To delete apps on Roku, press Home, scroll down to Apps if your Home screen has that section, highlight the app, press Star (*) and choose Remove app, then confirm. To stop subscription charges, cancel renewal separately before deleting a paid app.
The short version
- Use the installed app grid to delete an app.
- With your phone, open Devices, connect to your Roku and select Apps on Roku.
- A subscription or unfinished billing cycle can keep Remove app from appearing.
- Ordinary app removal affects every Roku device linked to the same account.
| Method | What it does | Estimated time | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home screen | Deletes an installed app | Under a minute | You have a remote |
| Phone app list | Deletes a Roku app using your phone | A few minutes | You prefer the installed app list |
| Subscription controls | Turns off renewal before removal | About a minute to cancel renewal | Remove app is missing |
| Phone remote | Uses the TV's removal menu | A few minutes | Your physical remote is unavailable |
| Quick Access | Removes an item from the row | Under a minute | You want to tidy Quick Access |
| Guest Mode sign out | Clears guest apps and information | Under a minute | Your stay has ended |
| Factory reset | Clears apps and device settings | A few minutes, plus setup | You want to erase the device |
These are rough estimates for the menu actions, including connecting the phone for the mobile methods. Canceling renewal takes only the menu actions; an unfinished billing cycle can still delay app removal.
Remove an app from the Home screen
Press Home on your Roku remote and scroll down to Apps on the redesigned Home screen. Highlight the unwanted app in the installed app grid without opening it. On the older Home screen layout, move right to the app grid instead.
Press Star (*) to open Options, select Remove app and confirm when prompted. Older menus may say Remove channel, which is the app removal action. If the removal option is missing, check the subscription section below.
Check that everyone using the account is ready to lose that app before confirming. Ordinary removal deletes it from all Roku devices linked to the same Roku account, so it is not a way to hide an app on just one TV.
Delete apps with your phone
Open the official Roku mobile app on your iPhone or Android phone and sign in. Select Devices from the navigation bar, then select your Roku device to connect. Once connected, open Apps on Roku and select Your Roku Apps to see the installed apps.
Touch and hold the unwanted app to open its information, then tap Remove and confirm your decision. Keep your finger on the app instead of tapping it quickly. Holding opens its details; selecting it normally launches the app.
Connect your phone to the same local network as your Roku. Your phone uses Wi-Fi; supported Roku devices can connect through Wi-Fi or Ethernet. If the Roku is offline and you have lost the remote, follow the steps to connect Roku to Wi-Fi without a remote before trying phone control.
Restore a missing removal option
Check the installed app grid
First check where you highlighted the app. Some options, including Manage subscription, are unavailable from Quick Access. Scroll down to Apps, highlight the installed app there and press Star (*) again.
Cancel through the right billing route
If Remove app still does not appear, an active subscription or the current billing cycle may be blocking it. Select Manage subscription, then Turn off auto-renew to cancel renewal for a subscription managed through Roku. Enter your Roku PIN if requested.
Try removal again after turning off renewal. If the option remains unavailable, wait until the current billing cycle ends; cancellation can leave access active until then. Use the Roku subscription management instructions if you cannot find the right cancellation route.
Some subscriptions need to be canceled with the streaming service, even when Roku handles billing. Disney+, Hulu and Sling TV are listed in that group in Roku's US instructions. If you subscribed directly with a provider, manage cancellation with that provider before removing the app.
Use your phone as a Roku remote
Operate the phone remote
You can also use the phone remote to follow the Home screen steps on your TV. Connect your phone to the same local network as your Roku. Your phone uses Wi-Fi; supported Roku devices can connect through Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Open the Roku mobile app and select your Roku under Devices. Tap Remote to open the controls. Press Home on the phone remote, then use its directional controls to reach the installed app grid.
Highlight the unwanted app without opening it. Press Star (*) to open its options and select Remove app. Confirm the removal on the TV screen.
Check the connection
If the Roku does not appear, check its network under Settings > Network > About and compare it with your phone's network. For a Roku connected through Ethernet, check that its IP address is in the same range as your wireless devices. A wired connection still needs to share the local network with your phone.
On an iPhone, tap Allow when the Roku app first asks for Local Network access. If access was denied, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and turn on access for Roku.
If mobile control is disabled, use a physical remote to open Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Control by mobile apps. Select Enabled to allow commands from mobile apps on the same local network.
Restart a frozen Roku
For a frozen Roku, try a system restart before continuing; it preserves your settings. If Roku does not respond, unplug its power cord for at least 10 seconds, then reconnect it. Use the Settings menu if the device still responds.
Open Settings > System > Power > System restart, skipping Power if that submenu is absent. For more help with slow menus or frozen apps, see how to clear the cache on Roku.
Remove items from Quick Access
On the redesigned Home screen, highlight the unwanted tile in Quick Access and press Star (*). Choose the option to remove it from that row. You can remove items from Quick Access; to uninstall an app, use the installed Apps grid.
To hide the entire row, open Settings > Home Screen > Quick Access and choose to hide it. The app grid replaces the hidden row. This is useful when you want installed apps easier to reach without deleting them.
Clear guest apps at the end of a stay
If you are using a rental property's Roku in Guest Mode, sign out when your stay ends. Guest sign out deletes added apps and clears your account information. Press Home, select Guest Mode Options, then choose Sign out and clear info and confirm.
Automatic sign out happens at 11:00 AM on your selected checkout date, and that time cannot be changed. To change the date, press Home and open Guest Options > Change automatic sign-out date. Choose the new date on the calendar, then select Checkout to confirm.
The owner can end Guest Mode from its Home screen by opening Settings > Guest Options > Sign out and clear info. Enter the owner's Roku PIN, then select OK. If you left without signing out, ask the host to end your session remotely.
Remove all apps with a factory reset
A factory reset removes all apps and account information from the device, unlinks it from your Roku account and clears settings. Reserve this for erasing the device rather than deleting one unwanted app. You will need to complete setup again before streaming.
Press Home and open Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset. On a Roku TV, choose Factory reset everything, then follow the screen's instructions. Read the reset prompt before confirming, and complete setup again if you plan to keep using the device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove a subscription app immediately after canceling renewal?
Roku's UK cancellation instructions offer a choice to remove the app immediately or keep it until the subscription term ends after selecting Turn off auto-renew. Choose immediate removal if that option appears, and enter your Roku PIN if prompted. Other removal flows may keep the option unavailable during the current billing cycle.
Can I delete Roku apps through Roku.com?
You cannot remove ordinary installed apps through Roku.com, but an account owner can clear a Guest Mode session remotely. Sign in at my.roku.com/account, find the device under My streaming devices & TVs, select Sign Guest Out, then Yes, sign guest out now. Guest-added apps are deleted when the session ends.
How can I help prevent someone from adding removed apps again?
Sign in at my.roku.com and open Device settings > PIN/Parental controls. Under Subscribing, making purchases, and adding apps, select Subscribe, rent or buy shows and movies, or add apps, then select Save.
This requires a PIN for app additions on your Roku streaming devices. The PIN is not required when using Roku's website or mobile app. Use the Roku PIN setup instructions if you need to create or change your code.
Can I remove all apps at once?
Yes, a factory reset removes all apps from the device, along with its account information and settings. Use the reset steps above only when you want that full cleanup, because you must complete setup again afterward.