How to Set Up Roku Enhanced Remote to Control Your TV?

The Roku enhanced remote does more than just navigate your Roku menus. It can also turn your TV on and off, adjust the volume, and mute the sound — eliminating the need for a separate TV remote. But this TV control feature does not work automatically. You need to set it up through the Roku settings so the remote learns how to communicate with your specific TV brand.

What You Need Before Starting

• A Roku enhanced remote (the one with TV power and volume buttons on the side — not the basic simple remote that only has navigation buttons)
• Your Roku device must be connected to your TV and powered on
• The remote must be paired with your Roku player (it should already be paired if you completed the initial Roku setup)
• Clear line of sight between the remote and the TV — the TV control buttons use infrared, not WiFi

Set Up TV Control After Initial Roku Activation

If you already completed the initial Roku setup but skipped the remote configuration, or if you got a new TV, follow these steps:

1. Press the Home button on your Roku enhanced remote
2. Scroll up or down and select Settings
3. Select Remotes & devices
4. Select Remote and then choose your Roku enhanced remote from the list
5. Select Set up remote for TV control
6. The Roku will ask you to point the remote at your TV and follow on-screen instructions
7. It will try different IR codes for your TV brand — when your TV responds (turns off or volume changes), confirm it on screen
8. Once confirmed, the setup is complete and your Roku remote can now control TV power, volume, and mute

Set Up During Initial Roku Activation

If you are setting up a brand new Roku device for the first time, the setup wizard will automatically ask you to configure TV controls as part of the activation process. When you reach the remote setup screen:

1. Point your Roku enhanced remote directly at the TV
2. The Roku will detect your TV brand automatically in most cases
3. It will test the power and volume controls — confirm each one works when prompted
4. If the auto-detection picks the wrong brand, select Try another code until you find one that works

Important: Do not connect a soundbar or AV receiver to your TV during the initial setup. The Roku needs to communicate directly with the TV to identify the correct IR codes. You can set up soundbar control separately afterward.

Troubleshooting Roku Remote TV Control

• TV power button does not work: Make sure you are pointing the remote directly at the TV. The power and volume buttons use infrared which requires line of sight, unlike the navigation buttons which use wireless. If the IR sensor on your TV is on the bottom edge, aim the remote lower
• Volume controls the wrong device: If you have a soundbar connected, the remote might be controlling it instead of the TV. Go to Settings > Remotes & devices > Remote and re-run the TV control setup. Choose your TV brand manually this time
• Remote stopped controlling TV after working previously: Replace the batteries in the remote. Weak batteries affect the IR signal strength first since IR requires more power than the wireless connection used for Roku navigation
• TV brand not detected: Some lesser-known TV brands may not be in the Roku IR database. Try each code option the Roku offers — there are often multiple codes per brand. If none work, your TV model may not be compatible with Roku remote TV control

Controlling a Soundbar with the Roku Remote

If you use a soundbar for audio instead of your TV speakers, you can configure the Roku enhanced remote to control the soundbar volume instead of the TV volume. Go to Settings > Remotes & devices > Remote, select your remote, and look for the option to set up audio device control. Point the remote at the soundbar during setup and follow the same process as TV control setup. The power button will still control the TV while the volume buttons control the soundbar.