26 Hidden Roku Tips And Tricks You'll Wish You Knew Years Ago

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26 hidden Roku tips and tricks you'll wish you knew years ago

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Hidden Roku menus thief you hole issues and tweak your setup fast.
You tin shape apps, watchlists, and remotes measurement amended than you think.
Your Roku has tons of shortcuts that make streaming quicker and easier.

I've been a Roku personification for years and person spent countless hours launching apps, navigating menus, and digging done settings. If you consciousness for illustration you've hardly scratched nan aboveground of what Roku tin do, return a seat.

I americium sharing each nan champion hidden Roku tips and tricks truthful you tin unlock nan afloat powerfulness of your device.

Also: After testing streaming devices for complete a decade, this $19 Roku is nan champion woody I've seen

You'll study really to watercourse from Plex aliases a USB, create a impermanent mode, quickly find mislaid remotes, and usage typical fastener combos to entree hidden screens. There's a ton of cool worldly hiding successful plain show that makes streaming and binging TV easier than ever.

By nan end, you'll cognize much astir Roku than you ever thought you would.

1. Manage subscriptions successful 1 spot

Ever subscribe to a caller streaming work and past hide each astir it? Guilty. But Roku tin thief you way down each your subs successful 1 account. Just caput to My Subscriptions connected Roku. There, you'll spot each nan services you've added done Roku and tin move connected email reminders truthful Roku pings you a mates of days earlier immoderate renew and complaint you.

Go to my.roku.com and motion successful to your account.
Click Payment Methods and participate your in installments paper aliases PayPal details.
On immoderate Roku screen, you tin now subscribe to supported channels.
To negociate existing subs, spell to my.roku.com > My Subscriptions. You'll spot each progressive and expired subscription that Roku is billing you for, and you tin cancel aliases renew them pinch conscionable a click.

If you subscribed to a work extracurricular nan Roku platform, for illustration ESPN done nan Disney Plus website, you won't spot it listed nether My Subscriptions. So I propose streamlining really and wherever you subscribe to services and keeping them wrong Roku.

2. Create a cosmopolitan watchlist

I person a agelong database of shows to watch crossed my favourite streaming services. Each app has its ain watchlist, which is useful erstwhile you're successful that service. But what if you want to quickly spot everything successful 1 place? You can, pinch Roku's maestro watchlist feature.

Also: Roku whitethorn person yet fixed nan biggest headache successful TV streaming - here's how

In immoderate Roku app aliases while utilizing nan strategy search, you tin find a movie aliases show you want to watch and prime Add to Save List connected its specifications page. Roku collects each those saves into a azygous "What to Watch" database you tin entree from nan Home screen.

From nan Roku Home aliases successful Roku search, find nan show aliases movie you want to add.
On nan title's item page, take Add to Save List (sometimes it's called "Save").
Press Home and prime What to Watch to spot your afloat Save List.
Scroll to Continue Watching successful that paper to resume immoderate paused show.

This lets you spot each movie and section you saved from crossed each your services. No much flipping done apps to remember.

3. Resume watching pinch 'Continue Watching'

Roku automatically tracks in-progress videos crossed apps and lists them for you successful 1 place. Forget which app had that movie you paused past night? No problem. Roku will show each show aliases movie you're capable to resume, nary matter nan app.

On nan Roku Home screen, prime What to Watch.
Scroll to nan Continue Watching section.
Select immoderate paused show aliases movie to resume playback.

Selecting a movie aliases show successful Continue Watching will jump consecutive backmost to wherever you near off.

Resume watching pinch 'Continue Watching'

4. Watch free contented connected The Roku Channel

Roku's ain channel, The Roku Channel, offers thousands of free TV shows, movies, and moreover unrecorded news and sports channels. There's nary subscription needed, but you will person to beryllium done a fewer ads. There's besides a Live TV Channel Guide successful The Roku Channel wherever you tin browse much than 500 free unrecorded channels, including news, sports, kids TV, and music.

Also: Your Roku TV has 100+ free unrecorded channels - here's really to watch them (and what's available)

From Home, unfastened The Roku Channel (add it from Streaming Channels if it's not connected Home).
Browse nan Featured Free aliases Popular Free sections for on-demand films and shows.
Scroll to Live TV Channel Guide to spot hundreds of free unrecorded streams.

This is simply a hidden gem for cord-cutters.

Watch free contented connected The Roku Channel

5. Use Roku Search (across each apps)

On immoderate Home screen, you tin property nan Search fastener (or usage nan microphone if you person a sound distant aliases nan Roku app) to look for contented by title, actor, aliases director.

Roku will past hunt each transmission connected your instrumentality astatine erstwhile and show you wherever that contented is available, including wherever it's free aliases immoderate rental aliases subscription costs. This saves clip and tin prevention you money.

On your Roku remote, property Star and prime Search, aliases property nan Search cardinal aliases mic.
Enter a title aliases opportunity it aloud.
Roku will database channels that person that contented and nan value aliases subscription required.
Select an introduction to jump straight to that channel.

6. Browse Roku Zones

Roku has Zones, aliases curated collections of contented by genre aliases theme. These popular up erstwhile you hunt definite keywords.

Also: How to reset your Roku: 4 easy ways

For example, hunt "Comedy" aliases "Kids" and Roku will connection to unfastened nan Comedy Zone aliases Kids Zone. Each Zone displays recommended movies and shows grouped successful rows for illustration New Releases and Free. It's a nosy measurement to find thing to watch.

Press Home and spell to Search. Type a genre aliases topic.
Look for a Zone consequence (e.g., Comedy Zone) and prime it.
Browse shows and movies grouped by caller releases, free picks, and more.

7. Display your photos

Want to spot your picnic photos connected nan large screen? Use Roku's Photo Streams to move your camera rotation into a TV slideshow aliases screensaver.

Go to photostreams.roku.com connected your machine to create a stream. You tin upload photos aliases nexus Google Photos. Then unfastened Photo Streams connected your Roku, prime your stream, and prime Slideshow. You tin besides group immoderate watercourse arsenic your screensaver.

In a web browser, spell to photostreams.roku.com and log in.
Click Create Stream, upload photos, aliases nexus your Google Photos library.
On Roku, prime Photo Streams and prime Slideshow.
For screensaver: Home > Settings > Themes > Screensavers > Photo Streams > Set arsenic Screensaver.

8. Customize your screensaver

You tin alteration your default screensaver and moreover usage a civilization one. Roku lets you take from built-in options aliases group immoderate of your Photo Streams arsenic nan screensaver, truthful your TV tin rhythm done individual photos erstwhile it's idle.

Home > Settings > Theme > Wallpaper and Screensavers.
Browse Featured Screensavers.
Choose Set arsenic Screensaver.
Tap Preview to spot it first.

9. Turn your telephone into a distant

Roku's mobile app is much than a backup remote. Once you instal nan Roku Official Remote app connected your iPhone aliases Android device, you get a afloat keyboard, swipe and pat navigation, sound search, and transmission launching. It's besides awesome if you suffer your beingness remote.

Download and unfastened nan Roku app connected your device.
Select your Roku connected nan aforesaid Wi-Fi network.
Use nan Keyboard icon to type quickly.
Tap nan Voice icon to hunt by speaking.

10. Find your mislaid distant

If your sound distant has a speaker grille, you tin make it beep to find it. Open nan Roku app, pat nan mic, and opportunity "Hey Roku, find my remote." If you person a Roku Ultra, property nan beingness fastener connected nan instrumentality to make nan distant beep.

Ensure nan Roku app is connected to your Roku device.
Say "Hey Roku, find my remote."
(On Roku Ultra) Press nan fastener connected nan subordinate to trigger nan beep.
Press immoderate fastener connected nan distant to extremity nan beeping.

11. Link Roku to Apple and Siri

Roku supports AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. After pairing, you tin reflector your iPhone, iPad, aliases Mac screen, watercourse audio and video straight to your Roku, aliases usage Siri Shortcuts successful nan Roku app to power playback pinch sound commands.

On Roku: Home > Settings > Apple AirPlay and HomeKit > AirPlay.
On iPhone: Open Control Center > Screen Mirroring > prime Roku.
In nan Roku app: Account > Siri Shortcuts to alteration Siri control.

12. Screen reflector and cast

Roku tin reflector screens from iPhone, Android, and Windows, truthful immoderate is connected your instrumentality will look connected your TV. This lets you show photos, watercourse apps, aliases show presentations and webpages straight from your telephone aliases computer.

On Roku: Settings > System > Screen Mirroring > Prompt aliases Always Allow.
On iPhone: Screen Mirroring > prime Roku.
On Android aliases Windows: Use Cast aliases Smart View and prime Roku.
To extremity mirroring, disconnect from nan casting menu.

13. Calibrate audio, including for nighttime

Roku has Volume Leveling to support audio accordant crossed channels and apps. It besides features a Night Mode that softens large commercials and abrupt measurement spikes truthful you tin proceed watching TV precocious without disturbing anyone. There are different modes too.

During playback, property Star.
Select Sound Settings > Customize sound mode > Volume Leveling.
Next, spell backmost to Sound Settings and take Sound Mode.
Pick from Dialogue, Movie, Music, Night, aliases Standard.

Calibrate audio, including for nighttime

14. Listen privately

Private Listening lets you watch softly without bothering anyone.

The Voice Remote Pro Gen 1 has a built-in headphone jack for wired listening, but you tin besides usage nan Roku mobile app's Private Listening mode, which streams audio to your telephone truthful you tin perceive done wired aliases Bluetooth headphones.

With Voice Remote Pro Gen 1: plug headphones into nan remote.
Without a jack: unfastened nan Roku app and link to your Roku.
Tap nan Headphones icon to alteration backstage listening.

15. Play games connected Roku

Your Roku has a mini action of games you tin instal and play. These see classical titles for illustration Solitaire, Snake, Sudoku, and different elemental arcade-style games. You power them pinch your Roku remote.

On nan Home screen, unfastened Streaming Store.
Select Games and browse.
From here, you tin take a Roku Zone called Video Games.
Install and motorboat immoderate game.

16. Organize channels connected your Home surface

You tin rearrange nan channels connected your Home surface to put your favorites up front. Some Roku package versions besides support folders, truthful you tin group apps together for a cleaner, much organized layout.

Highlight nan app you want to move.
Press Star and prime Move Channel.
Use arrows to reposition, past property OK.
Optional: Options > Create Folder (if available)
Optional: Remove an app if it's acting glitchy aliases you don't want it anymore. You tin ever reinstall it later.

Organize channels connected your Home screen

17. Instant Replay pinch captions

Want captions erstwhile you usage Instant Replay? Instant Replay is simply a built-in characteristic connected astir Roku remotes that rewinds nan existent video pinch 1 fastener press. Roku tin besides show captions during that jump backmost truthful you don't miss immoderate dialogue.

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Captions Mode.
Select On Replay.
Press nan Instant Replay fastener during playback.

18. Stream your individual room pinch Plex

Plex is an easy measurement to watercourse your ain media room connected Roku. Just instal Plex Media Server connected your computer, adhd nan Plex app connected your Roku, and motion successful truthful Plex tin scan your files, adhd artwork, and watercourse everything to your TV. The free tier covers individual media streaming, truthful you don't request a Plex Pass unless you want premium features.

Install Plex Server connected your machine and adhd media.
On Roku, hunt for Plex and instal it.
Launch Plex to get a linking code.
Go to plex.tv/link and participate nan code.
Your room will now look connected Roku.

19. Watch contented from a USB thrust

For elemental section playback, Roku Media Player lets you play videos, music, and photos straight from a USB thrust if your Roku has a USB port. Just plug successful your drive, unfastened nan Roku Media Player app, and browse your files. It supports formats for illustration MP4, MKV, MP3, and JPG, making it an easy measurement to position individual media without mounting up Plex aliases a DLNA media server.

Load your videos, music, aliases photos onto a USB drive.
Plug nan USB thrust into your Roku's USB port.
Open nan Roku Media Player app.
Select Videos, Music, aliases Photos.
Browse your USB folders and take a record to play.

20. Use nan Guest Mode

Guest Mode prevents visitors from changing your settings, watchlist, aliases logged-in apps. Once enabled, your guests tin motion successful pinch their ain accounts, and Roku tin automatically motion them retired connected a day you choose.

Set a PIN astatine my.roku.com/account/PIN.
On Roku: Settings > System > Guest Mode > Enter Guest Mode.
Enter your PIN.
Guests motion successful to their ain apps.
When done: Settings > Guest Options > Sign Out of Guest Mode.

21. Access hidden screens

Did you cognize Roku has respective concealed menus you tin entree pinch conscionable a fewer clicks of nan remote? They're for illustration easter eggs, hidden screens that tin uncover diagnostic information, precocious toggles, and developer devices you ne'er knew you wanted (or needed).

Also: I unlocked my Roku TV's afloat imaginable pinch these hidden settings and paper screens

Here are a fewer illustration distant combinations you tin enter, but cheque retired my different guideline here that rounds them each up.

Wireless Info Screen: Home x5, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up.
Secret Screen 2 (ads aliases screenshot controls): Home x5, Up, Right, Down, Left, Up.
HDMI Info Screen: Home x5, Down, Left, Up, Up, Up.

22. Ask Alexa aliases Google

You tin power your Roku hands-free pinch either Alexa aliases Google. After linking your accounts successful their respective apps, you tin usage sound commands to unfastened apps, motorboat channels, aliases power playback connected your Roku device.

How to group it up pinch Alexa:

Open nan Alexa app and spell to Skills and Games.
Search for Roku, pat Enable to Use, and motion in.
Select your Roku instrumentality and fto Alexa observe it.
Link nan instrumentality and adhd it to a group.

How to group it up pinch Google:

Make judge your Roku is moving a caller type of Roku OS.
Open nan Google Home app connected your phone.
Go to Devices > tap nan Plus icon successful nan apical area > take Works pinch Google.
Tap nan Search icon and look up Roku. Select Roku from nan results.
Sign successful to your Roku relationship erstwhile prompted.
Tap Continue and travel nan prompts to return to Google Home.

23. Follow your favourite teams

You tin travel your favourite sports teams connected Roku and support way of upcoming games. Just sojourn nan Sports section, find a crippled aliases team, and adhd it to your favorites to create a personalized My Favorites statement connected your Home screen.

Go to nan Home surface and scroll to Sports.
Look for an upcoming game.
Open nan crippled page and prime nan bosom icon adjacent to nan team.
Your My Favorites statement will look nether Sports pinch each upcoming games.

24. Clear your Roku cache (soft reset)

Your Roku instrumentality has a cache that stores impermanent information to thief apps load faster. However, complete time, this cache tin go cluttered, causing slow performance, app crashes, audio-video sync issues, and correction messages. Roku does not person a azygous "clear cache" button, nor tin you do it by app, but you tin still hole astir issues by utilizing a typical distant series that initiates a soft reset.

Also: Try this 30-second refresh connected your Roku TV earlier replacing it for good

Go to nan Home paper and make judge nan item is complete nan Home action connected nan left.
On your remote, push nan Home fastener 5 times.
Push nan Up arrow once.
Push nan Rewind fastener twice.
Push nan Fast Forward fastener twice.
Wait for your Roku to restart.

If you don't want to usage nan typical fastener combo above, you tin besides conscionable spell to Settings > System > System Restart connected your Roku to flush impermanent cache. This will move disconnected your TV, but it will not mill reset it. Your Roku TV should move backmost connected successful 30 seconds.

25. Limit nan information Roku collects

Roku gathers a wide scope of accusation from your device, including hunt history, sound inputs, transmission usage, advertisement interactions, and individual preferences, and it shares immoderate of this information pinch advertisers. While you cannot artifact each tracking, you tin trim it.

Open Settings from nan main Roku menu.
Go to Privacy.
Select Advertising, past cheque Limit Ad Tracking.
Go to Microphone > Channel Microphone Access, and prime Never Allow.
Go to Smart TV Experience, unfastened ACR, and uncheck Use Info from TV Inputs.

26. Play Daily Trivia connected your Roku

There's a Daily Trivia conception connected Roku that gives you 10 caller popular civilization questions to reply each day. It is disposable connected each Roku devices successful nan US, and you tin entree it correct from your Home Screen.

Go to your Home Screen Menu.
Look for Daily Trivia among your disposable Roku features.
Open it to play nan 10 regular questions aliases browse nan Trivia Vault.

How do I update my Roku device?

Roku installs updates automatically, but you tin manually cheque for them nether Settings > System > System Update > Check Now.

Can Roku show maine free unrecorded TV channels?

Yes. The Roku Channel and nan Live TV guideline see much than 500 free unrecorded channels covering news, sports, kids TV, and more.

Can I play my ain videos and euphony connected Roku?

Yes. Use Plex aliases Roku Media Player, aliases formed your ain files via surface mirroring.

Also: Roku vs. Fire Stick: I compared some streaming devices successful 2025, and there's a clear winner

What if I suffer my Roku remote?

You tin usage nan Roku app if you suffer your beingness remote, since it includes a afloat package distant for navigating screens. You tin moreover opportunity "Hey Roku, find my remote" successful nan Roku app, and your beingness distant will beep (if it has a speaker) until you find it.