Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again

Meaning

What does Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again mean?

Have you tried turning it off and on again is a catchphrase that originates from the IT community, and was made viral by the series The IT Crowd.

The meme has a double meaning: it can be either applied comically, when an electronic device breaks beyond repair, or when an IT service worker loses interest in helping customers.

The latter version can be connected to the TV series that the phrase originates from.

However, the former meaning is the one that eventually turned the phrase into a reaction meme format.

have you tried turning it on and off again

Origin

What's the origin of Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again?

In the series The IT Crowd, the infamous line is said to be the catchphrase of Roy Trennerman (played by Chris O’Dowd), but it is uttered by other characters as well throughout the episodes.

Spread & Usage

How did Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again spread?

In 2010, a YouTube video was uploaded by Cam G Videos that compiled scenes from the series where the characters say the line.

It has reached more than 10 million views since its upload.

Have you tried turning it off and on again was also the title of an article that was published on your-itdepartment.co.uk, a site that deals with informatics and electronics issues.

It was also added and discussed on the quoting site Shmoop.

Later the meme has made appearances on sites like Pinterest and Reddit as well.

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