To add apps to your Roku Home Screen, press Home, select Streaming Store, choose an app, and select Add app. Complete any required subscription steps, and the app’s tile appears at the bottom of your Home Screen app list. These steps apply to Roku streaming players and Roku TVs, though app availability varies by region and device.
You can also install apps through Roku’s website or its iOS and Android companion app. After installation, you can move the tile or add it to Quick Access on devices offering that feature.
The short version
- Add on your TV: Press Home, open Streaming Store, choose an app, and select Add app.
- Find the new tile: Newly installed apps appear at the bottom of the Home Screen app list.
- Sync a remote installation: Open Settings > System > System update > Check now if an app added through the website or mobile app has not appeared.
- Move a favorite: Highlight its tile, press *, and select Move app.
| Method or option | Where to start | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| TV Streaming Store | Home > Streaming Store | Install directly on your Roku |
| Alternative TV store menu | Store > Apps | Your Roku displays Store |
| Home Screen shortcut | Add Apps | Open the store from the app grid |
| App search | Search | Find an app by name |
| App promotion | A promotion displayed on your Roku | Install the promoted app |
| Account or device setup | Account creation or device activation | Choose apps offered during setup |
| Website installation | Sign in to Roku’s online store | Add an app from a browser |
| Mobile installation | Store, Categories, Recommended, or search | Add an app from your phone |
| Connected device controls | Devices > your Roku > Apps on Roku | Reach the store for a connected Roku |
| Installation synchronization | System update > Check now | A remotely added app has not appeared |
| Movie or show search | A viewing option in Roku Search | Add a missing provider app |
| Voice discovery | Compatible voice remote or mobile voice search | Find news apps in the US |
| Tile positioning | * > Move app | Choose a position in the app list |
| Move directly to the top | * > Move app to the top | Your layout offers this shortcut |
| Quick Access placement | Highlight an app and press * | Add a favorite on supported layouts |
| Quick Access visibility | Settings > Home Screen > Quick Access | Show Quick Access or the app grid |
| TV removal and reinstallation | * > Remove app | Remove an installed tile before adding it again |
| Mobile removal and reinstallation | Devices > Apps on Roku | Manage installed apps from your phone |
| Installation PIN | Account PIN/Parental controls | Manage the PIN requirement on Roku devices |
| Kid & Teen Mode | Settings > Kid & Teen Mode > App access | Allow participating installed apps |
| Guest Mode | Guest welcome screen | Add apps for a temporary stay |
| Publisher installation link | A public app or invited beta access link | Install an app shared by its publisher |
| Official US catalog | Roku’s US Streaming Store | Browse apps and their installation pages |
| Companion app download | Roku’s official mobile app page | Get the iOS or Android companion app |
Add an app directly on your Roku
Press Home on your remote and select Streaming Store. Choose the app you want, select Add app, and complete any required subscription steps. The installed app’s tile appears at the bottom of your Home Screen app list.
If your Roku displays Store, press Home and select Store > Apps. Browse a category, highlight an app, and press OK. Select Add app for a free app; Roku also documents pressing OK to begin a subscription or trial from this store path.
You can also select Add Apps at the bottom of the app grid to open the store. If that shortcut is hidden and your Roku offers shortcut controls, press Home and open Settings > Home screen > Shortcuts. Highlight Add Apps and press OK to check its box.
To find an app by name, press Home, then press Left arrow to reach the left menu and select Search. Search for the app and select Add App when offered. This also works on Home Screens with a collapsed left menu.
Move your app or add it to Quick Access
Press Home and go to your app list. On the redesigned Home Screen, scroll down to the Apps section. Highlight the app without opening it, press *, and select Move app. Reposition the tile with Up arrow, Down arrow, Left arrow, or Right arrow, then press OK to finish.
If your Home Screen offers the direct shortcut, highlight the app and press *. Select Move app to the top to place it at the beginning of the list.
On devices with the redesigned Home Screen and Quick Access, highlight an installed app or shortcut and press *. Choose the option that adds it to Quick Access. Frequently used apps can also appear there automatically.
To change that area’s visibility, open Settings > Home Screen > Quick Access. Hiding Quick Access replaces it with the App Grid, so you can bring the app grid into that space instead.
Add apps through Roku’s website
Open the Roku Streaming Store in a desktop or mobile browser and sign in to the Roku account linked to your device. This link opens the US app catalog. Find an app, select Details if you want more information, then select Add app.
Adding an app to your account automatically adds it to other Roku devices linked to that account. If the app has not appeared on your TV, run the update check described below.
Install apps from your phone
Get the iOS or Android companion app from Roku’s official mobile app page. In the Roku app, browse Store, Categories, or Recommended, or search for an app. Select the app, then select Add.
With a connected Roku device, you can also open the store through its device controls. Open Devices, select your Roku, then open Apps on Roku > Store to browse available apps. Open Your Roku Apps to see installed apps.
Fix a missing app or manage a PIN request
If an app added through the website or mobile app has not appeared, open Settings > System > System update on your Roku. Select Check now, then return to the Home Screen and look for its tile. For a website installation, also confirm that you signed in to the account linked to the intended Roku.
If installation asks for a PIN, you can manage that requirement through your Roku account. Sign in, then open Device settings > PIN/Parental controls > Subscribing, making purchases, and adding apps. To require a PIN for those actions, select Subscribe, rent or buy shows and movies, or add apps, then select Save.
To allow installation without that restriction, select Don’t require a PIN. Select Save to apply your choice.
Find apps through shows and other Roku options
Choosing something to watch can also lead you to its provider’s app. On a supported Roku device, press Home and open Search, or search in the Roku mobile app. Select a movie or show, then select its viewing option. If the provider app is missing, Roku prompts you to add it; participating services vary by region.
In the US, you can find news apps through a compatible Roku voice remote or voice search in the iOS or Android Roku app. On a Roku running Roku OS 9.3.0 or later, say show me the news. Select an uninstalled news app from the results and follow the prompt to add it.
If your Roku displays an app promotion, open the promotion and select the app. Select Add app to install it. You can also choose apps offered during Roku account creation or device activation.
A publisher may provide a Roku installation link containing an access code for a published public app or an invited beta test. Open that link to begin installation. Beta access is intended for invited testers.
Add apps for children or a guest stay
On devices offering Kid & Teen Mode, install the app in the standard Roku experience first. Open Settings > Kid & Teen Mode > App access and select the permitted apps. Enter the account PIN when requested and complete the parent or guardian confirmation.
Only participating apps qualify for Kid & Teen Mode. Search and voice features are unavailable inside this mode, so install apps before choosing which ones to allow.
Where Guest Mode is supported, press OK at the welcome screen to open Select checkout date. Highlight your checkout date and press OK, then select Checkout. Once the guest Home Screen opens, use the normal on-device installation steps. Apps you add during the stay are deleted when you sign out.
Remove an app before adding it again
To remove apps from your Roku, press Home and highlight the app’s tile. Press *, select Remove app, and complete the confirmation. If you want the app back, reinstall it through the store.
You can also remove an app through the iOS or Android Roku companion app. Open Devices > Apps on Roku, touch and hold the app, select Remove, and complete the confirmation. Open Store if you want to reinstall it.
An active subscription or remaining billing period can prevent removal. Removing an app alone does not cancel its subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does moving an app change its position on every linked Roku?
No. Position changes apply only to the Roku you are using. You can arrange the app list separately on each device.
Does the installation PIN apply to Roku’s website and mobile app?
Roku says the account PIN is not required when adding apps through its website or mobile app. Requiring it on a Roku streaming device therefore does not require it for those installation routes.
What restrictions apply to Roku beta apps?
Beta apps are limited to 20 testers and a 120-day lifetime. They do not appear in Streaming Store browsing or Roku Search.
Can you still use old private channel code instructions?
Roku retired non-certified apps. Older instructions for installing unrestricted private channels are no longer a current installation method.
Can you remove an app through Roku’s website?
Roku says apps cannot be removed through its website. Use your Roku device or the iOS or Android companion app to remove one.
Which countries support Roku Guest Mode?
Supported countries include the US, Canada, UK, France, and Mexico. Guest Mode is unavailable in Germany and Australia.