How to control a Roku TV without the remote
You don't need the physical remote to run a Roku — the phone app does everything. The one thing to know: to discover the Roku, your phone has to join the same Wi-Fi network the Roku is on.
If the Roku is already on your Wi-Fi
- Connect your phone to that same Wi-Fi network.
- Install Roly and open it — your Roku appears in the device list.
- Tap to connect and control the TV with the on-screen remote.
If it's a brand-new Roku with no remote yet
A never-set-up Roku hasn't joined Wi-Fi, so the app can't reach it until it's online. The reliable path is to use a phone hotspot trick: set your phone's personal hotspot name and password to match the Wi-Fi network the Roku last used, so it reconnects automatically — then join that hotspot from a second device. If the Roku has never been configured at all, a physical or replacement remote is the simplest way to complete first-time setup.
FAQ
- Can I set up a brand-new Roku with just my phone?
- Only if the Roku can get onto a Wi-Fi network your phone is also on. A Roku that has never been configured usually needs a remote for the very first setup screen; after that, the phone app can take over.
Control your Roku from your phone
Roly is a free, ad-free Roku remote with private listening and voice control.
Download on the App Store