How to use volume modes on your Roku® streaming device
Movies and television shows can have a wide range of sounds but using the volume modes on your compatible Roku streaming device lets you enjoy a more even listening experience. Switch to Automatic Volume Leveling to hear more consistent audio levels across various types of entertainment, making it less jarring when a commercial comes on or while switching channels. Use Night Mode to reduce the volume level for louder scenes and boost it for quieter ones, letting you watch late-night TV without disturbing others.
- Note:
- Volume modes are not available for some audio formats.
- When using volume modes, movies and TV shows you stream with a surround sound format such as Dolby® Digital, DTS®, Dolby Digital Plus™, and Dolby ATMOS™ may be converted to stereo. If your Roku device is connected to an audio/video receiver (AVR) or soundbar, you may need to set volume modes to ‘Off’ to hear the surround sound format.
What devices support volume modes?
To help determine if your Roku device supports volume modes, you need to know the device model. To find this information, go to the home screen on your Roku device and select Settings > System > About.
| Device | Model |
|---|---|
| Roku Streambar® | 9102 |
| Roku Streambar Pro | 9101R, 9101R2 |
| Roku Smart Soundbar | 9101 |
| onn.™ • Roku Smart Soundbar | 9100 |
| Roku Express | 3930, 3960 |
| Roku Express+ | 3931 |
| Roku Streaming Stick® | 3800 |
| Roku Streaming Stick+ | 3810, 3811 |
| Roku Streaming Stick 4K | 3820, 3940X |
| Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ | 3821, 3941X |
| Roku Premiere | 3920, 4620 |
| Roku Premiere+ | 3921, 4630 |
| Roku Ultra | 4660, 4661, 4662, 4670, 4800, 4802 |
| Roku Ultra LT | 4662, 4801 |
|
Roku TV™ with Roku wireless speakers Note: A Roku TV does not support volume modes when Roku wireless speakers are not connected. |
All models |
Adjust volume modes during playback
When streaming a movie, TV show, music, or Bluetooth® audio; or when watching content from an external device connected to your Roku TV and wireless speakers (e.g., Blu-ray™ player, cable set-top box, game console), you can enable Automatic Volume Leveling or Night Mode from the Options menu as described below.
- Begin streaming content, or to adjust audio settings for a device connected to your Roku TV and wireless speakers, switch the active input to the external device.
- Note: If you have a Roku Streambar or Roku Smart Soundbar and you are watching content from an external device connected to your TV, you cannot adjust audio settings during playback. You can, however, adjust audio settings from the settings menu using instructions in the next section.
- Press Star
on your Roku remote - Select Sound settings
- Note: On some Roku devices, this step is not necessary. If you do not see this selection, skip to step 4.
- Use the directional pad to switch Volume mode to the desired setting. The directional pad is plus-shaped and is in the center of your Roku remote.
- Off: Volume modes are inactive and content volume is unmodified.
- Leveling: Enables consistent volume across different types of entertainment so you do not have to change the volume every time you switch channels or a commercial comes on.
- Night: The volume of soft sounds like whispering is increased while the volume of loud sounds like explosions is decreased, making it easier to hear your show at night without disturbing others.
- Note: In some streaming channels, Star is assigned a different function meaning it will not open the Options menu as described above. In these cases, you must launch a different channel, such as The Roku Channel, and follow the steps above. Once the volume mode is switched, the setting will remain when you return to the original channel.
Adjust volume modes from the Settings menu
If you have a Roku Streambar or Roku Smart Soundbar, you can enable Automatic Volume Leveling or Night Mode from the Settings menu at any time using the instructions below. If you are using an external device (e.g., Blu-ray player, cable set-top box, game console), switch your TV to the input where your Roku audio device is connected before you begin.
- Press Home
on your Roku remote - Scroll and select Settings
- Select Audio
- Select Volume modes and choose the desired setting
- Off: Volume modes are inactive and content volume is unmodified.
- Leveling: Enables consistent volume across different types of entertainment so you do not have to change the volume every time you switch channels or a commercial comes on.
- Night: The volume of soft sounds like whispering is increased while the volume of loud sounds like explosions is decreased, making it easier to hear your show at night without disturbing others.
How to adjust other audio settings on your Roku device
If you have a Roku TV, you may be able to adjust manufacturer-specific sound modes from the same Options menu described above. When you are using a Roku audio device, you may be able to configure additional audio settings like sound modes, speech clarity, and expanded stereo. For more details, learn how to adjust other audio settings on your Roku audio device?