How to Free Up Space on Your Roku Streaming Device

Evan Gower September 21, 2021

Roku is one of the most popular streaming platforms available. The devices feature a lot of free content, but they also offer access to your favorite paid streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and others. In addition, Roku has an excellent interface with a unique TV remote that’s easy to use.

How to Free Up Space on Your Roku Streaming Device

It’s easy to use, and you can even customize it to your preferences. However, every once in a while, your Roku might report a “Not Enough Space” error. Why does this happen, and how can you fix it?

Roku Express Space Issue

Those who’ve been using Roku Express, compared to other models, may have experienced issues with not having enough space. When users try to add a channel or launch one, they see the “Not Enough Space” error. This scenario is the case for some Roku Express models, and there were complaints to Roku directly. Roku solved the issue quickly by providing an update to fix the bug. If you still have the problem, you may need to check for an update. Here’s how.

Wake up your Roku Express and ensure it is connected to the internet.
Navigate to “Home>Settings>System>System Update>Check Now.”
Roku Express will check for an update. If it finds one, it will download it and complete the update process. It may reboot during the installation, so dont be concerned if it does.
Once you see the Home screen, your Roku is ready to use. Test it again to confirm if it solved your “Out of Space” problem.

Even if the above steps do not solve your problem, keeping your Roku Express updated is always good. However, if you still suffer from the “Out of Space issue, try the other options below, which work for any Roku model that needs more storage.

Delete Channels to Solve Roku Space Issues

One of the ways you can free up space on any Roku device is to delete less-used or unused channels. Often, you’ve downloaded quite a few channels without realizing it, and some tend to hide deep down in the list. Perhaps this out-of-space notification will encourage you to do some “spring cleaning” on your Roku! Clearing channels is one essential way to increase storage capacity. Here’s how to delete channels on your Roku.

Go to your Roku Home screen and click on “My Channels.”
With your remote, select the channel you want to remove and then press ” * “ (star button) on the remote.
Select “Remove channel” and then press “OK” on the remote.
To confirm deleting the channel, select “Remove” and press “OK” to confirm.

Add an SD Card to Solve Out-of-Space Problems

If you’re not looking to delete anything already on your Roku player, your other option is to add an SD card if your model supports it. Some Roku players provide access to a micro SD card slot on the side or back, while others do not. If your model has an SD card slot, using it is especially beneficial when you need to expand your Roku’s amount of internal memory. It also opens the doorway to more apps and games.

Also, for the best results, you’ll need an SD card with a minimum of 2GB storage, which shouldn’t be a problem, but the more, the merrier! You probably want at least 20GB. Here’s how to add an SD card to your Roku and ensure it works properly.

Insert the SD card into the Roku device. You will probably hear a click that ensures it’s set in place.
On your screen, select “Format” when “micro SD card detected” appears. Anything that was on the SD card will get deleted.
Press “Continue” to begin the formatting process.
Select “OK” when the formatting completes successfully.

How to Safely Remove the SD card from a Roku Device

If you decide to remove the SD card for any reason, you should know that everything stored on it won’t get deleted. However, without the SD card installed, all the channels and games you had there will need to be re-downloaded on the Roku’s internal storage.

Note: You can’t move the channels and games stored on the SD card to a different Roku device.

Factory Reset Your Roku to Fix Space Issues

Freeing up space on your Roku could be fixed with an update, removing unused channels, or adding an SD card (when applicable). However, a factory reset clears everything and starts the device off from scratch, removing all cached files, apps, channels, leftover data, and customizations that consume quite a bit of your precious space. If you can’t use an SD card, tried deleting some of the channels, and attempted to update your device to no avail, a factory reset is the best option.

To do a factory reset on your Roku device, follow the steps below.

Press the “Home” button on the Roku remote.
Scroll down and select “Settings” then “System.”
Locate and select “Advanced system settings.”
Choose “Factory reset.”
Finally, select “Factory reset everything” then continue to follow the instructions on the screen.

More Roku Space Means More Fun

If you’re not interested in getting rid of any channels and games you’ve downloaded on the Roku, a micro SD card can be your gateway to even more entertainment content. However, if you’re more curious about curating your Roku feed to perfection, ensure you always have the latest update and that not a single channel gets unused.