Roku Error Code 140 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Roku error code 140 means the Roku cannot connect to Roku's account servers to verify your account or sign in. This can happen when Roku's own servers are temporarily down, when there is a network problem preventing your Roku from reaching Roku's servers, or when your account credentials have become invalid. This error blocks access to your channels and the Roku Channel Store until it is resolved.

Affected Models

Roku Express
Roku Streaming Stick
Roku Ultra
Roku TV
Roku Premiere
Roku Express 4K

Common Causes

Roku's account and activation servers are temporarily down or experiencing an outage
Your internet connection is too slow or unstable to reach Roku's authentication servers
Your Roku account password was changed recently and the device still has the old credentials
A firewall rule on your router is blocking access to Roku's authentication server domains
The Roku device has a software bug that corrupted the stored account credentials

How to Fix It

Check Roku's server status first. Visit downdetector.com and search for 'Roku' to see if there is a current outage. If many users are reporting problems, wait an hour and try again — this is a Roku server issue, not a problem with your device.

Server outages are common causes of error 140. There is nothing you can fix on your end during an outage — just wait for Roku to resolve it.
Restart your Roku and your router. Unplug your router from power for 60 seconds and plug it back in. Then restart your Roku through Settings > System > System restart. After both are back online, try signing into your account again.

A network restart clears stale connection state that can prevent Roku from reaching its authentication servers.
Verify your Roku account password is current. On a phone or computer, go to my.roku.com and try logging in with your email and password. If you cannot log in or if you recently changed your password, update the password on the Roku through Settings > System > System update or by re-linking the device.

After a password change, existing Roku devices may need to be re-authenticated. This is a security measure — the old credentials stored on the device are invalidated.
Check your router's firewall settings for any rules blocking Roku. Log into your router admin panel (usually at 192.168.1.1) and look for firewall rules, blocked domains, or device restrictions. Ensure the Roku's MAC address is not in a blocked device list.

Some parental control routers block streaming devices by default. Check both device-level blocks and domain-level blocks that might be filtering roku.com server addresses.
Perform a factory reset if the error persists. Go to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset. After the reset, set up the Roku fresh and re-link it to your account. This clears any corrupted account credentials stored on the device.

A factory reset is a reliable fix for account credential corruption. You will need to sign into each of your streaming channels again after setup, but your Roku account and channel subscriptions are stored in the cloud and will be restored.

When to Call a Professional

If the error persists for more than 24 hours and Roku's servers are confirmed to be online, contact Roku Support at support.roku.com. They can force a re-linkage of your device to your account from their side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my channels and subscriptions when I factory reset?

No — your Roku account, channel subscriptions, and any app-level subscriptions (like Netflix or Hulu) are stored in the cloud, not on the device. When you link the reset Roku back to your account, your channel lineup is restored automatically. You will need to enter your streaming service passwords again within each app, but you will not lose any subscriptions or be charged again.

Why does Roku need to contact its servers at all?

Roku uses a cloud-based account system — your channels, settings, and device link are managed on Roku's servers, not stored locally. This lets you use your channels on multiple devices and recover your setup if a device is replaced. The tradeoff is that Roku needs internet access to verify your account, which means server outages or network issues can block you even if your hardware is working fine.

I changed my Roku password. How do I update it on the device?

After changing your Roku account password at my.roku.com, your device will eventually be signed out automatically as a security measure. When prompted to sign in, enter your new password. If the device is not prompting you, go to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset to force a fresh account linkage. Alternatively, you can remove and re-add the device from your account at my.roku.com under 'My linked devices.'