Don’t know how to reset Xfinity cable box effectively?
Well, there are plenty of ways to perform a reset on your Xfinity cable box and each reset helps your cable box in a different way.
Keep reading, as we go through the 5 best ways to reset an Xfinity cable box, all in easy and non-technical steps!
An Xfinity cable box can be reset either by holding the power button for 60 seconds or unplugging the device from power.
For a software reset, you could either activate the “System Refresh” function or factory reset your cable box from “Disaster Recovery”.
All Ways to “Reset” an Xfinity Cable Box!
By “reset”, you may understand a way of rebooting the software of the box.
Whilst resets could be done from the power button, there is also the factory reset that erases all content and info on your cable box, thus, you’ll have to set it up again from scratch.
| Reset Type: | Helpful With: |
| Help – Menu Reset | Issue with apps, settings, features |
| Power Button Reset | Software conflicts, inactive settings |
| Power Cord Reset | Frozen/black screens, power issues |
| System OS Refresh | Lost channels, WiFi connectivity |
| Factory (System) Reset | Any software-related problems |
Note: The guide below describes each type of reset in more depth!
How to Reset Xfinity Cable Box With Remote?
Note: We will start from the easiest type of reset, and build our way up to the more advanced types of resetting.
1. Reset from the Help Menu
The “Help Menu” reset allows for users to power their Xfinity cable box ON/OFF, all while pressing buttons on the menu.
You don’t have to go over to the cable box to press any buttons or unplug any cables, as all there is to this reset is reaching a certain page in the settings!
The following are the pros of resetting your box through the help menu:
Pros of the Help Menu Reset:
- Takes about 10-15 seconds
- Reboots the cable box quickly
- You don’t have to wait for anything
- Easiest out of all the resets!
How to Perform a Help Menu Reset:
- Using your Xfinity cable box remote, press the “A” button.
- Navigate and highlight the “Help” menu down in the settings.
- Press the “OK” button on your Xfinity cable box remote control.
- Press the “Restart” tile after highlighting it with the remote.
- Press “OK” once again, to initiate the software reboot!
Note: Do not unplug or press any buttons on your box while it is restarting from the help menu.
You will be back at the home page once the device reboots!
2. Reset with the Power Button
Another effective way to “reset” your cable box without targeting software information is to hold the power button.
It is a technique that requires holding the power button of the device for a prolonged period of time, to fix issues with the software/hardware of the box.
Here are the pros of a power button reset:
Pros of the Power Button Reset:
- Helps with temporal issues
- Refreshes the software
- Ends all takes on the box
How to Perform a Power Button Reset:
- Locate the power button on your Xfinity cable box (usually at the front panel).
- Press and hold the power button on the front panel of the box.
- Keep holding the button for 45 seconds until the box shuts down.
- Press the power button again to reboot the cable box.
Let’s check how to reset Xfinity cable box via the power cord if the power button didn’t work!
3. Reset With the Power Cord
The power cord reset (also called “Hard Reset” or “Power Cycle”), is one of the best ways to reset your cable box, without targeting any sensitive information either.
It’s proven to work on devices that experience hardware/software issues, and only takes 5 minutes!
Here are the pros of a power cord reset:
Pros of the Power Cord Reset:
- Discharges the cable box
- Helps with equipment issues
- Resolves any software problems
How to Perform a Power Cord Reset:
- Hold the power button of the cable box for 15 seconds.
- Unplug the power cord from the Xfinity cable box device.
- Wait for about 5 minutes, while the cable box is discharging.
- Reconnect the power cable of the Xfinity cable box into power.
Tip: In case your Xfinity cable box has been shutting down, rebooting, or refusing to start up, ensure that the power cord of the device is functional.
Try charging your phone there!
4. “System Refresh” the Cable Box
Available only with Xfinity cable box, the “System Refresh” allows for the fix of common issues, such as lost channels, problems with on-demand streaming, or signal issues.
It’s an effective technique if you don’t want to factory reset your box, but none of the methods helped so far!
Pros of the System Refresh:
- Resolves temporal cable box issues
- Returns lost guide channels
- Fixes buffering with on-demand content
- Resolves potential internet issues
How to Perform a “System Refresh”:
- Press the “A” button on your remote control (if no “A” button, go to the Help Menu).
- Highlight the “System Refresh” tile in the “Help Menu” of your Xfinity cable box.
- Hit “OK” on your Xfinity cable box remote control and wait for the reset to begin.
Alert: The “System Refresh” will interrupt all services on your Xfinity cable box for the next 10 minutes.
No internet, no streaming, and no live TV will be available on the device!
5. Factory Reset the Cable Box
The last and final method to perform a reset on your Xfinity cable box is to erase the whole system.
Also called “factory reset”, this process will erase all information on your cable box at once, including settings, activated features, saved content, and potentially any recordings.
Here are the pros and cons of the “factory reset”:
| Xfinity TV Box Factory Reset | |
| Pros: | Cons: |
| Helps with many software issues | Erases ALL system settings and config |
| Clean operating system installation | The initial setup has to be carried out |
| Erases any corrupted data and files | Any unbacked up information will be lost |
Tip: You can backup settings and files manually or by taking screenshots with your phone!
How to Factory Reset Xfinity Cable Box?
- Power the Xfinity cable box OFF, by holding the power button.
- Locate the “WPS” on the Xfinity cable box (the XiOne box has one).
- Press the power button and hold the “WPS” button after that.
- Keep holding the WPS button for about `15 seconds.
- Wait for the LED light on the cable box to change to amber.
- Once the “Disaster Recovery” screen appears, follow the steps.
Note: Choosing the “Update Firmware” option in the “Disaster Recovery” screen will initiate the factory reset.
You will also be provided with the latest firmware available for your Xfinity box!
Can You Reset an Xfinity Cable Box Without Remote?
In some ways, an Xfinity cable box can be reset without a remote, but in others, it cannot.
If you’re looking to factory reset your Xfinity cable box, you will need a remote, but for the standard power cable or power button type of reset, you don’t generally need one.
Here are which resets you could perform without a remote:
- Power cord reset – Yes
- Power button reset – No
- System refresh – Yes
- Factory reset – Yes
Info: Without the remote, you can control many of the Xfinity box features in regard to streaming from the mobile Xfinity app.
How to Use a Universal Remote with Xfinity Box?
If you’ve lost your original remote, it is possible to use a Flipper Universal Remote with your Xfinity cable box, as long as the streaming device works via IR (infrared).
Keep in mind that Xfinity X1 and Flex use WiFi remotes and no longer support IR remote controls.
How to Pair a Universal Remote to Xfinity Box?
- Point the remote towards the TV box and hold “power” for about 15 seconds!
Info: If the Xfinity cable box shuts down, it means that the remote is paired and you could now turn on the cable box by pressing “power” again.
In case it doesn’t work, re-try the pairing!
Quick Recap:
After answering how to reset Xfinity cable box, we’ve learned that your box can be power reset through the power button or cable or software reset.
The Xfinity cable box factory resets at the “Disaster Recovery” screen shown after holding the “WPS” button!
Read Next: Xfinity X1 Box Doesn’t Turn Off? – Here’s How to Fix!
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.