How to Rescan Channels on Your Cable Box

If channels are missing, showing old numbers, or your guide looks wrong after a lineup change, rescanning your cable box usually fixes the problem. Here is how to do it on each type of equipment.

When You Should Rescan

Rescan your channels when you notice missing channels that should be in your package, when your provider announces a lineup change, after a power outage or equipment restart, or when you set up a new cable box or TV.

Cable Box (Spectrum, Xfinity, and Others)

Most cable boxes update their channel guide automatically, but you can force a refresh. Unplug your cable box from the power outlet, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. The box will reboot and download the latest channel map from your provider. This process takes 5 to 15 minutes. Do not unplug it during the reboot.

On Xfinity X1 boxes, you can also press and hold the power button on the front of the box for 10 seconds to force a restart. Spectrum customers can send a refresh signal through the My Spectrum app under Equipment, then select your cable box and tap Restart Equipment.

Satellite Receiver (DirecTV, DISH)

Satellite receivers work differently from cable boxes. They receive channel data from the satellite signal, so channel maps update automatically when the receiver is on. If channels are missing, press the reset button on the front of the receiver or unplug it for 15 seconds. After rebooting, the receiver will reacquire the satellite signal and refresh the channel list.

On DISH receivers, you can also go to Menu, then Settings, then Diagnostics, and select Reset to refresh the channel data.

Over-the-Air Antenna

If you use an antenna for local broadcast channels, your TV has a built-in tuner that needs to scan for available stations. Go to your TV's Settings menu, look for Channels, Tuner, or Broadcast setup, and select Auto Scan or Channel Scan. The TV will search all available frequencies and save the channels it finds. This is also necessary after local stations change their broadcast frequencies, which happens occasionally after FCC repack events.

After Rescanning

Once the scan completes, check that your expected channels are back. If a channel is still missing after rescanning, it may not be included in your package or may have been dropped by your provider. You can verify your current lineup by selecting your provider on our homepage and choosing your city.