Should I Unplug My Roku Stick When Not in Use?

Should I unplug my Roku stick when not in use? – This is one of the most customary dilemmas Roku users and subscribers like you encounter when it comes to Roku sticks. You might not entirely be sure whether or not they should just leave the stick or if you should unplug it.

In this guide today, we will be unraveling the truth about unplugging it! Apart from that, we’ll also walk you through the steps on how to turn off your Roku stick!

No, you should not unplug your Roku stick when you’re not using it. Unplugging it every single time your television is turned off is a chore. You’ll be required to perform updates for the times you turn it on, it can operate slower than usual, and it can ask you for a re-authentication.

What Turning Off Means for Your Roku Stick?

Did you ever notice that whatever Roku streaming stick you have does not have a button for you to turn it off? This is basically because it’s not meant to be turned off or deactivated.

These streaming sticks and devices use little power and they’ve been engineered to be plugged in or to stay linked and connected even if the television is turned off.

But, if you’re curious and interested to know how you can deactivate it, don’t worry! We got you!

How to Turn Off Roku Stick

Since your Roku stick is powered by just having it plugged into your television, you can simply turn it off by unplugging it from the television.

Should you be using older models and versions of the Roku streaming stick (where it’s plugged into a wall outlet), you would need to unplug it from the wall.

If you own a Roku 4, go to Home > Settings. From there, select Systems, Power, and tick the option that says Auto-Off. This will automatically deactivate your Roku 4 when it sits idle for half an hour.

That’s how simple and easy it is to turn your Roku streaming stick and other Roku devices off!

If I Unplug My Roku TV, Will it Reset?

Unlike a Roku streaming device, unplugging a Roku TV wouldn’t cause all of your information to be lost. Unplugging it would not trigger a factory reset of your account!

You can unplug a Roku TV anytime and have your information kept and stored, so long as your account is there and secure.

So, if you know that you wouldn’t be using your Roku TV for the next few hours, unplugging it can help you shave off a few extra bucks on your next electricity bill.

So, Should I Unplug My Roku Stick When Not in Use?

The sweet, short, and simple answer to that is no – you should not unplug your Roku streaming stick when you’re not using it.

Streaming sticks, specifically, Roku sticks are designed and made to run 24/7 even when you’re not using it, let’s say, for example, when the television is turned off.

The simple fact that it doesn’t have a toggle switch or an ON/OFF switch is the sign that you shouldn’t turn it off when you’re not using it. Here are some of the reasons why you shouldn’t unplug or deactivate your streaming device when you’re not using it.

Automatic Updates

Roku made their streaming sticks to offer convenience on the side of its users; they did this by making sure that the updates on the system wouldn’t interfere with or interrupt your experience.

When it’s idle, that’s the time that your streaming sticks are going to check if there are updates, it’ll update on its own and you don’t have to do anything about it!

So, when you unplug it, you’re like restricting it to do and perform the update on its own!

Speed Throttling

Probably the most annoying thing when you unplug your streaming device is the throttling of the speed.

When it’s turned off or unplugged, you’d have to bear with the system to reboot, which can take a long time especially if the device is old and if it has a lot of content already.

When your television is turned off and your Roku is plugged, it automatically goes into standby mode where it stays as it is, but it’s using less power. This is also the time when it makes all the updates we talked about above.

Re-Authentication of Channels

The last, and quite possibly the one that’s the most hassle is the fact that you’d have to re-authenticate certain programs and applications when you turn it on again.

It’s a long process and it’s tedious because you’ve done all of these things before and you’re doing it again just because you decided to unplug your device.

Some of the most known programs that would ask you for re-authentication are HBO and Showtime.

These are some of the major reasons why you should refrain from unplugging your device even if you’re not using it.

When You Should Unplug Your Roku Stick  

There are certain instances, though, where unplugging your device from the television is beneficial and advantageous.

Overheating

When you give a touch on your stick and you notice that it’s becoming hotter than it should be, unplugging it might be the best way to go.

If you’ve been using it for hours on end and you notice that the heat isn’t any longer normal, unplug it and leave it unplugged for about 10 to 15 minutes. Let it cool down before you plug it back in again.

Desperate in Saving Up on Electricity Bills

While leaving it plugged into your television enables it to be on low-power mode, it’s still going to be cheaper if you unplug it.

Unless you’re desperate in saving a few dollars on your electricity bill, don’t unplug it when you’re not using it.

You’d have to choose from scathing your experience in using the device or saving a few extra dollars on your next electricity bill.

You Only Purchased it For Seasonal Use

If the reason for the purchase of your Roku device is for you to use it only once in a while, then you would want to unplug it.

For instance, if you’re only going to use it once or twice every month, and you wouldn’t really need any of its features, having it unplugged when you’re not using it would be the better option.

Should your reason fall under any of these 3, then it’s an exception for you to unplug your Roku device.

I Got Sluggish Connection but I Didn’t Reset It

Many users complained about having or experiencing a slow or sluggish connection even when they didn’t reset it.

Well, this might be the time to do so! Expect, though, that the first few minutes to an hour of unplugging it would be difficult. After that, your experiences should be as smooth and as flawless as if you just had it brand new.

If you still get slow responses, the next best thing to do is to contact the company’s technical support team. Tell them about your issue and they’ll perform the necessary troubleshooting steps to help you.

It’s Not Meant to be Unplugged – It Can be a Headache

With this guide, you wouldn’t have to Google should I unplug my Roku stick when not in use any longer.

You now know all the information you need that proves to the world that unplugging it doesn’t really do anything well, unless of course, your reasons fall under the instances we gave!

Read Next: Fix Roku TV app issues.