Roku streaming players make watching your favorite TV shows and movies easy. One simple remote can turn any TV into a smart TV, giving you access to thousands of titles and making it effortless to search and browse through them.
But before you can do all that, you’ve got to ensure that your remote is connected to your TV and working properly. If you need help with that, you’re in the right place!
In this short guide, we’ll walk you through how to connect your Roku remote to your TV, and how to reset a remote that isn’t pairing.
Interested in other smart devices? Check out our guide on Roku vs. Fire TV!
How to connect Roku remote to your TV in 3 steps
First off, it’s important to understand that there are two types of Roku remotes: a “basic” Roku remote, and a Roku “voice” remote.
A basic Roku remote uses infrared light to transmit your desired command to the TV. In other words, you need to point your remote directly at the Roku device for it to work, with nothing in between blocking the signal. To connect your basic Roku remote to your TV, all you need to do is load it up with batteries and point it directly at your Roku receiver.
A Roku voice remote, on the other hand, doesn’t need to be pointed anywhere to work. Instead, it is paired via a wireless connection to your Roku streaming device.
If you’re looking to pair your Roku voice remote, follow these simple steps:
1. Turn on your TV and Roku streaming player.
2. Hold down the “pairing” button for a few seconds.
When you turn your Roku voice remote control over, you’ll find a small black button just underneath the battery compartment. If you have a rechargeable remote, the button will be located at the bottom-back of the remote.
This is the pairing button. Hold it down until the light next to or above it turns green, and then release.
If your remote doesn’t have a pairing button, then you most likely have a Roku remote with a battery pull-tab on the back. Remove this battery pull-tab, then hold the “Home” button and the “Back” button on the remote for a few seconds until the status light flashes, and then release.
3. A loading icon with “Pairing Remote” should flash on your TV screen.
Give it a few minutes, then you’re all set. If the icon doesn’t show up, you may need to move closer to your TV to complete the pairing.
How to pair a basic Roku remote?
If you aren’t sure which type of Roku remote you have, here’s how to figure it out. You know you have a basic Roku remote if:
- Your remote doesn’t have a microphone button; and
- You need to point at your Roku device for your remote to work.
If you have a basic Roku remote, you don’t need to do anything to pair it to your TV. All you need to do is point it at the Roku receiver, make sure nothing is in the way, and it should work.
Interested in pairing your Roku device with a VPN? Check out our article Best VPNs for Roku.
How to pair a Roku voice control remote?
How do you know if you have a Roku voice control remote? If your Roku remote has a button near the purple arrow pad with either a microphone icon or a magnifying glass icon, then you have a Roku voice control remote.
To pair your Roku voice control remote, here are the steps to follow:
- Turn on your TV and your Roku streaming player.
- Hold down the pairing button on your remote until the status light turns green, then release. Turn your Roku voice remote control over. Below the battery compartment (or just near the bottom of the remote, if you have a rechargeable Roku remote), you’ll find a tiny black button. Hold it down until the light next to or above it turns green (see pictures below), and then release.
- An alert saying “Pairing Remote” should pop up on your TV screen. If it doesn’t, you may need to move closer to your TV to complete the pairing.
What to do if your remote doesn’t have a “pairing” button
Can’t find a pairing button on your Roku voice control remote? No need to panic. Chances are you’ve got a Roku remote with a battery pull-tab on the back. Here’s what to do:
- Remove the battery pull-tab.
- Press and hold both the “Home” button and the “Back” button on your remote for a few seconds, until the status light flashes. And that’s all, you’re in pairing mode!
How to reset a Roku remote that isn’t pairing?
How to reset a basic Roku remote
If you have a basic Roku remote, and you need to do a reset, then there are 2 things that you can try:
- Remove the batteries on your remote and replace them.
- Press the “reset” button located on the back or the bottom of your Roku device.
How to reset a Roku voice control remote
If you need to reset your Roku voice control remote, there are a couple different ways you can try and troubleshoot the issue.
- Make sure settings are up-to-date. To check if your streaming device is updated to Roku OS 9.4 or higher, go to Settings > System > About to check which software version it’s running at, and update if necessary.
- Disconnect and reconnect your remote to your Roku device. Disconnect your Roku streaming player’s power cord, wait 5 seconds, then plug it in again. Restart the remote pairing process.
Our takeaway: Connecting your Roku remote to your TV can be quick and easy
We hope this guide helped you figure out how to connect your Roku remote to your TV, whether you have a basic Roku remote or a Roku voice control remote.
If you still have questions on how to connect or reset your Roku remote, check out this link.
Tara Khudairi • Author
Tara Khudairi is a freelance content writer and copywriter based in Toronto. Since 2014, she has contributed to brands and blogs alike to tackle popular topics relating to technology, personal finance, entertainment, travel and lifestyle. Whether it’s the latest streaming service or cryptocurrency, she’s passionate about making the complex simple. When she’s not busy typing away, you’ll find Tara watching Netflix’s latest true crime doc or a classic 90’s horror flick.
Desiree Wu • Editor
Desiree is a full-time Honours Business Administration student at Ivey Business School at Western University. She also served as an Editorial Intern at Flixed. Desiree is based in London, Ontario.
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