How to connect my roku tv to alexa

Controlling your Roku media streamer with the standard remote control can be awkward, but if you have an Amazon Echo, you’re not stuck using that remote. By talking to Alexa, you can switch to a specific channel, play and pause a show, control the volume, and search for your favorite content on your Roku.

For this operation to work, you’ll need an Echo device that can interact with your Roku, but virtually all of them do, including the Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Show, Echo Dot, and the now-defunct Echo Spot. You’ll also need a Roku running Roku OS 8.1 or higher.

To get started, make sure your Roku device is turned on, then open the Alexa app on your mobile device. Tap the hamburger icon and select Settings > TV & Video to view a list of all the streaming services that Alexa can control.

In this case, select the entry for Roku and set up the associated skill by tapping Enable Skill on the next page. There will be a list of example commands you can give to Alexa in order to control your Roku device or smart TV.

You will then be asked to sign into your Roku account. At the next screen, tap the Accept and Continue button. Choose the location for your device and tap Save. Your Roku is named using the location you selected.

At the next screen, tap the Link to the Alexa App button, then select Continue to Alexa App. Roku has now been successfully linked with your Alexa account.

Alexa will now scan for your nearby Roku device. Select the name of the device you want to control and tap Continue.

Now choose the Echo device you want to use when controlling this Roku, then tap the Link Devices button. This will allow your Echo to communicate directly with Roku via Alexa.

You will then be shown the Echo you chose as the linked device. You can link another Echo by tapping the Link Another Device button or return to the Roku skill by tapping the Return to Roku link at the bottom of the screen.

Now you can start issuing commands to your Echo to control your Roku. To see some of the commands you can use, check the Roku support page(Opens in a new window) that focuses on Alexa and the Roku blog(Opens in a new window) that introduces the Alexa skill.

Some example phrases inlcude “Alexa, increase the volume on my Roku,” “Alexa, mute the volume on my Roku,” “Alexa, launch the Roku Channel on my Roku,” “Alexa, find science fiction on my Roku,” and “Alexa, go home on my Roku.”

If you have more than one Roku, remember to specify the name of the device in your command, such as “Alexa, open the Roku Channel on my living room Roku.” Further, you can tell Alexa to launch a variety of different channels on the Roku, but not all of them are supported.

In my experience, I was able to get Alexa to open the Roku Channel, HBO Now, YouTube, and Hulu, but I wasn’t able to open more niche channels like Kanopy or The Criterion Channel.

If you have a Roku TV and not just a Roku device, you can issue even more commands to Alexa, such as turning on the TV. To set this up on your Roku TV, go to Settings > System > Power and enable Fast TV Start.

Like What You're Reading?

Sign up for Tips & Tricks newsletter for expert advice to get the most out of your technology.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.