If your Roku TV is already on your local network through Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open the Roku Remote app, select the TV, and tap Remote; if it is offline, unplug it for at least 10 seconds and reconnect the power. When the Wi-Fi name or password has changed, you need working TV controls to enter the new details.
The short version
- The Roku Remote app needs a TV that is already connected to the same local network as your phone.
- Restart the TV and router first if the saved Wi-Fi details have not changed.
- For a new network, recover your remote or use a compatible replacement with menu controls.
- Ethernet and a phone hotspot are alternatives once you can navigate the TV.
- Avoid a factory reset while your remote is missing because you will have to complete setup again.
| Method | What it does | Time | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power restart | Restarts without erasing settings | A few minutes | Saved Wi-Fi stopped working |
| Router restart | Restarts the home network | A few minutes | The network is unavailable |
| Recover TV controls | Restores menu navigation | A few minutes with a remote available | The TV stays offline |
| Roku Remote app | Uses your phone as a remote | A few minutes | The TV is already connected |
| Wireless setup | Enters Wi-Fi credentials | A few minutes | The name or password changed |
| Network troubleshooting | Checks and repairs the connection | A few minutes per change | Setup fails with working controls |
| Ethernet | Uses a wired connection | A few minutes | Your TV has an Ethernet port |
| Phone hotspot | Tries another internet connection | A few minutes | Home Wi-Fi still fails |
When the app can replace your remote
The app can control your Roku TV after the TV and phone can communicate on the same network. It cannot discover a TV that has no wireless or wired connection to your phone's local network.
If you moved house, replaced the router, or changed its password, go to the remote options below. For a new or factory-reset TV, have a compatible physical remote ready to finish setup rather than relying on the app.
Restart the TV at the power cord
Unplug the TV's power cord, wait at least 10 seconds, then plug it back in. Let the TV finish starting before checking whether the app can find it again.
This restart keeps your settings, so it is the first step when the TV previously connected to the current network. Pressing the TV's Power button is not the same as a system restart.
If the screen stays black after reconnecting power, work through restarting a Roku TV with a black screen before attempting on-screen network setup. Keep to its power restart options until you have controls available for any setup that a factory reset requires.
Restore the saved Wi-Fi connection
Connect a phone or computer to the same Wi-Fi network and try opening a website. If it cannot get online either, check with your internet provider because the problem may be an outage rather than the TV.
Unplug your router and modem from power, or unplug the single gateway if yours combines both. Wait 10 seconds, reconnect their power, and let them finish restarting before repeating the TV restart.
If the signal is weak or the connection drops, bring the router and TV closer together where practical. Try the app again after the network and TV restart; if the TV remains offline, use the next section to restore menu controls.
Recover or replace the missing remote
Find a supported remote
For a Roku Voice Remote Pro or Voice Remote Pro (2nd edition), say "Hey Roku, where's my remote?" near where it might be. Hands-free voice must already be enabled, and the remote needs enough battery charge and must be within range for the finder to work.
On a Roku Pro Series TV, press Find My Remote on the TV's right side, above Power. This finder needs a compatible voice remote with a built-in speaker, so check this option before borrowing or buying a replacement.
Set up an infrared TV remote
If you cannot recover it, borrow or buy a Roku TV remote confirmed compatible with your TV model. Match the replacement to your TV rather than choosing a Roku player remote by appearance alone.
A compatible infrared Roku TV remote needs no pairing: insert fresh batteries or remove its battery pull tab, then point it at the front of the TV. Keep the path to the TV clear because infrared control needs a direct line of sight.
Pair a compatible voice remote
For a compatible voice remote, unplug the TV, wait at least five seconds, and reconnect power. When the Home screen appears, hold the remote's pairing button for five seconds until the status light flashes.
If that remote has no pairing button, hold Back and Home together for five seconds until its status light flashes. Wait for pairing to finish before using the remote to select a network.
Check an existing universal remote
An existing universal, cable, or satellite remote may also work if it supports your TV and full menu navigation. Check Roku's remote code table, then follow your remote's programming instructions; power and volume control alone cannot navigate Wi-Fi setup.
Use the Roku Remote app after reconnection
Install the app and select your TV
Download the official app using the store links in Roku's app installation instructions, then connect your phone to the TV's network. Open the app and sign in before selecting your TV.
Select your TV when it appears, then tap Remote to control it. If several TVs are listed, changing your Roku TV name can make the right one easier to identify next time.
Fix device discovery
On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and turn on access for Roku if it is listed. Disconnect a phone VPN that prevents local access, then close and reopen the Roku app.
If you already know the connected TV's IP address, try Devices > Get help? > Connect manually in the app. Enter the address and tap CONNECT; this is a discovery fix for an already-networked TV, not a way to send missing Wi-Fi credentials.
Enable mobile control with a physical remote
If mobile control is disabled, use a physical remote to open Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Control by mobile apps and select Enabled. The blocked app cannot turn this setting on itself, so restore physical control first.
Choose the Wi-Fi network with working controls
Press Home on your working remote or connected app, then open Settings > Network > Set up connection > Wireless. Select your network, or choose Scan again to see all networks if it is missing.
Enter the Wi-Fi password exactly, including uppercase and lowercase letters, then select Connect. Keep a physical remote available before changing networks, and reconnect your phone to the TV's new network afterward so the app can reach it.
Fix a connection that still fails
Check the network and router settings
Open Settings > Network > Check connection with your working controls. This checks both the connection to your network and access to the internet, helping you decide whether to revisit Wi-Fi setup or contact your provider.
For a missing or unreliable network, check your router's administration app or page and enable a band your TV supports. Try another wireless channel; for 2.4 GHz in North America, Roku recommends 1, 6, or 11.
For a 5 GHz network, check your model's compatibility before choosing a channel because some Roku devices cannot use DFS channels. Apply or save router changes and restart as required, or ask the router maker or network administrator for help with those settings.
Reset only the network connection
Have a working physical remote ready before selecting Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Network connection reset > Reset connection. After the TV restarts, repeat wireless setup; app-only control cannot carry you through a disconnected network.
A network reset is different from a factory reset, which resets all settings and requires initial setup again. Avoid the factory reset while your remote is missing so you do not turn a connection problem into a setup problem.
Check for software updates after reconnecting
Once internet access returns, open Settings > System > Software update > Check Now. If your TV labels that menu System update, open that instead to check for updates.
Let any available software or app updates install and the TV restart. If Wi-Fi prevents the update from finishing, try Ethernet if supported or another network using the options below.
Use Ethernet if your TV supports it
If your TV has a built-in Ethernet port, connect it to your router with an Ethernet cable. With working controls, open Settings > Network > Set up connection > Wired and follow the on-screen setup.
Keep this as an alternative to a failing wireless connection, rather than assuming a cable will restore control by itself. To use the app afterward, the wired TV and your wireless phone must be able to communicate on the same local network.
Try a phone hotspot with working controls
Enable your phone's hotspot if your mobile plan supports it, and check the hotspot name and password. On the TV, use the wireless setup steps above to select that network, enter its password, and choose Connect.
This can help you try a different connection when home Wi-Fi fails, but you still need working TV controls to select the hotspot. Check your mobile plan's data limits before streaming or downloading updates because the hotspot uses mobile data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the buttons on the TV connect it to Wi-Fi?
Panel buttons vary by model, so check for the supported remote-finder controls described above. Use a compatible remote to enter network details through the wireless setup menu if the app cannot reach your TV.
Does the two-phone hotspot trick work without a remote?
Do not rely on copying your old network name and password to a hotspot as the next step. The documented hotspot setup uses the TV's wireless network menu, so recover working controls if the app cannot find your offline TV.
Why can't the app find my TV when both devices are connected?
Your network may block devices from communicating with one another even when both are connected. Check that they share the same local network, then ask the router maker or network administrator about isolation settings, including communication between wired and wireless devices.
Can I use my Roku account website or a voice assistant to reconnect the TV?
Use the TV's Set up connection menu for Wi-Fi credentials rather than expecting account or voice controls to replace that step. The account website can change your device's name and location, while wireless setup requires selecting the network on the TV.
Should I factory reset the TV while the remote is missing?
Restore a compatible remote first because a factory reset returns the TV to initial setup and resets its settings. The phone app cannot detect a TV that has no local network connection after a reset, so it does not solve the missing-control problem.