Roku Streaming Stick F19 Error Code Fix (Real-World Guide)

by

What This Error Means

F19 on a Roku Streaming Stick means the stick failed its startup/self-check and can’t complete boot cleanly.

The Roku starts to power up, hits a fault (usually power, heat, or main board/Wi-Fi related), and bails out instead of getting you to the home screen and your apps.

In plain terms: the stick is saying, “I can’t start reliably with the power or hardware I’ve got right now.”

Official Fix

Run these in order. This is the by-the-manual path Roku support will walk you through.

  • 1. Power-cycle it properly. Unplug the USB power from the wall and pull the stick out of the HDMI port. Wait at least 60 seconds. Plug the stick back into HDMI, then plug the power back in and let it boot.
  • 2. Use wall power, not the TV’s USB port. Roku wants a stable 5V supply. Plug the Roku cable into the official Roku power adapter (or any solid 5V 1A+ phone charger) in a wall outlet. Avoid the TV’s USB port while you test.
  • 3. Try a different HDMI port and a bare connection. Move the stick to another HDMI input on the TV. Remove HDMI switches, soundbars, AV receivers, or adapters for now. Go stick → TV only.
  • 4. Check for overheating. If the stick feels hot, unplug it completely and let it cool 10–15 minutes. When you reinstall, make sure it’s not jammed tight against the back of a hot TV or inside a closed cabinet.
  • 5. Do a menu restart (if you can reach the home screen at all). On the Roku: Settings > System > Power > System restart (or Settings > System > System restart on some models). Let it reboot and see if F19 comes back.
  • 6. Reboot your network if F19 shows while connecting to Wi‑Fi. Unplug modem and router for 30 seconds, then power them back up. On the Roku go to Settings > Network > Set up connection and reconnect. Keep the Roku and router in the same room for this test.
  • 7. Factory reset from the menu. If F19 keeps returning but you can still navigate menus: Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset. This wipes everything, so have your streaming logins handy.
  • 8. Factory reset with the physical reset button. Leave the stick powered. Find the small button or pinhole labeled RESET on the body. Press and hold it for 10–20 seconds until the Roku logo appears or the light flashes rapidly. Then walk through setup again.
  • 9. If F19 still comes back, the official stance is: replace it. At that point you’ve done what the manual supports. Roku will typically push you to a warranty swap or a new stick.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s what a bench tech does before calling the stick dead.

  • Run it on a beefy charger, away from TV heat. Grab a known-good 5V 2A phone charger and a short USB cable. Let the stick hang free or use an HDMI extender so it has air around it. If F19 vanishes in this setup, your old power source or the cramped, hot spot behind the TV was the real problem.
  • Test it on a different TV or monitor. Move the Roku to another screen. If it boots and streams fine there but throws F19 on the original TV, you’re likely fighting a flaky HDMI port or HDMI‑CEC issue on the TV side, not a dead Roku.
  • Bypass your home Wi‑Fi once. Turn on hotspot on your phone and connect the Roku to that just for testing. If it runs clean over hotspot but keeps failing on your normal Wi‑Fi, update the Roku while it’s on the hotspot, then look at your router (firmware, channel congestion, security mode).
  • Turn the load down. If you can get it to boot even once, go to Settings > Display type and lock it to 1080p instead of “Auto detect” or 4K. Marginal sticks and sketchy HDMI chains often stop glitching once you drop the resolution.

If F19 survives all of that, most techs assume a failing main board and stop burning time on it.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Still under warranty, or F19 disappears after you switch to a proper wall adapter, cool it down, and factory reset it, and it stays stable for a few days.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Out of warranty, F19 is intermittent, and you’d need to buy new power gear and maybe pay someone to check it. Price that out against a brand-new streaming stick on sale.
  • ❌ Replace: F19 sticks around even with good power, a different TV, cooldown, and a full factory reset. That points to a bad board; a new Roku or rival stick is cheaper than a proper repair.

Parts You Might Need

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

See also

Got other devices throwing F-series or similar errors? These guides might save you some time: