The technological world has brought us many amazing devices, like the Roku Express. With ease, you can connect a voice remote to it and stream entertainment to your TV, with hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows to watch. It’s an easy and convenient device that is sure to help you relax every day of the week.
Still, just like any other electronic device, the Roku Express can have issues to troubleshoot, and the screen can show us as a black screen. If this is the case for you, there are several actions you can take to fix the black screen on your Roku. Keep reading to find them below.
Check If There Is a Problem With the TV
Sometimes the issue can be with the TV you’re using and not the Roku player itself; the TV may be an older model, or there may be another issue with it. Try connecting the Roku to another TV in your home to see if it works.
Make Sure the Cable Is Connected Properly
The issue can also lie with the video cable: it may be improperly connected, faulty, or damaged. The first thing to do is check to make sure the cable is connected properly to both the Roku and the HDMI or composite connector on the TV. Be sure to ensure the Roku Streaming Stick is also firmly connected to the TV if you have one.
If the issue persists, try using a new or different cable on the Roku and see if it works, as your cable might just be faulty or old.
Try a New Power Adapter
Even if the light indicating power is on, your Roku may not be receiving enough power to power on. It’s possible that you may have your Roku connected through a USB/AC power adaptor that does not meet current or recent USB standards. Try to use a different power adaptor.
Alternatively, you can also try plugging the Roku into a power source, like an outlet.
Change the Input
One of the likelier problems is you may have the wrong input selected on your TV, but this one is an easy fix.
You’ll first need to check which input on the TV your Roku is physically connected to. The input option your Roku is connected to should say something like HDMI 1, HDMI 2, AUX, or VIDEO IN 1, and it is located either along the side of the TV or on the back.
The way you’ll access and change the inputs can change depending on the kind of TV and the model, but the input can usually be accessed from the remote, usually a button that will say Input, Source, AUX, etc. Depending on the type of TV you have, it’ll either cycle through all the different inputs or there will be a menu displayed.
Here’s how to change the input based on which option you have:
- If it is the first option, then you’ll want to pause between each button press to make sure the TV can detect the video. If it is the second option, then use the arrow keys to select the input you connected the Roku to. Give the TV a few moments to detect the video, especially if it is an older TV.If no video is detected, it’ll say it on the TV. Double check to make sure the Roku is physically connected to the input on the TV before moving on to another step.
Now, let’s see the next solution.
Perform a Factory Reset
Because the screen is black and unresponsive, you won’t be able to perform a factory reset through the settings menu. Instead, you’ll have to perform the factory reset on the device itself.
There are three steps to perform this action:
- Look for the reset button: The reset button will either be a button or a small pinhole, and it’ll be located on the back of the Roku. If the reset button is a pinhole, you’ll need to find something thin and small to press it with, such as a paperclip or bobby pin.Check to see if the device is on: The device will need to be on to perform the factory reset. Regardless of the screen being black, there should still be a white LED light showing the device is powered on.Hold the reset button: Press and hold the reset button until the light blinks quickly, which will indicate that the device’s factory reset is finished.
Now, let’s see the next way to fix your Roku Express when it has a black screen.
Disconnect and Reconnect All Cables
If none of the steps above fixes the issue with the black screen, disconnect all the cables, from both the TV and Roku, and reconnect them. The issue could be because the wrong cable was connected to the wrong place, or one of the cables was connected improperly.
Be sure to maintain an idea of where the cables go as you disconnect them, so it’s not a struggle to put them back.
Conclusion
It’s easy to worry when our electronic devices don’t work correctly, but there are many possible fixes available to get it working again. Try these troubleshooting options to fix your black screen.
