Xfinity Stream Not Working on Roku: How To Troubleshoot

ByKern Campbell, MBA

When you connect Xfinity to your Roku, you get access to so many different channels and services, but some users have reported issues with the app. Although Xfinity traditionally operated as a premium cable provider, they have shifted gears in recent years to give their customers the option to stream directly through their application. Roku and the Xfinity app usually work quite well together, but you may run into some problems that require troubleshooting from time to time.

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Table of Contents

How do I get my Xfiniting stream working again on my Roku?

To fix the Xfinity Stream on your Roku, try to restart your Roku device, relaunch the Xfinity app, check your internet connection, check the condition of your cables, update Roku and reinstall the Xfinity app, try using an ethernet cable, or factory reset your Roku if nothing else works.

The days of watching cable TV are pretty much over, but a lot of people still like to have access to standard channels within the mix of their streaming platforms. 

One of the best ways to do this is to subscribe to Xfinity. This Comcast-owned company provides its customers with premium cable channels, as well as a bulk load of other features. However, the service has been greatly re-vamped – with the old cable boxes being conveniently replaced with a downloadable app. Although you are much less likely to run into troubleshooting issues with an application compared to a cable box, technical glitches are still common.

If you are a Roku user experiencing issues with your Xfinity app, you are not alone. With that being said, there could be a number of different things that are causing the problem.

Is it the Xfinity app? Your Roku device? Or perhaps something with your network connection? To help you understand this further, we are going to take you through the process of troubleshooting the Xfinity Stream on your Roku device. 

After researching Xfinity and Roku troubleshooting forums, I was able to find enough information to determine how to fix common issues with both of these services. 

My research has indicated that there could be a number of different factors contributing to the problem you are experiencing with your Xfinity Stream and Roku, which is why you should consider each of them while troubleshooting. 

Restart Roku Device

Whenever you run into a glitch with your devices, you should cross off the simplest approaches first before jumping to anything that is too elaborate – as they are often behind the problem. 

The best way to fix most issues with your Xfinity Stream is to restart your Roku device. This generally resolves most minor software bugs and glitches. To restart your Roku device, follow these steps: 

  1. Settings
  2. System
  3. System Restart 

This will initiate a quick restart. Once your Roku device is back on the home screen, you can test the Xfinity app again to see if the problem is still there. 

If you are still experiencing an issue with your Xfinity app on your Roku, you should perform a soft reset next. To do this, simply head to your Roku device’s power supply and unplug it from its source. Once unplugged, let it drain itself of all power for about 30 to 60 seconds. The majority of the time, this should do the trick. 

However, if the problem with your Xfinity and Roku persists, you will need to move on to another solution.

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Relaunch Xfinity App (Log Out & Log In)

Your Xfinity app could be causing the problem and you can probably fix it simply by logging out of your account and then logging back in. The app could be experiencing a minor glitch which does happen occasionally. 

You can relaunch your Xfinity app by logging out of it, relaunching it, and then logging back in by following these steps:

  • Open Xfinity app
  • Settings
  • Account
  • Sign out
  • Close/open the app
  • Sign in

If you are still having an issue using Xfinity with your Roku, you should test the other apps that you have downloaded to see if they also malfunction. If every app is having the same problem, then the issue may be with your internet. 

Check Internet Connection

With the Xfinity app relying on an internet connection to function instead of a cable setup, you need to be online to stream. If there is an issue with your internet connection, your Xfinity could experience problems such as slow loading times, frozen images, or a failure to launch at all. 

First and foremost, double-check that your internet is working. If you are using Wi-Fi as your primary internet source, then you can test it with an alternative device. 

Try connecting to your Wi-Fi with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. If the Wi-Fi works, then you will know that it is probably not a network issue. 

With that being said, you also need to ensure that your Wi-Fi speed and signal strength are strong enough to support Xfinity. 

To start, check the speed of your Wi-Fi by using a free online service. If you want to have smooth playback while watching Xfinity, you should have an internet speed that is at least 3Mpbs. 

For those of you that like to stream in HD, you should have 7Mpbs or more to watch high-resolution content. 

Anything slower than this will result in poor performance and delayed playback. In addition, you should also consider the distance between your router and your Roku device. If your Roku is too far away, you can expect to experience lag and playback issues.

You can test this by moving your Roku closer to your router. If the signal gets better, then you will need to create a better setup to stream on your Roku. 

Check Cable Connections & Condition

Although Xfinity does not rely on cable connections anymore, your Roku device certainly does. To start, make sure that all of your cables are properly connected. It’s quite common for HDMI cables to get partially unplugged, in which case you can solve this problem simply by plugging them in all the way. 

If you did not notice anything unplugged, try unplugging all of your cables and connections to your Roku to see if this solves the problem with your Xfinity Stream. More often than not, the HDMI cable is what causes issues. 

You should inspect the cable to see if there are any noticeable signs of damage. Any frayed or exposes wires could easily result in problems with performance and playback. If you see any damage, you will need to get a new HDMI cable.

Next, you can take a look at your Roku box to see what color the light is. If you see that the light is flashing red, it means that the device is not receiving enough power to stay on. 

This either means that there is an issue with your home power (unlikely), or that the USB cable that delivers power to it is not properly connected or damaged. Given that you should have already disconnected and reconnected all of your cables, the USB cable is likely damaged and it will need to be replaced. 

Update Roku & Reinstall Xfinity App

Both Roku and Xfinity update their software and firmware regularly. You will find that both of these services function much more reliably when they are running up-to-date software. Most of the time, software updates will initiate automatically. 

However, there are situations where a manual restart is required – especially if you have opted to skip software updates that you were prompted with. To update your Roku to the latest software, follow these steps: 

  1. Settings
  2. System
  3. System Update
  4. Check Now 

Roku will now check for any updates that are available and begin installing them. For your Xfinity Stream app, you should consider deleting it and then reinstalling it back onto your Roku device. By reinstalling the Xfinity app on your device, you will have the latest version of the app.

Use an Ethernet Cable

Despite the fact that most people use Wi-Fi connections to stream these days, an ethernet cable is still much more reliable and will offer better playback. Consider connecting your Roku directly to an ethernet cable to get a guaranteed stable internet connection. 

If your Wi-Fi connection is shabby or if your router is simply old, it may not be delivering a stable signal for your Xfinity or Roku to work properly. This is a particularly good method to implement if your router is far away from your Roku and moving them closer is not an option. 

Factory Reset Roku

When all else fails, you can factory reset your Roku. This is a hard reset that will often resolve most of the serious software and firmware issues that you experience. To factory reset your Roku, follow these steps:

  1. Settings
  2. System
  3. Advanced System Settings
  4. Factory Reset (Yes, Confirm)

Before you commit to a factory reset, you should make sure that you try all of the above-mentioned troubleshooting techniques first. A factory reset implies that you will completely relaunch your Roku as if it were new. 

This means that all of your apps will need to be redownloaded and that all of your preferences will be reverted to their default settings. 

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