Why is my Roku® voice remote not controlling power and volume on my TV?
Some Roku voice remotes incorporate both wireless and infrared (IR) technologies letting you seamlessly control your Roku streaming device along with aspects of your TV. You can set up the TV controls during the initial setup and activation of your Roku device, or you can wait and do it at any time from the Settings menu. For help starting that process, visit the detailed article about setting up your voice remote to control your TV. If you encounter any issues during setup, there are a number of suggestions for you to try below.
If you are not sure that your voice remote has TV controls, read more about the different types of Roku remotes.
Why do I not hear music during setup?
If during the setup process you cannot hear the music playing after increasing volume using the TV remote (with fresh batteries), check the following:
- Make sure all devices connected to your Roku device support audio over HDMI. For example, many overhead projectors do not have speakers.
Why am I unable to mute the music with my Roku voice remote?
When the music cannot be muted during setup, the on-screen menu prompts you to enter the brand of your TV and try setup again. If you still are unable to get your Roku voice remote programmed with this method, take note of the following:
- Check for any obstructions between your remote and the IR receiver on front of your TV (commonly located along the bottom edge of the bezel). To mute the music, your remote needs direct line of sight to this sensor. If you cannot locate the IR receiver on your TV, refer to the manufacturer's online documentation or contact them directly.
- Limit the number of devices connected between your Roku device and the TV. Removing a device, even if done temporarily, may confirm that the device is causing the behavior. You may even be able to setup your voice remote with the device removed, and have it continue to work after reconnecting the device.
- Certain television brands such as Bang & Olufsen may not be supported.
Why is my Roku voice remote able to control TV power or volume, but not both?
With manufacturers producing various models, most TV brands have a number of remote codes. During the remote setup, your Roku device will attempt to narrow this list of possible codes on your specific TV brand and program your voice remote to the correct code. It is possible that the code programmed into your voice remote when you heard the music stop only contains commands to control either power or volume, but not both. Using a different code for the TV brand may work to control both power and volume.
To have your Roku device try additional remote codes, restart the TV controls setup process for your voice remote and alter the steps as follows:
- When you first hear the music stop and are asked “Did the music stop playing?”, do not answer the question. Instead, turn volume back up with your TV remote until the music is audible again.
- Now, answer the question with No and your Roku device will move on to try the next remote code.
- The next time you hear the music stop, answer the question with Yes and your voice remote will be programmed with the new code.
- In rare cases, you may need to repeat this process, answering No to multiple codes before you find a code that controls both power and volume.
Why do the power and volume buttons only work sometimes?
There are two ways your Roku voice remote can send commands to your TV.
- Infrared (or IR): As mentioned earlier, IR technology requires you point your remote directly at your TV for each button press. Any obstruction (even a partial one) can cause button presses to be missed.
- HDMI-CEC: Also known as just CEC, this technology uses the HDMI connection to pass along power and volume commands your Roku player receives from your remote. With CEC, you can point your remote in any direction since it communicates with your Roku player over a direct wireless connection.
If you find that the power and volume buttons only work sometimes, it is likely that your remote is using IR to send these commands to your TV. To confirm this is the case, first make sure you can adjust volume when pointing your remote directly at your TV. Next, cup your hand over the front of your remote, then point it away from your TV and try again. If volume cannot be adjusted using this test, your remote is using IR.
You can use the steps below to get your remote to switch to using CEC.
- Check that CEC is enabled on your TV.
- Go to the Settings menu on your Roku player and redo the TV controls setup for your remote.
- Note: Not all TV models support CEC, and some may only support power and not volume. Consult your TV manual for more information.
What to do if the power and volume buttons stop working
If the power and volume buttons on your remote have stopped working entirely, try to update your Roku device to the most recent software. To manually update your software:
- Navigate to Settings
- Select System
- Select System update
- Select Check now
Confirm the dialogue box to proceed with download and and installation. Note that your Roku player will automatically download the latest software the next time when it checks for update. After the Roku player finishes restarting, if TV control has not been restored, setup your remote for TV control again by doing the following:
- Navigate to Settings
- Select Remotes & devices
- Select Remotes followed by your remote
- Select Set up remote for TV control
Our FAQ provides additional information and complete steps on how to set up your voice remote to control your TV.
Why does TV power and volume not work when I use a voice command?
When you use a push-to-talk voice command like "turn off the TV" or a hands-free voice command like "Hey Roku, turn off the TV", the command is relayed over the HDMI connection to your TV using CEC. If CEC is not enabled or your TV does not support it, the voice command will not work even if pressing the power and volume buttons on your remote does work (this is because your remote can also use IR to send these commands as described in the previous section).
To fix the issue, go to the settings on your TV and make sure CEC is enabled.
- Note: Not all TV models support CEC, and some may only support power and not volume. Consult your TV manual for more information.
For more help using push-to-talk or hands-free voice commands, check out the detailed article about using your voice to search and control your Roku device.
What to do if your remote is warm or hot to touch
If the back of your Roku remote gets warm or hot during normal use, the rechargeable battery may be damaged or the alkaline batteries may be corroded.
- Warning: Do not attempt to remove alkaline batteries while hot!
- Discontinue use of your remote.
- If you are charging a rechargeable remote, disconnect your remote from the charging cable.
- Place remote on a hard non-flammable surface (like tile) and let it cool.