New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….
Original story (published on June 17, 2020) follows:
Roku makes some of the best bang for buck streaming devices, these are great for online streaming on your TV. These streaming devices are great for getting your old TV up-to-date as usually TV’s don’t get lengthy software support, unlike these streaming devices.
Roku is one of the biggest and a reliable player in the streaming device sphere but one of its latest streaming devices, Roku Streaming Stick+ has been plagued with excessive remote battery drain issue since its launch.
Reports of the issue first surfaced back in January. Multiple Roku users reported that they were experiencing excessive remote battery drain, forcing them to replace the batteries frequently.
Soon after that Roku publicly acknowledged the issue via the community forums and immediately started investigating it, much to the reprieve of those affected.
Not long after Roku started looking into the matter, a fix was issued via a software update, with Roku taking to the forum thread on this issue to notify affected users about this development.
Thank you for letting us know about the remote battery drain issue you are experiencing. Our engineering team has been investigating this issue closely and once more information is available I’ll be sure to let the Community know. Source
But for some reason, reports of Roku users experiencing excessive remote battery drain issues haven’t stopped since then.
A quick look into the most recent comments on the same thread reveals several comments about Roku’s bug-fixing update, noting that it didn’t address the issue and that it persists even after the update.
One user reported that the bug-fixing update didn’t fix his remote, but a replacement unit did the trick, implying it could be a hardware-related issue.
And indeed, another affected user has followed suit and says Roku is in the process of replacing his remote. Maybe you should try this too if the software update didn’t fix the issue for you.
Of course, not everyone who was previously experiencing the annoying battery drain issue is still affected after the bug-fixing update. Apparently, the update did fix the issue for some.
We are hopeful that Roku will address the issue for everyone affected once and for all. But in the meantime, we’ll keep an eye on the matter and keep you updated with any development.
Update 1 (June 25, 2021)
IST: 01:15 pm: It is now coming to light that this issue has been escalated to the relevant teams.
Update 2 (September 07, 2021)
IST: 13:09 pm: The battery drain issue on Roku remotes continues to afflict users many months later, even after the issue got escalated.
Update 3 (November 29, 2022)
IST: 05:35 pm: One of our readers managed to fix the Roku remote battery drain issue. The process requires disassembling the device so you should probably try it only as a last option and with care.
First, to take the remote apart, use a flat head screwdriver to remove one screw that is in the middle of the battery compartment. Once opened, you will find the following:
If the inside of the remote is very dirty (it can happen if the device is old) clean it a bit using some hand cleaner with alcohol (the traditional one you would use to sanitize your hands).
Be sure to clean both sides of the clear pads well, as well as the contacts on the circuit board. You can use a toothbrush to clean the remote.
When you finish cleaning, wait until everything is dry and without liquid residue. Then, reassemble the remote and install the batteries, and that’s it.
Thanks for the tip, Peter J Hall!
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