via the Roku mobile app!

Here’s what to do to pair the voice Roku remote without the pairing button:

1. First, download the “Roku” app from Google Play or App Store.
2. Secondly, verify that your Roku TV is already connected to WiFi.
3. Then, connect your Roku app smartphone to the very same WiFi.
4. Next, open the Roku application and sign into your Roku account.
5. Then, tap on the “Connect” button to connect to your Roku player.
6. Use the digital remote to navigate through the Roku TV settings.
7. Go to Settings > Remote & Devices > Pair New Device > Remote.
8. Follow the remaining on-screen instructions to pair the remote.

Info: The screen will tell you to press the pairing button on the remote, so if there is no pairing button on your Roku remote, ignore this step. 

Quick Recap:

Hence, the reason why the Roku remote not pairing is probably due to a weak battery or an issue with the Roku TV or Roku player. The best approach against the issue would be to power cycle the remote and Roku TV, replace the batteries and perform a factory reset.

In case nothing helps, we recommend purchasing a new Roku remote.

Read Next: Why is my Roku Remote Blinking & How to Fix?