Can I control Roku streaming device with Alexa?

As more of us buy Roku streaming devices, it makes sense to figure out if you can control Roku with Alexa. After all, using a remote is very last decade! It’s now all about using voice commands. And thankfully, as with your Sky Q box, you can also use Alexa to control any of the Roku devices.

 

Roku has its own virtual assistant called Roku Voice that integrates with the Amazon Alexa system, allowing you to use common voice commands to control your streaming device.

 

For example, you can say “Alexa, show me comedies on bedroom Roku” or “Alexa, launch Prime Video on living room Roku”. You don’t need to use a remote to find entertainment or control your Roku device.

 

But it gets better. With Roku TV, you can also use your voice to adjust the volume, switch inputs, and turn the TV screen off or on without needing your Roku remote.

 

By the end of this article, you’ll know how to control your Roku device with Alexa using Roku Voice. You’ll learn a few voice commands that will enable you to search and control your Roku device.

 

 

Install the Roku skill for Alexa

The first step is to install the Roku skill for Alexa. It’s free and available for users in the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, and Mexico. And the Roku skill for Alexa is supported on all Roku TVs and current generation Roku players, including the Roku Streambar and Express 4k.

 

There are a few things to be aware of.

 

Launching a channel on your Roku device using Alexa works for many top channels on the Roku platform. However, it doesn’t currently work with 100% of the available channels on the Roku platform.

 

Using your voice to launch Netflix, or access and interact with Netflix content is not currently supported when using the Roku skill for Alexa. Other voice commands like those for adjusting volume are also not supported when using Netflix.

 

Sadly, the Roku skill for Alexa does not support all Roku Voice capabilities. Learn about additional capabilities you can use with a Roku voice remote.

 

 

 

 

Are there any Roku requirements?

The next thing to check is that your Roku device is running Roku OS 9.1 or higher. It’s easy to find what software version your device is currently running by visiting Settings > System > About.

 

While your Roku device checks for an update every 24-36 hours, you can manually check for a software update and apply any new software if needed.

 

You’ll also need:

• A free Roku account
• An Alexa-enabled device such as an Amazon Echo Dot, Echo Show or third-party device with Amazon Alexa
• Alexa mobile app on your smartphone (iOS or Android).

 

 

How do I set up Alexa on my Roku device?

To use the Roku skill for Alexa, you need to link your Roku account to your Amazon account using the following steps:

1. Open the Alexa mobile app
2. Tap or select the Menu icon in the top corner
3. Tap Skills & Games
4. Enter Roku in the search bar and select the skill from the list
5. Tap the Enable
6. When prompted, sign into your Roku account
7. Select the Roku devices you wish to use with Alexa or choose Select all to link all your Roku devices
8. Select Continue, and follow the prompts to return to the Alexa app
9. The Alexa app will look for your Roku devices on the Device Discovery Be sure to turn on your Roku devices if the Alexa app does not find it
10. Select the Roku device you would like to use with Alexa and select CONTINUE.

 

If you are not able to select a Roku device, you may need to tap Manage devices in the Roku skill home screen in the Alexa app to complete this step.

 

 

 

 

Basic voice commands to control Roku device with Alexa

When you’ve set up the Roku skill for Alexa with your device, there are plenty of voices commands you can try. Here are some of our favourites!

 

Control media playback

Issue a command by saying “Alexa” followed by:

• “pause on kitchen Roku”
• “fast forward on living room Roku”
• “rewind on bedroom Roku”
• “launch Prime Video on den Roku”
• “go home on office Roku”

 

Search for entertainment

Issue a command by saying “Alexa” followed by:

• “find thriller movies on bedroom Roku”
• “show comedies on kitchen Roku”

 

Control Roku TV

To use Alexa to turn on your TV screen, you must enable Fast TV Start on your Roku TV. Using this feature you can listen to music, podcasts, and live radio when the screen on your Roku TV is off, or wake your TV using voice commands.

 

After you activate that feature, you can issue a command by saying “Alexa” followed by:

• “turn on office Roku TV”
• “raise the volume on living room Roku”
• “mute on bedroom Roku”
• “switch to HDMI 2 on kitchen Roku”

 

 

So, can you control Roku streaming device with Alexa?

Hopefully, you can see that within a few minutes, you can control Roku devices with Alexa. You’ll no longer need remotes as you can use voice commands instead. It’s very cool and easy to achieve!