Roku’s streaming containers, streaming sticks, and smart TVs are popular for being easy to use, but that doesn’t imply each beneficial feature is plain from the beginning. Dig a touch deeper, and you’ll find lots of tricks and hidden capabilities that make the experience even higher.

Read on for a number of my favorite Roku hints:

• Install apps remotely
• Roku channel store
• Jared Newman / IDG

Installing all of your favored songs and video apps may be an ache when you’re putting in a Roku for the first time. Instead of thumbing around with the far-off, use the Roku Channel Store internet site to put in many apps quickly. Just log into your account, look for the apps you need, then choose “Add channel.” You also can install apps via the Roku app for iOS and Android.

• [ Further reading: The best streaming TV services ]
• Rearrange your apps
• rock move
• Jared Newman / IDG

Once you’ve established all of your apps, the following step has to move your favorites up pinnacle. To rearrange the app list, press the * button whilst highlighting any app, then pick out “Move channel.” Use the arrow keys to select a new spot and press OK when you’re performed.

• Hide (some) undesirable menus
• rokuhide
• Jared Newman / IDG

Don’t want Fandango’s TV and films shops cluttering up your house display screen? Head to Settings > Home screen > Movie Store and TV Store, after which pick out “Hide.” You can also disable Roku’s “Featured Free” segment from the same menu, although I think that is a pretty accessible characteristic. Find free stuff okufeaturedfree Roku Speaking of unfastened content material, Roku gives plenty of it. You can download individual unfastened video apps, including Sony Crackle, Pluto TV, Tubi, and The Roku Channel. Still, you may also tune down unfastened movies and indicates directly from Roku’s menus.

DID YOU KNOW ROKU MAKES SPEAKERS?

Read TechHive’s assessment. Learn More Roku The Featured Free phase digs up unfastened films and suggests from diverse apps, including those I referred to above. If you’re seeking out something specific—and you’ve got a Roku that helps voice controls—you may search for specific genres using voice. Try announcing “unfastened sitcoms” or “free technology-fiction suggests.” Roku will return a list of results with a minimum of one free supply.

Track the stuff you’re watching Roku feed Jared Newman / IDG With the “My Feed” phase of Roku’s home display, you could comply with specific films, suggestions, actors, or administrators and be notified. At the same time, new content material arrives, or costs drop. Just look for something, then look for the “Follow on Roku” alternative inside the result. You also can browse for films and indicates to comply with via the My Feed phase.

Navigate quicker Roku remote Jared Newman / IDG Now that your Roku is loaded with apps and content, use those hints to get around with fewer clicks at the remote: On the house display screen, press speedy ahead or rewind to page up or down via your app list. This additionally works in maximum menus and many 1/3-birthday party apps.
Get again to the top of your app listing from anywhere by way of double-tapping the home button. In a few apps (which include Netflix), the press plays even as highlighting an application to pass the outline web page and bounce right into the circulation. Use the Replay button rokureplay Jared Newman / IDG Missed a chunk of conversation that was too difficult to listen to? Hit the far-off’s Replay button (the only one with the arrow transferring counter-clockwise) to speedy bounce lower back 10 seconds. You can also set the Replay button to encompass captions via heading to Settings > Accessibility > Captions mode, then choosing “On replay.”

Make conversation less difficult to understand Roku volume Jared Newman / IDG Roku offers a couple of clean methods to normalize the volume on its streaming gamers. “Night” mode keeps the quantity down at some point of loud scenes, whilst “Leveling” compresses the general extent range so that you can listen to quiet scenes without getting jolted from something loud a minute later.

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Roku Premiere+ (2018) Read TechHive’s review $ forty-nine.99See Iton Roku Access those functions by pressing the * button during any video, scrolling down to “Volume Mode,” and then scrolling left or proper.

Use the Roku app for higher browsing rokuwhatson Jared Newman / IDG The loose Roku app for iOS and Android does greater than provide a virtual far-flung. It additionally consists of an on-hand “What’s On” menu, wherein you may find matters to observe from across specific apps. Take a look whilst you’re feeling indecisive. Set a custom screensaver Roku screensaverJared Newman / IDGIs Roku’s default screensaver feeling a bit stale? Load your very own pix rather than the usage of the free Roku app for iOS and Android. Open the app, head to the “Photos+” tab, choose Screensaver, and then pick the images you need to see.

Listen privately (with wired or Bluetooth headphones) Roku private Jared Newman / IDG If you have got a Roku Ultra or every other participant with a 3.5mm jack built into the far off, you may listen privately via plugging in any set of headphones or earbuds.

You may pay attention privately via the free Roku app for iOS and Android for different Roku gamers. Head to the “Remote” tab of the app, hit the menu button at the top of the display, and then set the “Private Listening” toggle to On. Now, you can plug in a few stressed-out headphones, join wi-fi earbuds, or even listen through your phone’s audio system.

Send video from Netflix and YouTube Roku Chromecast Jared Newman / IDG With Netflix and YouTube, and you can ship videos from a cell phone or tablet for your Roku participant simply as you will with Google’s Chromecast streamer. Just open either app while your Roku is at the identical Wi-Fi network, hit the Cast button, and then pick out your Roku from the listing. Any video you pick out will then seem on the TV instead of your mobile device. This additionally works from a pc the usage of Google’s Chrome browser.

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Roku Ultra (2018) $89.00See Iton Amazon If you’d like to beam your non-public media documents to Roku, the best way to use AllCast, a free app for iOS and Android. (Roku’s app gives a similar capability, but the interface isn’t as exact and doesn’t integrate with cloud storage.) When you release the app, it needs to detect your Roku automatically. At thiYouick out images, motion pictures, and track to play on the massive screen. (Rem at this factoring advertisements and video deadlines requires the $5 Premium app.)