How to Fix It When Roku TV Is Not Finding Antenna Channels (2024)

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Get your Roku to search for antenna channels again

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Ruben Circelli

How to Fix It When Roku TV Is Not Finding Antenna Channels (1)

Ruben Circelli

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  • University of Massachusetts, Boston

Ruben Circelli has been a freelance technology writer and editor since 2014. His work has appeared on dozens of sites, including Komando.com, Twinfinite, and TheGamer.

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Updated on December 15, 2021

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Michael Barton Heine Jr

How to Fix It When Roku TV Is Not Finding Antenna Channels (2)

Reviewed byMichael Barton Heine Jr

Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.

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This article explains how to fix when your Roku TV is not finding antenna live TV channels.

Roku TVs are built with ATSC tuners in them which can access Over-The-Air digital content. These steps refer to troubleshooting these kinds of live channels not appearing. You can, however, connect an HDTV antenna to a Roku TV. If you experience issues with this kind of antenna, you will likely need to consult the user manual of your antenna to figure out the most likely issues. Though, broadly speaking the following tips may apply as well.

How to Fix Roku TV Not Finding Antenna Channels

Unfortunately, not finding channels isn't usually traceable to a single component or single likely issue, but there are many tried-and-true methods of resolving these kinds of issues.

You'll need to make sure your antenna signal strength isn't the problem. If you have a weak signal, you may fail to find channels as well as experience constant buffering and low-quality streams. Considering moving your TV to another room to see if anything improves or moving your antenna into a location free from as many close objects as possible.

If this isn't your issue, there are a number of other steps you can take to try to fix your Roku TV not finding antenna channels.

  1. Like always with electronics, the first step is to reboot your Roku TV to see if your issue goes away.

  2. If you have a partly-functioning remote, it can make you think there are more serious problems with your TV than there really are. Check to make sure your remote is working properly.

  3. If your Roku is too long out-of-date, you may experience any variety of issues. Update your Roku TV, and look to see if the problem is resolved.

  4. Especially after trying out the above, rescanning for channels can sometimes fix channels not appearing.

  5. As a last resort, you can reset your Roku TV to factory defaults, which can solve a bunch of different problems. After doing this, you may need to update your device again as well as scan for channels again.

A Note on Location for Roku TV Antenna Channels

Depending on your geographic location and not just the specific positioning of your TV in your home as well as the weather, you may experience signal interference from time to time that interrupts the signal reaching your internal tuner in your Roku TV.

If you're suddenly experiencing an issue after, for example, a long time without any issues, interference is a likely cause. Consider looking up online if other people in your local area are experiencing similar issues.

Alternatively, consider waiting a day or two and then attempting to rescan for channels. If there was a signal interference problem, it will eventually go away and your connection will return to normal.

FAQ

  • How do I delete antenna channels on a Roku TV?

    While you can't delete individual live TV channels, you can remove the Live TV tile from the Roku home screen. Highlight the Live TV tile > press the star icon > select Remove input. If you use an HDTV antenna, you can show only over-the-air programming and hide streaming live TV channels from Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Hide streaming TV channels.

  • What local channels can I watch on Roku without an antenna?

    Many local news channels have free Roku apps that provide on-demand content and live broadcasts. You can also watch live TV on Roku by subscribing to a service such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or Sling TV, which offers live TV channels based on where you live along with streaming content.

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How to Fix It When Roku TV Is Not Finding Antenna Channels (2024)

FAQs

How to Fix It When Roku TV Is Not Finding Antenna Channels? ›

Try hiding the Streaming Channels under Settings/TV Inputs/Manage Channels/Hide Streaming Channels. Then do a reboot of the RokuTV from Settings/System/Power/System Restart. After the RokuTV reboots, select/launch the Antenna TV icon from the Home Screen. (Do not use the LiveTV from the left side Menu.)

Why is my antenna not finding channels? ›

Your antenna may not be high enough.

If things like trees, hills, or buildings are between you and the broadcasting tower, then the signal might be interrupted and unable to reach your antenna, which would cause you not to see any stations.

Why is my Roku TV not showing all antenna channels? ›

Kindly try to perform a system restart on your Roku device to properly reboot your device's system by going to Settings > System > Power (if this is not an option, kindly skip the step). After doing so, please try to re-scan the local channels.

How do I get my Roku back to antenna? ›

Thanks for reaching out. Try to navigate from Home > Settings > TV inputs > look for Antenna.

Why won't my TV pick up the antenna signal? ›

The signal could be lost in the coaxial cable distribution.

If you are using a splitter, this could also weaken signal strength. Try disconnecting the splitter and running the cable directly into the TV/converter box and run a channel scan. If reception improves, a distribution amplifier is likely to be the solution.

Why is my TV not connecting to the antenna? ›

If your antenna isn't the issue, it may be caused by faulty cabling or if something is not installed properly. Suggested fixes: Check cables and fly leads are straight, not too long and in good condition. Use a quad-shield coaxial cable (type RG6) to connect your antenna to your TV.

Why won't my Roku TV connect to my antenna? ›

Try hiding the Streaming Channels under Settings/TV Inputs/Manage Channels/Hide Streaming Channels. Then do a reboot of the RokuTV from Settings/System/Power/System Restart. After the RokuTV reboots, select/launch the Antenna TV icon from the Home Screen. (Do not use the LiveTV from the left side Menu.)

Why can't I get regular channels on my Roku TV? ›

The placement of the HDTV antenna can affect which TV stations you may be able to receive and the quality of the TV signal. It is normal for the initial channel scan to take a while. You can visit Antenna Web to learn more about HDTV antennas and how to access "over-the-air" TV in your area.

What antenna works best with Roku TV? ›

Flat antennas like the Mohu Leaf product line are some of the most popular models. For other options, I suggest you check out Antennas Direct or Winegard. Outdoor antennas are usually the best choice for people who live 50+ miles away from broadcast towers.

How do I restore my Roku channels? ›

How to Fix It When Roku Channels Don't Open
  1. Check for a channel update. ...
  2. Remove and reinstall the channel. ...
  3. Check for a Roku system update. ...
  4. Reboot your Roku. ...
  5. Reset your network connection. ...
  6. Check with the channel developer. ...
  7. Reset your Roku to factory settings. ...
  8. Contact Roku support.
Jan 6, 2022

How do I get my local channels back on Roku? ›

If you have a Roku TV, all you need to do is connect an HDTV antenna to the TV and follow some on-screen steps to scan for local networks. After that, you can watch them just like you would any other channel. Such channels can include news, sports, weather and primetime TV, and the best part is that they're free.

How to set up a TV antenna for local channels? ›

Simply attach the antenna's coaxial cable into the plug labeled “Antenna/Cable” on the back of your television set. If your TV is older than that, you'll definitely need a digital tuner of some kind: either a VCR, DVD, or DVR with a digital tuner, or a digital converter box.

How do I get my antenna to pick up local channels? ›

Here are 10 tips for getting better reception from your OTA antenna.
  1. Adjust The Position. ...
  2. Switch To An Outdoor Or Attic Antenna. ...
  3. Keep The Cable Away From Power Cords. ...
  4. Upgrade Your Cable Splitters. ...
  5. Install An Antenna Rotator.

Why is my TV not picking up certain channels? ›

If you are experiencing picture break up or missing channels, your problem might be a reception problem and not due to interference. Therefore, you may just need to manually re-tune your television, this can often solve a number of common problems.

Why am I getting no signal on some channels? ›

“No Signal” means the selected Input to your TV is receiving no signal. You may have a loose connection or a defective cable, or you have selected an input to which there is no connection, Try selecting different iinputs to see if you are just looking at the wrong input.

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