How to Connect a Roku Remote and Set Up TV Controls

To connect a Roku voice remote to your TV setup, pair it with your Roku player or Roku TV, then configure power and volume through Set up remote for TV control. A simple infrared Roku remote needs batteries and a clear signal path instead of pairing. A non-Roku television alone is not a pairing target for a Roku voice remote.

Choose the setup for your remote

Start by identifying whether you have a simple infrared remote or a voice remote. Simple remotes work by pointing at the compatible Roku device, while voice remotes require pairing. A missing pairing button does not identify the type, because some voice remotes pair with a button combination.

The Roku TV Remote works with Roku TVs, while the Roku Players Remote supports compatible players and audio devices but does not support Streaming Sticks or Roku TVs. If you need a replacement voice remote, open Roku’s Voice Remote product page and select Sign in to inspect compatibility with your registered devices.

Set up a simple infrared remote

Install matching fresh batteries, or remove the battery pull tab on a new remote. Aim it at the front of the compatible Roku device with nothing blocking the signal. This type of remote does not require pairing.

If it does not respond, check the batteries and clear the signal path. Confirm that you have the correct remote for your Roku TV or player. For help distinguishing simple infrared remotes from voice remotes without a pairing button, follow the steps to set up a buttonless Roku remote.

Pair a Roku voice remote

During initial setup, power on your compatible Roku player or Roku TV and follow the pairing screen. To add or replace a remote later, use a working remote or the connected Roku phone app. Press Home, open Settings > Remotes & devices > Add devices > Remote, then select Continue.

With the Roku ready to pair, look for the remote’s pairing button on the back or beneath the battery cover. Hold Pairing for five seconds, until the status light flashes. On a voice remote without that button, hold Back + Home together for five seconds, until the light flashes.

Without a working second remote, disconnect the Roku player or Roku TV from power for at least five seconds, then reconnect it. When the Home screen appears, activate pairing mode using the appropriate five-second procedure. You can pair a replacement this way without first opening Settings.

Use your phone to reach the pairing menus

Install the app for iOS or Android from Roku’s official mobile-app page. Connect your phone and Roku to the same local network, open the app, and choose the discovered Roku device. Select Remote to navigate to the physical-remote pairing or TV-control menus.

The app requires an already network-connected Roku and cannot set up a factory-reset Roku that has not joined the network. If your Roku TV is offline and you have no working remote, address the WiFi connection without a remote before relying on phone control. With a working remote, you can instead troubleshoot a Roku TV WiFi connection directly.

If automatic discovery fails but your Roku is reachable on the phone’s local network, find its IP address under Settings > Network > About. In the app, open Devices > Get help? > Connect manually, enter that address, and tap CONNECT.

On iPhone or iPad, allow the Roku app’s Local Network permission, and disconnect a VPN if it prevents discovery. If your network blocks communication between the phone and Roku, ask the router administrator to allow it.

Set up TV power and volume

After pairing, configure TV controls on a TV-control-equipped Roku Voice Remote, Voice Remote Pro, or Voice Remote Pro 2nd edition with a compatible television. During initial Roku setup, complete the offered TV-control test with the TV volume raised and the remote aimed at the television. Respond based on whether you can hear the test music.

To run setup later on a compatible player, press Home and open Settings > Remotes & devices > Remotes. Choose your voice remote, then select Set up remote for TV control. Follow the sound tests, keeping the remote pointed at the TV.

After completing setup, try Power, Volume Up, and Volume Down. Support varies, and some remote-and-TV combinations control only part of the available functions. If only power or volume works, repeat setup with another TV-control code.

Correct TV detection or partially working controls

If TV detection fails, temporarily connect the Roku player directly to the television and repeat TV-control setup. You can also repeat setup and re-enter the TV brand. Keep aiming at the TV during the tests.

When power works but volume does not, or the reverse, repeat Set up remote for TV control to try another code. When the music stops, wait before answering and raise the TV volume until you can hear the music again. Select No so setup continues to another code, then select Yes at the next successful music-stop test. Test Power, Volume Up, and Volume Down again after completing setup.

Enable HDMI CEC for additional TV controls

To use HDMI-CEC for TV controls with a compatible Roku player and voice remote, enable CEC in your television’s settings, then add the remote again. Start with Settings > Remotes & devices > Add devices > Remote and select Continue. If your Roku shows the alternate menu, open Settings > Remotes & devices > Remote > Add a new remote. Activate the remote’s pairing mode using the five-second procedure.

Your TV’s CEC setting depends on its manufacturer, model, and software. On Samsung TVs using this menu, open Settings > All Settings > Connections > External Device Manager and enable Anynet+. On LG TVs using this menu, open Settings > General > SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC) and select On. Some TVs support CEC power control but not volume control.

For automatic power-on and input selection on supported TVs, open the Roku player’s Settings > System > Control other devices (CEC) and turn on 1-Touch Play and TV Power. Press Home on the Roku remote to wake the TV and select the Roku input. Keep the player powered from a wall outlet for reliable wake control.

With CEC enabled on the TV and TV Power turned on in that Roku menu, you can turn off a compatible television by selecting TV Off at the bottom of the player’s Home screen. If the shortcut is absent, open Settings > Home Screen > Shortcuts and enable TV Off. These CEC actions work without a dedicated remote power button on supported setups.

Restart and retry when pairing fails

For a voice remote with removable batteries, take out both batteries, press any two buttons, and reinstall the batteries negative-end first. Then repeat the normal five-second pairing procedure with the Roku ready to pair.

For a rechargeable voice remote, hold Pairing for 20 seconds, or hold Back + Home for 20 seconds if it has no pairing button. Wait for the flashing to stop, recharge as needed, then repeat the normal five-second pairing procedure. The longer hold restarts the remote; the five-second hold activates pairing mode.

On Streaming Stick models supplied with a wireless receiver integrated into the USB power cable, use that receiver cable. If HDMI interference affects pairing, use an HDMI extender and repeat pairing.

When you can navigate with another remote or the app, update the Roku before retrying. Press Home, open Settings > System > Software update, and select Check Now; the update submenu may instead be labeled System update. Available updates install and the device restarts, after which you can repeat pairing or TV-control setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Roku remote control a soundbar or receiver?

Roku remote setup does not directly program arbitrary soundbars or receivers. With compatible equipment, connect the audio device to the TV’s ARC/eARC HDMI port and enable CEC. On Roku TV, open Settings > Audio > Audio Output and select eARC; other TVs require their corresponding HDMI ARC/eARC audio-output setting.

How do you use hands-free TV controls with a Voice Remote Pro?

On a Roku Voice Remote Pro, including the first and second editions, move the hands-free slider to green, enable TV-side CEC, and complete TV-control setup. With compatible devices, say Hey Roku, turn on the TV or Hey Roku, turn up the volume. To enable voice wake on a Roku TV supporting Fast TV Start, open Settings > System > Power > Fast TV Start and check Enable ‘Fast TV Start’, which increases standby power consumption.

Can you use a universal remote with a Roku TV?

You can use a compatible universal, cable, or satellite remote with a Roku TV by entering the appropriate remote or provider code through that remote’s programming procedure. Some remotes handle only power, volume, and input, while others also support Roku navigation. Test Power, Volume Up, and Volume Down, and try the next listed code if necessary.

How do you disable an old Roku remote?

Remove its batteries to disable an unused battery-powered remote. On applicable remotes with those buttons, you can also hold Back + Home + Mute for five seconds.