Common Sky Q problems and how to fix them: Sky Q isn’t perfect and you might have the occasional connection issue, where your mobile device or mini box can’t stream, or some other problem. Here’s our guide to diagnosing and fixing most common Sky Q complaints.
Sky Q has taken the Ultra HD 4K broadcasting world by storm in 2016. Despite the premium cost it’s shifted a load of boxes and was even nominated for our Best on-demand TV service award. But there are of course issues, as there are with every first-generation service.
Of course it’s early days so nobody expected something as complex as Sky Q to work perfectly first time. Thankfully Sky has been working hard to roll out updates for Sky Q, to make sure every issue is dealt with. And with most common problems, it’s likely you’ll be able to fix them yourself at home.
So if you’ve been having issues with your Sky Q box, Sky Q remote or Sky Q Mini Boxes, don’t fret; we’ve collected the major problems here complete with tips on how to fix them.
Read next: Sky Q tips and tricks to getting the most from Sky Q
Sky Q common problems solved: Box turns on at night
If your Sky Q box is turning on at night you might be getting an unwanted wake-up call. Having your TV light up and start blaring out sound when you’re trying to dream is not what you paid for. Thankfully there’s a quick fix.
This problem seems to happen on Sky Q Mini Boxes – yup, not ideal when they’re the ones in bedrooms. A quick fix for this appears to be to turn off Eco mode. While an update will no doubt nip this in the bud permanently if you’re still having issues just go into settings to turn off Eco mode and you’ll sleep soundly once again.
Sky Q common problems solved: Mini Box not updating
If you’re having trouble updating your Sky Q Mini Box then the best solution is to do it yourself manually.
To update your Mini Box manually follow these steps:
- Go to Settings, Status and make sure Connection to Sky Q box has a tick
- Go to Settings, System info and highlight Software version
- Choose Setup and then select Software download
- Your box will then start to download the latest software via the satellite – this can take up to ten minutes
- Go to Settings, System info and highlight Software version to check the status of the software download
- When it says “Software update successful”, press the standby button on your remote
- Your box will restart and you will see the start-up messages on screen
- When the box is ready to turn on, press Home on the remote. You are now on the current software version
Read next: Sky Q updates coming in 2017
Sky Q common problems solved: Sound without video
If you’ve powered on from standby only to find that sound is coming through but there is no image then you may need to check connections.
Since Sky Q offers both HDMI and Optical out you will need to check that each cable is properly connected. Then head into the audio settings on your box and make sure that the correct output is turned on. That should help to fix the issue.
Sky Q common problems solved: Mini Box won’t turn on
If your Sky Q Mini Box has the orange standby light on but won’t power up or respond at all when you press the power button on your remote then you may need to reset it.
By pressing the reset button on the back of the Mini Box you can reset the device so it reconnects and powers on. This may require you to re-pair it with the main box, meaning you’ll have to go into that room and press the sync button. The rest will be done by the box itself.
If this problem persists check that you don’t have any other Ethernet devices plugged in and sat too close to the Mini Box causing an issue. Last but not least, if the problem still persists, turn off Eco mode and this may help solve the issue.
Sky Q common problems solved: Remote control failure
If your Sky Q remote isn’t working it may have lost its connection to the box. This is a simple enough fix as it just requires you to re-pair the two devices. Simply hold down the “1” and “3” keys together for two seconds and the two should pair together to start working again.
If your remote issue is more about the fact that the new touch features on the main remote aren’t working as you’d expect, there’s a fix there too. You can still use the touch pad like an old school directional pad by tapping the top, bottom or sides. Fast forwarding, for example, can be done by tapping right with each tap increasing the forward speed – as opposed to trying the new swiping gesture that can be tough to get the hang of.
Sky Q common problems solved: Images not loading
Sometimes the thumbnail images for shows might not appear on your Sky Q Mini Box. This is a simple enough fix. This could be due to a hick-up in the software related to your connection.
A simple restart on the box, using the remote may be enough. Failing that try a reset using the button at the back of the Mini Box. If it’s still not right then head to your main Sky Q box and reset that by powering it off and on again. This should fix the issue but if you’re still having problems check to make sure there aren’t any new Wi-Fi devices causing connection issues.
Sky Q common problems solved: Fast forward inaccurate
If fast-forwarding and rewinding are proving to be too tough to use accurately there is a new option in a recent update that may help.
You might not have noticed but you can now select the progress icon on the playbar and move it forward and backwards in one-minute increments just by tapping left and right. This is ideal for skipping a big chunk of a film or show to find a spot you’re looking for. Also useful if you know the length of advert breaks and want to power through them.
Read next: Sky Q tips and tricks: How to get the most from your Sky Q box
Leave a Reply