TCL Roku TV Keeps Freezing? (Let’s Fix It Fast)

TCL Roku TV keeps freezing, and you’re wondering why? Wonder no more and keep reading!

The freezing on a TCL Roku TV is a common problem that may arise due to multiple factors that we’ll review in this guide.

We’ll help you navigate and resolve the issue with a few simple steps.

Some of the factors responsible for the freezing include:

So let’s get started, shall we?

TCL Roku TV Keeps Freezing – Fixed In 7 Easy Steps!

Note: Have you checked whether the freezing only appears on one or multiple Roku channels?

1. Refresh the Roku TV System

The first and perhaps one of the most effective solutions against constant freezing on the Roku TV is to perform a system restart and power cycle.

These methods are different, so we advise first attempting to simply restart the system from the menu, and then perform a full power cycle.

How to OS Reboot Roku TV?

1. Press the Home button on the remote.
2. Scroll down to the Settings → System.
3. Then, select Power → System restart.
4. Confirm the restart by choosing Restart.

How to Power Cycle Roku TV?

1. Press the Power button on your remote.
2. Wait until your TCL Roku TV is fully OFF.
3. Unplug the power cable from the socket.
4. Wait for 60 seconds for the power cycle.
5. Reconnect the power adapter to the wall.
6. Turn on and test for the Roku TV freezing.

If this doesn’t work, then the freezing is caused by something more severe, hence keep reading!

2. Update the Roku TV Firmware

The TCL Roku TV freezing is often caused by firmware-related conflicts, especially when you’re running an outdated software build.

The primary suspect here is an outdated compatibility or the lack of support for new apps, hence updating the firmware version can easily solve the freezing.

Here’s how to update the firmware version on TCL Roku TV:

1. From the main screen, head to Settings.
2. Then go to System and System Update.
3. Select the “Check Now” button to initiate.

Your Roku TV will now start scanning for more recent software and if found, ensure to start updating as soon as possible. The firmware updates take anywhere between 10–15 minutes.

Reminder: Don’t forget that the TCL Roku TV must be connected to the internet for the update!

3. Clear the Roku System Cache

Sometimes the constant freezing while watching content or even in the menus on TCL Roku TV is caused by overflowing cache data.

The cache is data that contains your login information for specific apps and your TCL Roku audio/video settings, which is stored automatically over time.

So, when you have been using the TCL Roku TV for a long time, installing more and more apps, without clearing the cache may degrade the performance.

Well, luckily, you can clear the cache in a few simple steps:

• Go to the home screen of your Roku TV
• Press the “Home” button 5 times quickly.
• Press “Up” once and “Rewind” two times.
• Finalize by pressing “Forward” two times.

Important: You need to press all these buttons quickly, otherwise clearing the cache won’t work!

4. Remove All Unused Channels

In many cases, the freezing problem comes from the storage, especially whenever it’s full of unused apps.

This will directly affect the performance unless you manually delete all channels that you’re not often viewing, that will free up storage and boost the TV performance.

1. Press the Home button on the Roku remote.
2. Move right to reveal the list of your channels.
3. Highlight the channel you want to remove.
4. Press the “*” (Star) button on your remote.
5. Scroll down and select “Remove Channel.”
6. Repeat for all channels that you don’t need.

• When you remove a few channels, restart your TV by going to Settings → System → Power → System restart → Restart.

When ready, your TCL Roku TV shouldn’t be freezing anymore. If, however, the freezing is still there, continue reading…

5. Change Roku Display Settings

Sometimes the freezing on TCL Roku TV comes due to a too-high resolution in combination with a demanding app/channel.

That’s why we recommend lowering the resolution through the Roku TV menu, and checking whether the freezing would continue to appear while streaming.

To change the resolution on your TCL Roku TV, follow these steps:

1. From the main screen, go to “Settings.”
2. Head down and choose “Display type.”
3. If you use 4K, test with the “1080p TV.”

You can even go as low as 720p TV, but we don’t think that would be necessary.

Another thing to try is to use the Automatic function and check whether the freezing will continue to appear.

Note: Lowering the resolution on the TCL Roku TV will severely impact the image quality!

6. Reset the Roku TV to Default

If you’ve tried everything and are still wondering why TCL Roku TV keeps freezing, it’s time to attempt the factory restoration.

This is an exceptionally well-working method, which will completely reinstall the Roku operating system, resolving any error conflicts causing the freeze.

Here’s how to factory reset TCL Roku TV in easy steps:

1. First, head to the Settings → System.
2. Choose Advanced System Settings.
3. Highlight and select “Factory Reset.”
4. Confirm that you want to reset the TV.

Your TCL Roku TV will commence the factory reset and will restart. When you see the Roku logo the reset is done, and you will need to carry out the initialization and internet TV setup.

Then, your TCL Roku TV shouldn’t freeze any longer!

Warning: Factory resetting the TCL Roku TV will permanently erase ALL settings and channels!

7. Inspect the Internet Connection

If your TCL Roku TV is only freezing while you’re streaming, on multiple channels, you may be facing the so-called “internet-freezing” and not performance lagging.

If that’s the case, the only culprit is your broadband access, the speed of your connection, and the reliability of your Wi-Fi.

So, we’ve prepared a few steps to troubleshoot internet lagging:

• Verify your wireless network is accessible.
• Unpair and connect Roku TV to the Wi-Fi.
• Position the Roku TV and the router closer.
• Dislocate wireless and interfering devices.

If you have the TCL Roku 4K TV, you will be able to connect an Ethernet cable and bypass the Wi-Fi limitations at once.

This should prevent your Roku TV shows and movies from freezing.

TCL Roku TV Still Freezing?

If you’ve tried everything but the TCL Roku TV keeps freezing, you may need to contact Roku customer service for further assistance.

Alternatively, you can try to claim the Roku TV warranty!