With about 70 million active accounts under their belt, Roku TV is one of the most widespread streaming video player platforms around. They stream video content from the internet to your home, making it easy to access any paid or free subscriptions you may have. Roku TV is an excellent device to use with a multitude of capabilities, but they can be difficult to access if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. Here are 5 Pro tips for new (and old) Roku Tv users:
You can also watch these pro tips on YouTube here:
Roku TV Has a Built-In Search Function
At just a glance, the Roku TV user interface can only be described as simple and self-explanatory. It really only displays the apps you have downloaded, and on the left-hand side is a vertical list of different tasks the device can perform; the key one being the Built-In Search Function.
The Roku TV search function is one of the most helpful tools you can use to navigate through the paid and unpaid content the video streamer has to offer. Its universal search functionality can tell you if a movie requires a subscription to Hulu or HBO Max, or if you are able to access it instantly to watch. It’s a wonderful tool to use if you want to search for a specific TV show or movie, and will always tell you exactly what you need to do in order to watch them.
You Can Screencast Your Phone Screen to Your TV
As long as you’re on the same Wifi network as your TV, Roku allows you to share your screen from your iPhone or Android device. This function can mean all the difference when you have a video on another device you would like to watch on the big-screen.
Simply open your Settings menu, select the option for Screen Mirroring, and make sure that Screen Mirroring is enabled. From there, you can use the wireless options on your phone to sync it up with your TV screen, and now you are able to watch any video or movie you would like from your phone to your television.
You Can Use Parental Controls for Your Kids
If you have children who also use your electronics, parental controls have most likely become a concept you’re familiar with. Fortunately, Roku TV also offers the ability to lock certain things the device can do, so your kids can’t make any purchases or download new apps you don’t know about.
This feature can also restrict certain types of content your child has the potential to watch when using Roku TV. You can easily set up a four-digit PIN to limit exactly what can be accessed when you’re not around, and it will never allow for any purchases without your PIN number.
Inputs Can be Renamed for Easier Navigation
We have all had the issue where, when changing inputs, we aren’t exactly sure what port we plugged our device into. It can be time-consuming and frustrating to filter through the many inputs our TV may have, but Roku TV eliminates that problem for you at the source.
With the menu displaying your inputs pulled up, you have the ability to change the name of every single input you have. Furthermore, Roku TV is able to detect what exactly is connected to each port, so it can autofill names for you if you desire. If you have an Xbox or Nintendo Switch connected, Roku TV will automatically change the display name to those devices.
Roku TV also shows you exactly what your connected device is displaying when you hover your different inputs. This helpful little addition makes Roku TV one of the most superior video streaming platforms around.
You Get Free Channels If You Have An Antenna
Perhaps one of the biggest things you can do with Roku TV is access their free channel search, if you have an antenna set up. Similar to a paid cable service, the channel guide allows you to see what’s playing and what is going to play, days into the future.
If you’re enjoying a show or movie while using the channel search, you can simply click on the title and explore more content, completely for free. Roku TV allows you to watch previously live episodes from any TV shows they provide, and if they aren’t offered for free, you’ll know exactly where to access them with the universal search feature.
If you find yourself still a bit stumped trying to navigate your way through Roku TV, we have an in-depth video explaining these five tips, along with visual guides to help you.
Roku TV has been around for the better part of a decade, and has been obtaining new users left and right. Though their interface is simple, it’s not the most intuitive and it can be hard to find your way around, especially as a person new to streaming services. We hope these five pro-tips will help to improve your experience and have you enjoy your Roku TV to its fullest extent.