20+ useful Roku shortcuts and menus that every user should know about (and how to access them)

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

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Hidden Roku menus assistance you hole issues and tweak your setup fast.
You tin signifier apps, watchlists, and remotes mode amended than you think.
Your Roku has tons of shortcuts that marque streaming quicker and easier.

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

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

Also: 8 HDMI tricks I usage to get the champion show from my TV - and astir are free

You'll larn however to watercourse from Plex oregon a USB drive, make a impermanent mode, rapidly find mislaid remotes, and utilize peculiar fastener combinations to entree hidden screens. There's a ton of chill worldly hiding successful plain show that makes streaming and binging TV easier than ever.

By the 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. However, Roku tin assistance you way each your subscriptions successful 1 account. Just caput to My Subscriptions connected Roku. There, you'll spot each the services you've added done Roku and tin crook connected email reminders truthful Roku pings you a mates of days earlier immoderate renew and charges you.

Go to my.roku.com and motion successful to your account.
Click Payment Methods and participate your recognition paper oregon PayPal details.
On immoderate Roku screen, you tin present 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 oregon renew them with conscionable a click.

If you subscribed to a work extracurricular the Roku platform, similar ESPN done the Disney Plus website, you won't spot it listed nether My Subscriptions. So I suggest streamlining however and wherever you subscribe to services and keeping them wrong Roku.

2. Create a cosmopolitan watchlist

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

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

In immoderate Roku app oregon portion utilizing the strategy search, you tin find a movie oregon amusement you privation to ticker and prime Add to Save List connected its details page. Roku collects each those saves into a azygous "What to Watch" database you tin entree from the Home screen.

From the Roku Home oregon successful Roku search, find the amusement oregon movie you privation to add.
On the 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 occurrence you saved from crossed each your services. No much flipping done apps to remember.

3. Resume watching with '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 volition amusement each amusement oregon movie you're capable to resume, nary substance the app.

On the Roku Home screen, prime What to Watch.
Scroll to the Continue Watching section.
Select immoderate paused amusement oregon movie to resume playback.

Selecting a movie oregon amusement successful Continue Watching volition leap consecutive backmost to wherever you near off.

Resume watching with 'Continue Watching'

4. Watch escaped contented connected The Roku Channel

Roku's ain channel, The Roku Channel, offers thousands of escaped TV shows, movies, and adjacent unrecorded quality and sports channels. There's nary subscription needed, but you volition 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 escaped unrecorded channels, including news, sports, kids TV, and music.

Also: Your Roku TV has 100+ escaped unrecorded channels - here's however to ticker them (and what's available)

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

This is simply a hidden gem for cord-cutters.

Watch escaped contented connected The Roku Channel

5. Use Roku Search (across each apps)

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

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

On your Roku remote, property Star and prime Search, oregon property the Search cardinal oregon mic.
Enter a rubric oregon accidental it aloud.
Roku volition database channels that person that contented and the terms oregon subscription required.
Select an introduction to leap straight to that channel.

6. Browse Roku Zones

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

Also: How to reset your Roku: 4 casual ways

For example, hunt "Comedy" oregon "Kids" and Roku volition connection to unfastened the Comedy Zone oregon Kids Zone. Each Zone displays recommended movies and shows grouped successful rows similar New Releases and Free. It's a amusive mode to find thing to watch.

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

7. Display your photos

Want to spot your abrogation photos connected the large screen? Use Roku's Photo Streams to crook your camera rotation into a TV slideshow oregon screensaver.

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

In a web browser, spell to photostreams.roku.com and log in.
Click Create Stream, upload photos, oregon 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 adjacent usage a customized one. Roku lets you take from built-in options oregon acceptable immoderate of your Photo Streams arsenic the screensaver, truthful your TV tin rhythm done idiosyncratic 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 the Roku Official Remote app connected your iPhone oregon Android device, you get a afloat keyboard, swipe and pat navigation, dependable search, and transmission launching. It's besides large if you suffer your carnal remote.

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

10. Find your mislaid distant

If your dependable distant has a talker grille, you tin marque it beep to find it. Open the Roku app, pat the mic, and accidental "Hey Roku, find my remote." If you person a Roku Ultra, property the carnal fastener connected the instrumentality to marque the distant beep.

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

11. Link Roku to Apple and Siri

Roku supports AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. After pairing, you tin reflector your iPhone, iPad, oregon Mac screen, watercourse audio and video straight to your Roku, oregon usage Siri Shortcuts successful the Roku app to power playback with dependable commands.

On Roku: Home > Settings > Apple AirPlay and HomeKit > AirPlay.
On iPhone: Open Control Center > Screen Mirroring > prime Roku.
In the 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 volition look connected your TV. This lets you amusement photos, watercourse apps, oregon show presentations and webpages straight from your telephone oregon computer.

On Roku: Settings > System > Screen Mirroring > Prompt oregon Always Allow.
On iPhone: Screen Mirroring > prime Roku.
On Android oregon Windows: Use Cast oregon Smart View and prime Roku.
To halt mirroring, disconnect from the 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 dependable mode > Volume Leveling.
Next, spell backmost to Sound Settings and take Sound Mode.
Pick from Dialogue, Movie, Music, Night, oregon Standard.

Calibrate audio, including for nighttime

14. Listen privately

Private Listening lets you ticker softly without bothering anyone.

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

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

15. Play games connected Roku

Your Roku has a tiny enactment of games you tin instal and play. These see classical titles similar Solitaire, Snake, Sudoku, and different elemental arcade-style games. You power them with your Roku remote.

On the 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 the channels connected your Home surface to enactment your favorites up front. Some Roku bundle versions besides enactment folders, truthful you tin radical apps unneurotic for a cleaner, much organized layout.

Highlight the app you privation 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 oregon you don't privation it anymore. You tin ever reinstall it later.

Organize channels connected your Home screen

17. Instant Replay with captions

Want captions erstwhile you usage Instant Replay? Instant Replay is simply a built-in diagnostic connected astir Roku remotes that rewinds the existent video with 1 fastener press. Roku tin besides amusement captions during that leap backmost truthful you don't miss immoderate dialogue.

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

18. Stream your idiosyncratic room with Plex

Plex is an casual mode to watercourse your ain media room connected Roku. Just instal Plex Media Server connected your computer, adhd the Plex app connected your Roku, and motion successful truthful Plex tin scan your files, adhd artwork, and watercourse everything to your TV. The escaped tier covers idiosyncratic media streaming, truthful you don't request a Plex Pass unless you privation 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 the code.
Your room volition present look connected Roku.

Stream your idiosyncratic room with Plex

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 the Roku Media Player app, and browse your files. It supports formats similar MP4, MKV, MP3, and JPG, making it an casual mode to presumption idiosyncratic media without mounting up Plex oregon a DLNA media server.

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

20. Use the Guest Mode

Guest Mode prevents visitors from changing your settings, watchlist, oregon logged-in apps. Once enabled, your guests tin motion successful with 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 with conscionable a fewer clicks of the remote? They're similar easter eggs, hidden screens that tin uncover diagnostic information, precocious toggles, and developer tools you ne'er knew you wanted (or needed).

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

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

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

22. Ask Alexa oregon Google

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

How to acceptable it up with Alexa:

Open the 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 the instrumentality and adhd it to a group.

How to acceptable it up with Google:

Make definite your Roku is moving a caller mentation of Roku OS.
Open the Google Home app connected your phone.
Go to Devices > tap the Plus icon successful the apical country > take Works with Google.
Tap the Search icon and look up Roku. Select Roku from the results.
Sign successful to your Roku relationship erstwhile prompted.
Tap Continue and travel the prompts to instrumentality 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 the Sports section, find a crippled oregon team, and adhd it to your favorites to make a personalized My Favorites enactment connected your Home screen.

Go to the Home surface and scroll to Sports.
Look for an upcoming game.
Open the crippled leafage and prime the bosom icon adjacent to the team.
Your My Favorites enactment volition look nether Sports with each upcoming games.

24. Clear your Roku cache (soft reset)

Your Roku instrumentality has a cache that stores impermanent information to assistance apps load faster. However, implicit time, this cache tin go cluttered, causing dilatory performance, app crashes, audio-video sync issues, and mistake messages. Roku does not person a azygous "clear cache" button, nor tin you bash it by app, but you tin inactive hole astir issues by utilizing a peculiar distant series that initiates a brushed reset.

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

Go to the Home paper and marque definite the item is implicit the Home enactment connected the left.
On your remote, propulsion the Home fastener 5 times.
Push the Up arrow once.
Push the Rewind fastener twice.
Push the Fast Forward fastener twice.
Wait for your Roku to restart.

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

25. Limit the information Roku collects

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

Open Settings from the 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 the US, and you tin entree it close from your Home Screen.

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

How bash 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 amusement maine escaped unrecorded TV channels?

Yes. The Roku Channel and the Live TV usher see much than 500 escaped unrecorded channels covering news, sports, kids TV, and more.

Can I play my ain videos and euphony connected Roku?

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

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

What if I suffer my Roku remote?

You tin usage the Roku app if you suffer your carnal remote, since it includes a afloat bundle distant for navigating screens. You tin adjacent accidental "Hey Roku, find my remote" successful the Roku app, and your carnal distant volition beep (if it has a speaker) until you find it.

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