Your Roku does way more than just stream Netflix and Hulu. Beneath its familiar interface lies clever features and shortcuts that can improve your streaming experience in surprising ways.
Most people never discover these lesser-known tricks, missing out on convenient tools that save time and frustration every day. Some features help you navigate more efficiently, while others solve common problems you didn’t even realize had solutions.
There are also hidden settings that protect your privacy and secret screens that aren’t mentioned anywhere in the official documentation. Whether you’re a longtime Roku user or just got started, these hidden features will improve your experience with one of the best streaming devices.
1. Create a universal watchlist
(Image: © Roku)
Instead of managing separate watchlists across Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and every other streaming service, Roku lets you create one master list that works across all services.
Use the Roku OS to search for shows and movies you want to watch, then select Add to Save List on each title’s details page. This saves everything to a universal watchlist that you can access by going to the Roku home screen and selecting What to Watch.
Your universal list shows everything in one place, making it much easier to decide what to watch next.
2. Turn your phone into a supercharged Roku remote
(Image: © Henry T. Casey for Tom’s Guide)
The physical Roku remote is functional, but your phone can do so much more.
Download the Roku Official Remote Control app for iOS or Android and you’ll get a full keyboard for easy searching, the ability to stream content directly from your phone, as well as voice search.
The app also lets you browse and launch channels without looking at your TV screen. You can type search terms quickly and if you lose the physical remote, your phone becomes an instant backup.
The app even shows what’s currently playing and gives you playback controls.
3. Find your lost remote with voice commands
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
If your remote has vanished into the couch cushions again, you don’t need to tear apart your living room. If you have a remote with a speaker grille, open the Roku app, tap the microphone, and say “Hey, Roku, find my remote.”
The remote will start beeping so you can track it down. For Roku Ultra devices, just long-press the button on the right side of the device and the remote will beep.
If you have a Voice Remote Pro, you can say “Hey, Roku, find my remote” directly to the TV and it will start beeping.
Once you find it, press any button to stop the noise. You can even customize the beeping sound in Settings if the default tone isn’t loud enough.
4. Enable guest mode
(Image: © Roku)
When friends or family visit, they can use your Roku without messing up your recommendations, watchlists, or personal settings.
Go to my.roku.com/account/PIN to set up a PIN, then press the Home button on your Roku remote and navigate to Settings, System, Guest Mode, and Enter Guest Mode. Then enter your PIN and select OK to activate it.
Now guests can sign into their own streaming accounts and use the device normally, but their viewing history won’t affect your algorithms and they can’t see your personal content.
5. Use private listening
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Late-night binge-watching doesn’t have to wake up your household. If you have a first-generation Voice Remote Pro, you can plug headphones directly into the remote’s headphone jack and audio will automatically redirect from the TV to your headphones.
For newer remotes without headphone jacks, use the Roku mobile app’s Headphone Mode to listen through your phone’s headphones or earbuds. The TV audio gets muted while you get full sound through your personal audio device.
This works great for apartments, shared living spaces, or when your partner goes to bed early but you want to keep watching.
6. Access secret diagnostic and troubleshooting
(Image: © Roku)
Roku has hidden diagnostic screens can help you troubleshoot problems. These secret screens let you run network speed tests, view detailed system information, check channel installation logs, and perform various resets when your device isn’t working properly.
You can access these by pressing specific button combinations on your remote or entering special codes. To run a network speed test, press Home 5 times, then Up, Down, Up, Down, Up and you’ll get access to speed testing, reset, and logging options.
For a soft reset when your Roku is acting up, press Home 5 times, Up once, Rewind twice, and Fast Forward twice and your device will restart without erasing settings.
The speed test screen is particularly useful for diagnosing streaming quality issues, showing you exactly how fast your internet connection is performing on the Roku device itself.
7. Set up automatic volume leveling
(Image: © Tom’s Guide)
Tired of being blasted awake by loud commercials or having to constantly adjust volume between quiet dialogue and loud action scenes?
To avoid this, press the star button on your remote during playback, then navigate to Sound Settings and Volume Mode.
Turn on Leveling to prevent sudden volume spikes from commercials and channel changes. You can also enable Night mode to boost quiet sounds and reduce loud ones, which is perfect for late-night viewing when you don’t want to disturb others.
For Roku Streambars and Soundbars, you’ll find these options under Settings, Audio and Volume Modes instead.
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