We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Before you can use a universal remote with just about any device, you need to program it. This often involves going through a series of program codes or pressing buttons until you find one that works. Luckily, with Roku devices, you don’t have to do anything as complex. Standard Roku remotes work out of the box as long as you have batteries, so you should be good to go with no pairing required. However, things are a little different with the Roku Voice Remote, the upgraded model that lets you issue voice commands. Your voice remote may need to be programmed and paired with your Roku devices, but the good news is that learning how to program a Roku remote is pretty simple.
First, you’ll need to check whether you have a voice remote or a standard remote, and determining this is as easy as looking at the buttons on the remote. If your Roku remote has a small button under the directional pad with a microphone or magnifying glass icon, then it’s a voice remote. Programming your new voice remote should be quick and easy, and to get started you’ll need to put your Roku device and remote into pairing mode.
What happens if pairing fails during setup?
On your Roku, with another working remote or using the free Roku Remote app on a phone, go to Settings > Remotes & Devices > Add Devices > Remote > Continue. If the remote is new, it is probably already in pairing mode. Follow the on-screen instructions to sync the devices. If the remote isn’t already in pairing mode, turn it over and look for a small button on the back or under the battery cover. Press and hold the button for five seconds until the status light begins to flash. If it’s an old voice remote without a pairing button, you can hold down the Back and Home buttons for five seconds.
If you run into issues, there are ways to resolve them. Above all, you need to make sure that your remote and the device, whether it’s a Roku TV or a Roku standalone player, are in pairing mode by following the appropriate instructions. If that still doesn’t work, follow the old power-off-and-on trick again, restarting your streaming device or TV and then starting the pairing process all over again.
There is a small chance that interference may be causing syncing issues between devices. If applicable, be sure to keep other electronic devices away from your Roku device, including gaming consoles, routers, mesh nodes, other media players, and even audio systems. Try pairing again once these devices are moved away, then once everything is connected you can move them back. Roku Support says that as a last resort, you can simply use the Roku mobile app on your phone.
What is the voice remote for and why does it need to be paired?
Taking a step back, before learning how to program a Roku remote, it’s a good idea to figure out which ones are the best and which ones are the worst. Additionally, with each iteration, new shortcut buttons are added and they remain permanent for as long as you own the remote – they are not customizable – so what you see is what you get. All voice remotes, including normal voice, enhanced voice, and pro voice remote, need to be paired with your Roku, especially if you already have another remote connected.
There are actually a few versions of voice remote. The standard and enhanced voice remotes look and work a lot like the basic remote, and they use replaceable batteries. The $30 Roku Voice Remote Pro has a built-in rechargeable battery, as well as backlit buttons, hands-free voice commands, and a lost remote finder. If you want to dig deeper into the real differences between remote styles, a good old head-to-head pitting the simple Roku remote against the voice remote. In reality, the most important feature is using voice commands to navigate Roku’s noisy UI without pressing a bunch of buttons.
