'Can you clear the cache on a Roku?': No, but here's how to resolve playback issues

• You cannot clear the cache on Roku devices because they don't have one, according to the company.
• Instead of trying to clear a cache, you can try to restart the player and see if that resolves your issues.
• There are several ways to restart a Roku, including the "System" menu, a button sequence, and unplugging the device.

As a general rule, your Roku streaming media player should work mostly error-free. It's been designed to require no routine maintenance or troubleshooting. Nonetheless, sometimes even the simplest of devices can run into problems, and your Roku might misbehave.

You might have read that if your Roku is experiencing performance issues, particularly with glitchy playback of video or channels not loading correctly, that you can clear your Roku's cache. This is not accurate – the Roku's cache cannot be cleared.

While there's no cache, there are ways to address loading and playback issues with your Roku. Here's how.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Roku Ultra (From $99.99 at Best Buy)

Why you can't clear the cache on a Roku

The problem is that the Roku does not have a conventional cache, so there is no cache to clear. Numerous websites claim that by pressing a sequence of buttons on the Roku remote control, you can clear its cache.

Roku representatives have confirmed to Business Insider that in reality, those button presses merely reboot the Roku. To be clear, Roku devices do not have a cache.

What you can do instead of clearing the Roku cache

If you encounter a performance issue with your Roku, you may be able to resolve it by merely restarting the device. For ways to do this, read our article "How to restart your Roku device when it's freezing or running slowly."

After the restart, use your Roku the way you usually would. If the issue you were having was related to something that could be addressed by restarting the device, your problem should be resolved. If not, you may need to contact Roku technical support for additional help.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• How to create a Roku account using the website or mobile app

• How to cancel your Roku subscriptions in 2 different ways

• How to move channels on your Roku to prioritize the icons you click on most often

• 'Why does my Roku keep buffering?': How to fix Roku streaming issues in 3 ways

• How to use Roku search to find content across channels