How To Set Up My Roku Without A Remote

Every Roku player comes with its own remote control. But, unlike most of the other remotes yous've e'er used, Roku remotes apply WiFi to connect to their players. That means if you lose your remote or information technology stops working, you lot can't watch your shows. Luckily, there is a workaround to this that lets you control your Roku device with your smartphone. Here'due south how to use your Roku device without a remote control, even if you lot are on a new WiFi network.

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How to Use Your Roku Without a Remote

To employ your Roku player without a remote, download the Roku app on your smartphone or tablet. Connect the device with the app to the same WiFi network as your Roku role player. Then select Devices in the app and tap the remote icon.

Note: Your Roku device must be connected to the same WiFi network as your smartphone for these steps to work. If your Roku device was previously connected to a WiFi network that you can't connect your smartphone to at present, skip to the adjacent section to notice out how to connect the app to your Roku player using a mobile hotspot.

Download and install the Roku app. The app is available on the Google Play Shop for Android devices and the Apple App Store for iPhones and other Apple devices.
Note: In that location are a lot of third-party apps, so brand sure to select the official app from Roku Inc.
Open up the app and follow the on-screen instructions. If this is your get-go time using the Roku app, you will take to agree to the terms and services and become through a quick tutorial.
Then tap Devices. You will run across this at the lesser of your screen. If this is your first fourth dimension using the app, you will have to tap OK to allow information technology to find your Roku devices.
Next, select your Roku device.
Then tap the Remote icon. You volition see this plus-shaped icon once you tap on your device.
Finally, you tin can use the remote on the app to control your Tv set. You can continue to use the app on your smartphone to control your Roku player as long equally you lot desire. However, make certain that your smartphone and Roku player are connected to the aforementioned WiFi network.

These steps will work for anyone who lost their Roku remote while at dwelling. However, this won't work if you are at a hotel, or you can't access the aforementioned WiFi network that your Roku device was previously connected to.

Since your Roku player automatically connects to the last WiFi network information technology remembers, the Roku app will only piece of work if information technology is connected to a network with the same name and countersign. So, you could set up a new WiFi network with the same proper noun and password. Still, if you are not able to set a new network, you lot tin can besides set upwards a mobile hotspot and use it to connect your Roku thespian to the app on your smartphone.

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How to Connect Your Roku Player to the App Using a Mobile Hotspot

To connect the Roku actor and the app on a new WiFi network, apply a device to set up a mobile hotspot with the same name and password as the WiFi network your Roku device was last connected to. Then download the Roku app on some other device and connect it to the hotspot.

Note: You will demand 2 devices for these steps to work: one that you lot can employ to create a hotspot, and another that has the Roku app installed. This is because you cannot prepare a hotspot on your smartphone and and so connect your Roku app to that hotspot using that same device. Yous will besides need to know the name and password of the WiFi network that your Roku device was previously connected to.

Gear up a mobile hotspot on one device. You can apply a Mac or Windows calculator or laptop, a smartphone, tablet, or any device that has mobile hotspot services. If you want to know how to gear up upwards a hotspot on any device, bank check out our stride-by-step guide here.
Give your hotspot the same name and password as the concluding network that your Roku thespian was connected to. These steps will not work unless yous previously connected your Roku device to a WiFi network. And then, if the final fourth dimension you used your Roku device, it was at a friend'due south house, you will need to set a hotspot with the aforementioned proper name and password every bit your friend's WiFi network.
And so connect your other device to that hotspot. This is the device that y'all volition apply to download the Roku app. For example, if you are using an iPhone, you would go to Settings > General > Wi-Fi. Then connect to the hotspot you lot merely set up. You tin can do this just like you would connect to whatever other WiFi network.
Adjacent, download and open the Roku app on your other device. This is not the device that y'all used to fix the hotspot. This is the device that y'all just used to connect to the hotspot you prepare.
Note: If you lot previously had the Roku app open up on your device, make sure to close and reopen information technology before proceeding.
And so get to Devices and select your Roku thespian. If you don't run into your device listed, you lot can refresh it by swiping downwards on your screen.
Next, tap the remote icon. You should now be able to utilise the Roku app to control your Roku device.
Note: Don't forget that using a mobile hotspot to stream video tin swallow up a lot of data. Then, you should change the network settings on your Roku device to connect it to an available WiFi network instead of your hotspot.
So apply the remote on the app to go to Settings on your Roku device. You can find this by borer the Domicile button on the remote in your app. Then utilise the upwardly and down arrow keys to change position in the left sidebar.
Adjacent, select Network.
Then go to Set up connection and select Wireless.
Tap OK on your remote. Your streaming device will search for bachelor wireless networks.
Then choose a new network. If you don't see your network listed, select Scan again to run across all networks.
Notation: If this is a network that you will not be using from at present on, make sure to write downward the name and password in case you have to connect your Roku player to the app using a hotspot again.
Finally, enter the WiFi password and tap Connect.