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Xfinity Stream repeatedly freezes on Roku
The Xfinity Stream App on Roku keeps freezing. I noticed this personally but assumed it was a problem with my TV. My parents recently purchased a Roku and called me with the same problem.
We have tried the standard troubleshooting steps: sign out, power cycle tv, reinstall app, check for updates, reset Roku. It is also occurring on different Roku devices; they have 2 different kinds of Roku devices, and I am having the issue on my Roku TV.
There are a couple things I have noticed. It seems to impact different channels differently. For instance, live college football on ESPN constantly freezes, but if I switch to ESPN 2 showing Sportscenter it seems to work fine. The issue also doesn’t persist on other devices, if I use the Xfinity Stream on my computer or app on my phone there isn’t an issue. There also isn’t an issue with any other apps on the Roku’s: Netflix, AppleTV, Youtube TV, DirecTV Stream.
This also seems to be a recurring issue for a lot of customers:
- https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/xfinity-stream-website/xfinity-app-stream-keeps-freezing/659eacb6f961c6163a364c45
- https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/xfinity-stream-app/xfinity-app-freezing/663d693c3b3493797daa564f
- https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/xfinity-stream-website/cnbc-freezing-using-roku-on-xfinity-stream/68836b5864c64124245c4636
- https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/xfinity-stream-website/roku-and-xfinity-stream/65d24c2b61dd3a25f372f81a
- https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/xfinity-stream-app/xfinity-stream-on-roku-various-issues/63692a58c4ab3642dbd8c223
XfinitySara
Official Employee
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2.2K Messages
2 days ago
@user_vxda35 - This appears to be a widespread, systemic issue with our Stream app's player engine on Roku, particularly with high-bandwidth live broadcasts (like sports on ESPN) or specific channel streams. Because you’ve already performed the "standard" fixes (reinstalling, power cycling, checking updates), the problem likely lies in how the Roku app handles specific video bitrates or authentication tokens on your local network. Based on recent reports and engineering discussions from late 2024 through early 2026, here are the more advanced workarounds and the "real" status of this issue:
1. The "Modem Provisioning" Fix (Most Effective)
Many users have found that while the Roku is the device freezing, the root cause is a mismatch between your account's "In-Home" status and your modem's MAC address in our backend.
- The Symptom: The app works fine on phones/laptops (which use a different authentication method) but fails on Roku (which requires a strict "In-Home" handshake).
- The Fix: Our team can try to re-provision the modem and refresh the account's entitlement signals. Check the below options first, then let us know if you need us to take a closer look.
2. The Roku "Secret Menu" Cache Clear
Standard "System Restarts" often don't clear the deep cache where the Xfinity app stores its stream buffer. Use this specific remote sequence to force a deep clear:
- Go to the Home screen.
- Press Home 5 times.
- Press Up 1 time.
- Press Rewind 2 times.
- Press Fast Forward 2 times. The Roku will freeze for about 15-30 seconds and then automatically reboot. This has been reported to resolve the "ESPN freezing" loop for several weeks at a time.
3. Check for "TV GO" vs. Local Channels
Notice if the freezing happens only on your local channel numbers (e.g., Channel 3, 5, 7) or the high-def 1000+ range.
- Workaround: Try searching for the "TV GO" version of the channel in the guide (usually found toward the bottom or by searching the channel name). TV GO channels use a different streaming protocol (CDN) that is often more stable than the "Live In-Home" stream.
4. Adjust Roku Display Settings
If you are using a Roku 4K device or a 4K Roku TV, the Xfinity app sometimes struggles to "auto-negotiate" the resolution with live sports.
- Go to Roku Settings > Display Type.
- Change it from "Auto-detect" to a fixed resolution (e.g., 1080p TV).
- Relaunch the app. This prevents the app from constantly trying to upscale or downscale the live feed, which causes the "freeze/skip" effect.
5. Why it works on other devices but not Roku
The mobile app and web portal use adaptive bitrate streaming (HLS) which is very forgiving. The Roku app uses a "Managed" stream that relies on a constant, high-priority handshake with your Xfinity Gateway. If there is even a micro-drop in that handshake, the Roku app "locks" because it thinks you might have moved the device out of your home.
Current Status (as of Jan 2026)
This is an acknowledged issue by our engineering team. It is frequently caused by the Xfinity Stream app version 2.x failing to handle certain metadata spikes in live sports broadcasts. If the above steps don't work, the only remaining fix is a backend account refresh by a "Tier 2" technician to reset your "In-Home" flag. Again, let us know if any of the above steps help. Otherwise, we'll have you send us a Direct Message to get started.
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