Roku is one of the world’s most popular devices that can turn any regular old flatscreen TV into a smart TV. Given that Roku boasts around 80 million users, it’s no wonder that nearly every household has a Roku subscription and a device. The device also comes with a handy remote that lets you access all the great features that Roku has to offer; however, imagine this: you sit on a Saturday for a spot of Netflix or a great movie that you’ve been looking forward to for the entire week. Right at that perfect moment, chips and dips at the ready, you find out that the remote doesn’t work and needs to be paired. Night ruined? Not quite.
Let us take you through the process of pairing a Roku remote and show you how you can troubleshoot other problems that you might experience with your Roku remote or device. Let’s get started.
How to pair a Roku remote?
Pairing a Roku remote isn’t as difficult as one might think. Here is a breakdown for the quick pairing of the remote.
- Switch on your Roku streaming device. Usually, the device just needs to be plugged in, so do the needful.
- Check the remote for batteries. If the remote does not have batteries, insert a fresh pair, but don’t close the battery cover. Leave it open because this is where Roku has decided to put the notification LED and the pairing button for some reason. We admit it’s not the most intuitive placement.
- On the bottom of the compartment, just below the batteries, locate the notification LED and the pairing button.
- With the Roku device on display, press and hold this button down for several seconds. This should prompt the device to display ‘Pairing remote.’
- After a couple of seconds, the remote will have paired with the Roku device, and is ready to be used.
However, Roku remotes use Bluetooth technology, which, despite its cutting-edge configuration, has some lag and often comes up short in connecting almost seamlessly. Should you experience some issues with your attempt to connect the Roku remote to the device, the process itself can be switched, meaning that you can use the Roku device to connect to the remote. Let us take you through the process of doing that.
Pairing a Roku device to the remote
If you want to use your Roku device to connect to the remote, you can do so as well. Here’s how:
- Start by turning on your device and waiting for the home screen to load up.
- Once at the home screen, select Settings.
- In Settings, navigate to Remotes and devices.
- Within Remotes and devices, look for the option Set up a new device and choose Remote.
- Once the device is in pairing mode, slide down the cover from the remote and press the Pair button on the back of the Roku remote for a couple of seconds as the light starts blinking.
- After the passage of a couple of seconds, the remote will have paired with the device, ready to be used.
Let’s look at some other scenarios for pairing and understand how a remote without a pairing button, as some Roku remotes come, can be connected to the device.
Connecting a Roku remote without a pairing button
Some Roku models, including some within the previous generations, do not have a pairing button, not even in the unusual space on the back of the remote, under the battery cover. These remotes usually have IR or infrared blasters to transmit instructions or connect directly to the device itself. In case you have such a remote, you can still connect it to your Roku device. Let’s look at how.
- Start by locating the Home button on the Roku remote (denoted by a house-like structure) and the Back button (denoted by a backward arrow).
- Press these two buttons simultaneously.
- A light on the top of the remote will start blinking. This is your clue that the Roku remote is now in Pairing mode.
- A popup will be displayed on the TV, alerting you that the remote is being paired. Once completed, the remote will be ready for use with the device.
If your Roku remote still does not connect or refuses to pair, it might be time to reset it. Given the operation of the remote, here is a quick guide on how you can reset your Roku remote.
How to reset your Roku remote
In order to reset your Roku remote, here are the steps that need to be followed.
- Start by taking out the batteries from your Roku remote.
- Turn on your Roku device and get it to the home screen.
- Once on the home screen, put your batteries in the remote and press and hold the pairing button on the back of the remote.
- The notification LED on the remote will start blinking green and will progressively flash faster.
- Once the blinks flash rapidly, release the button.
- This causes the remote to restart and automatically connect to the Roku device.
Should you still experience issues connecting to the Roku device after the remote has been reset, you can generally continue pairing it using the first method enumerated beforehand.
The bottom line
Roku is a popular service worldwide, and North America, including USA and Canada, comes in as some of the biggest consumers for Roku devices. Giving you access to a host of streaming services and subscriptions to view content, Roku is undoubtedly handy and beats other devices in terms of content and convenience. However, it’s normal for Bluetooth-powered devices to start acting out sometimes, but there’s nothing a quick hack won’t fix. Simply follow the above-mentioned steps, and you will be back on track for movie night in no time at all.
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