Your Roku has tons of shortcuts that make streaming quicker and easier.
I’ve been a Roku user for years and have spent countless hours launching apps, navigating menus, and digging through settings. If you feel like you’ve barely scratched the surface of what Roku can do, take a seat.
I am sharing all the best hidden Roku tips and tricks so you can unlock the full power of your device.
Also: 8 HDMI tricks I use to get the best performance from my TV – and most are free
You’ll learn how to stream from Plex or a USB drive, create a guest mode, quickly locate lost remotes, and utilize special button combinations to access hidden screens. There’s a ton of cool stuff hiding in plain sight that makes streaming and binging TV easier than ever.
By the end, you’ll know more about Roku than you ever thought you would.
Ever subscribe to a new streaming service and then forget all about it? Guilty. However, Roku can help you track all your subscriptions in one account. Just head to My Subscriptions on Roku. There, you’ll see all the services you’ve added through Roku and can turn on email reminders so Roku pings you a couple of days before any renew and charges you.
If you subscribed to a service outside the Roku platform, like ESPN through the Disney Plus website, you won’t see it listed under My Subscriptions. So I suggest streamlining how and where you subscribe to services and keeping them within Roku.
I have a long list of shows to watch across my favorite streaming services. Each app has its own watchlist, which is handy when you’re in that service. But what if you want to quickly see everything in one place? You can, with Roku’s master watchlist feature.
Also: Roku may have finally fixed the biggest headache in TV streaming – here’s how
In any Roku app or while using the system search, you can find a movie or show you want to watch and select Add to Save List on its details page. Roku collects all those saves into a single “What to Watch” list you can access from the Home screen.
This lets you see every movie and episode you saved from across all your services. No more flipping through apps to remember.
Roku automatically tracks in-progress videos across apps and lists them for you in one place. Forget which app had that movie you paused last night? No problem. Roku will show every show or movie you’re able to resume, no matter the app.
Selecting a movie or show in Continue Watching will jump straight back to where you left off.
Roku’s own channel, The Roku Channel, offers thousands of free TV shows, movies, and even live news and sports channels. There’s no subscription needed, but you will have to sit through a few ads. There’s also a Live TV Channel Guide in The Roku Channel where you can browse more than 500 free live channels, including news, sports, kids TV, and music.
Also: Your Roku TV has 100+ free live channels – here’s how to watch them (and what’s available)
This is a hidden gem for cord-cutters.
On any Home screen, you can press the Search button (or use the microphone if you have a voice remote or the Roku app) to look for content by title, actor, or director.
Roku will then search every channel on your device at once and show you where that content is available, including where it’s free or any rental or subscription costs. This saves time and can save you money.
Roku has Zones, or curated collections of content by genre or theme. These pop up when you search certain keywords.
Also: How to reset your Roku: 4 easy ways
For example, search “Comedy” or “Kids” and Roku will offer to open the Comedy Zone or Kids Zone. Each Zone displays recommended movies and shows grouped in rows like New Releases and Free. It’s a fun way to find something to watch.
Want to see your vacation photos on the big screen? Use Roku’s Photo Streams to turn your camera roll into a TV slideshow or screensaver.
Go to photostreams.roku.com on your computer to create a stream. You can upload photos or link Google Photos. Then open Photo Streams on your Roku, pick your stream, and select Slideshow. You can also set any stream as your screensaver.
You can change your default screensaver and even use a custom one. Roku lets you choose from built-in options or set any of your Photo Streams as the screensaver, so your TV can cycle through personal photos when it’s idle.
Roku’s mobile app is more than a backup remote. Once you install the Roku Official Remote app on your iPhone or Android device, you get a full keyboard, swipe and tap navigation, voice search, and channel launching. It’s also great if you lose your physical remote.
If your voice remote has a speaker grille, you can make it beep to find it. Open the Roku app, tap the mic, and say “Hey Roku, find my remote.” If you have a Roku Ultra, press the physical button on the device to make the remote beep.
Roku supports AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. After pairing, you can mirror your iPhone, iPad, or Mac screen, stream audio and video directly to your Roku, or use Siri Shortcuts in the Roku app to control playback with voice commands.
Roku can mirror screens from iPhone, Android, and Windows, so whatever is on your device will appear on your TV. This lets you show photos, stream apps, or display presentations and webpages directly from your phone or computer.
Roku has Volume Leveling to keep audio consistent across channels and apps. It also features a Night Mode that softens loud commercials and sudden volume spikes so you can continue watching TV late without disturbing anyone. There are other modes too.
Private Listening lets you watch quietly without bothering anyone.
The Voice Remote Pro Gen 1 has a built-in headphone jack for wired listening, but you can also use the Roku mobile app’s Private Listening mode, which streams audio to your phone so you can listen through wired or Bluetooth headphones.
Your Roku has a small selection of games you can install and play. These include classic titles like Solitaire, Snake, Sudoku, and other simple arcade-style games. You control them with your Roku remote.
You can rearrange the channels on your Home screen to put your favorites up front. Some Roku software versions also support folders, so you can group apps together for a cleaner, more organized layout.
Want captions when you use Instant Replay? Instant Replay is a built-in feature on most Roku remotes that rewinds the current video with one button press. Roku can also show captions during that jump back so you don’t miss any dialogue.
Plex is an easy way to stream your own media library on Roku. Just install Plex Media Server on your computer, add the Plex app on your Roku, and sign in so Plex can scan your files, add artwork, and stream everything to your TV. The free tier covers personal media streaming, so you don’t need a Plex Pass unless you want premium features.
For simple local playback, Roku Media Player lets you play videos, music, and photos directly from a USB drive if your Roku has a USB port. Just plug in your drive, open the Roku Media Player app, and browse your files. It supports formats like MP4, MKV, MP3, and JPG, making it an easy way to view personal media without setting up Plex or a DLNA media server.
Guest Mode prevents visitors from changing your settings, watchlist, or logged-in apps. Once enabled, your guests can sign in with their own accounts, and Roku can automatically sign them out on a date you choose.
Did you know Roku has several secret menus you can access with just a few clicks of the remote? They’re like easter eggs, hidden screens that can reveal diagnostic information, advanced toggles, and developer tools you never knew you wanted (or needed).
Also: I unlocked my Roku TV’s full potential with these hidden settings and menu screens
Here are a few example remote combinations you can enter, but check out my other guide here that rounds them all up.
You can control your Roku hands-free with either Alexa or Google. After linking your accounts in their respective apps, you can use voice commands to open apps, launch channels, or control playback on your Roku device.
You can follow your favorite sports teams on Roku and keep track of upcoming games. Just visit the Sports section, find a game or team, and add it to your favorites to create a personalized My Favorites row on your Home screen.
Your Roku device has a cache that stores temporary data to help apps load faster. However, over time, this cache can become cluttered, causing slow performance, app crashes, audio-video sync issues, and error messages. Roku does not have a single “clear cache” button, nor can you do it by app, but you can still fix most issues by using a special remote sequence that initiates a soft reset.
Also: Try this 30-second refresh on your Roku TV before replacing it for good
If you don’t want to use the special button combo above, you can also just go to Settings > System > System Restart on your Roku to flush temporary cache. This will turn off your TV, but it will not factory reset it. Your Roku TV should turn back on in 30 seconds.
Roku gathers a wide range of information from your device, including search history, voice inputs, channel usage, ad interactions, and personal preferences, and it shares some of this data with advertisers. While you cannot block all tracking, you can reduce it.
There’s a Daily Trivia section on Roku that gives you 10 new pop culture questions to answer every day. It is available on all Roku devices in the US, and you can access it right from your Home Screen.
