Key Takeaways
- Replace your Roku remote with the mobile app for all controls & more, including voice commands and private listening.
- Control multiple Roku devices with one smartphone, access recently watched content easily, and use voice commands.
- Use the app’s keyboard for faster typing, swipe instead of tap, cast content from your phone, and watch The Roku Channel on the go.
The Roku mobile app offers many features to control your Roku device directly from your phone. From watching content on the go to using your voice to search for content, here are ten reasons the Roku mobile app has improved my overall experience.
Replace Your Roku Remote to Reduce Clutter
First and foremost, it’s important to note that switching from a Roku remote to the Roku mobile app does not rob you of any navigation controls. In fact, when using the app to control your Roku stick or TV, you are treated to the same controls, if not more. To access your mobile remote control screen, open the app and tap the Remote icon. From here, you can:
- Tap the Home icon to return to the Roku home screen.
- Use the direction pad to navigate any Roku screen and make a selection by tapping OK.
- Play, pause, fast-forward, and rewind.
- Activate voice commands by tapping the Microphone icon.
- Tap the Keyboard icon to open the on-screen keyboard to enter text.
- Search for specific programs by tapping the Search icon.
And, if you’re operating a Roku TV, you can use the app’s remote to adjust and mute the volume, turn the TV on or off, and switch inputs. You can also use the mobile app in place of your Roku remote to control your soundbar if you have one connected.
Control Multiple Roku Devices
Speaking of reducing clutter, did you know that you can control multiple Roku devices with just one smartphone? That’s right, you can sync the Roku app to all your Roku devices—Roku sticks, Roku boxes, and even Roku TVs. After you’ve synced all your devices, all you need to do is tap the Devices tab at the bottom of your screen and select the device you want to control from the list.
Listen Privately With Earphones
Perhaps my favorite part of the Roku app is its private listening feature. When I want to watch something on my Roku device without disturbing my partner during work or sleeping hours, I simply connect a pair of earbuds to my phone, open the Roku app, and tap the Headphone icon. Then, the sound of the Roku streams through the headphones instead of out into the room.
You might also love this feature if you’re looking for noise cancelation or more immersive sound.
Quickly Launch Recent Content
A characteristic unique to the Roku app is the capability to quickly track what you’ve been watching and continue where you left off. From the Home screen, the app displays content that you’ve recently watched (across all channels) in a Continue Watching list. Scroll left or right to view your recent shows or movies, or tap See All for a vertical list. Then, tap the tile for the program you want to launch.
You can also access your Continue Watching list, as well as your Recent Apps, from your Remote screen.
Control Roku With Voice Commands
Forget about using your hands and start controlling your Roku device with voice commands via the mobile app. While some Roku remotes have push-to-talk voice control features, like the Roku Voice Remote, this is not the case across the board. I appreciate that the Roku app offers voice control without additional cost or hardware. From the Remote screen, tap the microphone, or Voice icon, and start talking. You can use voice commands to:
- Go to a specific channel or service (“Launch Netflix”)
- Search for programs by genre (“Search for comedies”)
- Start watching a specific program on a specific service (“Watch The Bear on Hulu”)
- Control your Roku TV (“Turn on the Roku TV,” “Set a sleep timer for 30 minutes,” “Switch to HDMI 1,” etc.)
If voice commands are your thing, and you want to take it one step further, you can also control your Roku device using an Amazon Echo.
Easily Access Your Save List
A Roku Save List is like what other services call a watch list. That is, a list of programs you’d like to watch in the future. To add a program to Roku’s Save List on the mobile app, browse or search for that program and then tap Add to Save List. You can quickly view all your saved shows and movies in the Save List section of the app’s Home page.
You can also find this list on the
Account
tab >
Save List
.
Use the App’s Keyboard for Faster Typing
Like voice commands, this feature is a real time-saver. Have you ever been stuck entering passwords or searching for movies using your Roku’s remote control and on-screen keyboard? It’s a lot easier to use the keyboard in the Roku app.
When you’re confronted with a text field, open the app’s Remote screen and tap the Keyboard icon at the top of your screen. This displays your phone’s keyboard, so you can type instead of pointing and clicking on the TV screen.
Swipe Instead of Tap
Personally, I’m always a fan of technology that adapts to different types of brains. If you are more efficient with swiping than tapping, you can easily convert the Roku app’s Remote screen to one you control with a swipe pad. From the Remote screen, tap the Settings icon, then—under Remote Type—tap Swipe. When you return to the Remote screen you’ll see a swipe pad. Swipe across the pad with your finger to navigate the Roku screen and then tap the pad to make a selection.
Cast Content From Your Phone to Your TV
The Roku app isn’t just for shows and movies; you can also use it to cast your own content from your phone to your Roku device. The Roku app includes an integrated feature called Photo Streams, where you can organize a set of photos to “play” on your TV screen. Just remember that both your smartphone and your Roku device will need to be connected to the same network for casting to work.
Watch The Roku Channel on the Go
The Roku app does more than just control your Roku devices. As if these other features weren’t enough, the app also functions as a streaming player to watch The Roku Channel on your smartphone. Just navigate to TheRoku Channel list on your Home screen, and search through the available programming. Tap what you want to watch, and let the viewing begin.
There’s no doubt that Roku devices are packed with a lot of features, and the app is just the tip of the iceberg. In my experience, the Roku app both streamlines the amount of hardware you need for your home setup while also packing a bigger punch in terms of functionality. Just be warned: once you start using the Roku app, you may never go back to using a traditional remote control again.
