Roku over-the-air antenna internet requirement
A 2026 Roku TV software update broke over-the-air (OTA) antenna channels when the television had no internet connection, so that channels such as ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC no longer appeared in the live TV guide and the screen went blank until the set reconnected to the internet.[1] Before the update, OTA channels from an antenna appeared whether or not the television had internet access.[1] Roku confirmed the problem was unintentional and said it was developing a fix.[1][2]
The bug
[edit | edit source]Roku TVs have a coaxial port that lets a viewer connect an HDTV antenna to watch free over-the-air channels, which are added to the live TV guide alongside Roku's ad-supported streaming channels.[1] After a 2026 Roku update, that functionality broke without an internet connection: the OTA channels did not appear in the guide and the screen went blank, and reconnecting to the internet made them reappear.[1]
On March 23, 2026, Cord Cutters News reported that Roku had confirmed the problem and announced a fix, in an article it headlined as a major bug that made using an antenna for free ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC impossible without internet.[2] Roku told Cord Cutters News that the problem was unintentional and caused by recent platform updates, and said an update to restore offline antenna access would roll out in the following weeks.[1][2]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "This easy method to watch free live TV channels on Roku TVs is currently broken". Pocket-lint. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bouma, Luke (2026-03-23). "Roku Announces A Fix To A Major Bug That Made Using Your Antenna For Free ABC, CBS, FOX, & NBC Impossible Without Internet". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)