A free Roku remote app that's actually free

Yes, a phone app can control your Roku TV over Wi-Fi instead of a plastic remote. Before installing one, check what you own: every Roku device — Select, Plus and Pro Series TVs, the sticks, the Ultra — answers on the same Roku ECP port, so one app covers the house.

100% free basic controls. No paywalls after 2 taps. No credit card. No tricks. Ever.

Download Free App

No 2-tap paywalls · No credit card · Basic controls free forever

Universal TV Remote App — control your Roku TV from your iPhone

4.8 ★

App Store

FREE

No paywall

16+

TV brands

Roku hardware map

Which Roku TV you have — and how it takes commands

Roku is both an operating system it licenses to other TV makers and, since 2023, a TV brand of its own. Every one of these speaks the same control protocol — the External Control Protocol, plain HTTP on port 8060 — which is why a Roku player and a Roku-made TV behave identically to a phone app.

Roku TV model lines, the operating system each one runs, how it is reached over the network, whether pairing is required, and where the on-set button is.
Model line / series	TV operating system	How it is controlled over the network	Pairing	On-set button
Roku Select Series TV	Roku OS (2023 onward)	Roku ECP — HTTP on port 8060, found by SSDP	None on most units	Single button, underside or rear
Roku Plus Series TV	Roku OS (2023 onward)	Roku ECP — HTTP on port 8060, found by SSDP	None on most units	Single button, underside or rear
Roku Pro Series TV	Roku OS (2024 onward)	Roku ECP — HTTP on port 8060, found by SSDP	None on most units	Single button, underside or rear
Roku Streaming Stick / Streaming Stick 4K	Roku OS	Roku ECP — HTTP on port 8060, found by SSDP	None on most units	None — it is a stick; use the TV’s own button for power
Roku Ultra	Roku OS	Roku ECP over Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet	None on most units	Reset pinhole on the housing

Roku-made TVs are sold under the Roku name only in North America; elsewhere Roku OS reaches you through a licensee such as TCL, Philips or Sanyo.

Reaching the menu with no remote

One button, and it does two different things

There is no button path into the network menu: Roku expects a remote or a phone. If the TV was never on your Wi-Fi, plug in Ethernet or a USB keyboard to get through first-time setup, then switch to wireless.

Known Roku failure mode

The app finds nothing, or finds the TV but the buttons do nothing

What helps: Set Control by mobile apps to Enabled. If discovery itself is failing, the cause is usually the router: SSDP is multicast traffic, and AP isolation, guest networks and some mesh setups drop it. Put phone and TV on the same SSID, or enter the Roku’s IP address by hand.

100% Free Roku TV Remote App

Basic Roku TV controls are free forever. No paywall after 2 taps. No credit card. No subscription. Ever.

Free

No trial
No subscription

★★★★★

4.8

App Store
170+ ratings

Auto-Discovery. Zero Config.

The best free Roku remote app for iPhone — connects to your Roku OS via HTTP REST (Roku ECP) (port 8060) over Wi-Fi. SSDP auto-discovers your TV with no manual IP entry. Zero-setup connection — no PIN, no Bluetooth. No ads, no subscription, no in-app purchases — all controls unlocked permanently. It matches the official Roku app's instant no-pairing control and adds your non-Roku TVs to the same screen — no Roku account for the basics.

How it works

Get Free Roku TV Remote Control — Step by Step

Step 1

Download for Free

Install the Universal TV Remote app at zero cost. No account, no credit card, no trial period.

Step 2

Open and Find Your Roku

Launch the app and it automatically scans your Wi-Fi for any Roku device.

Step 3

Connect — No Login Needed

Tap your Roku in the device list. You're connected. No sign-in wall, no subscription prompt.

Step 4

Use Free Controls Forever

Navigate, adjust volume, switch channels, and launch apps—basic controls are free forever on your Roku.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Specific answers for Roku TV users — including which Roku lines run which system.

What is the best free remote app for Roku TV on iPhone?

Our app is a top-rated free Roku remote for iPhone. It connects to your Roku OS via HTTP REST (Roku ECP) (port 8060), with SSDP finding your TV automatically on the local network. No PIN or pairing code is required — the connection is instant. Features include full D-pad navigation, volume and mute, HDMI input switching, media playback controls, and streaming app launcher. No in-app purchases, no subscription, no ads — all features unlocked at no cost.

How does the free Roku remote app connect to my TV without Bluetooth or IR?

The app communicates entirely over your home Wi-Fi network using HTTP REST (Roku ECP) (port 8060). SSDP discovery finds your Roku OS automatically — you don't need to enter an IP address or enable any special TV settings beyond ensuring your TV and iPhone are on the same Wi-Fi network. No PIN or pairing code is required — the connection is instant. The connection persists as long as both devices remain on the same network, making this a permanent wireless remote replacement for your Roku TV.

Does the free Roku remote app require an account, subscription, or in-app purchases?

No. Our free Roku remote app requires no account, no subscription, no credit card, and has no ads. It communicates locally with your Roku OS over your home Wi-Fi via HTTP REST (Roku ECP) (port 8060) — no cloud service is involved. All controls including D-pad, volume, HDMI switching, media playback, and streaming app launcher are permanently unlocked at zero cost. No pairing code needed on first connection.

Does Roku have its own remote app for this TV?

The official Roku app. Roku publishes its own mobile app, and on a Roku-made TV it is the natural first stop. What it will not do is control the Samsung in the next room — every brand outside Roku OS needs a different protocol entirely.

Where is the button on the Roku TV itself, and can it reach the settings menu?

Roku TVs ship with a single button, usually on the underside of the panel or on the rear near the ports — manufacturers keep moving it, so check your own set. With the TV off a short press powers it on; with the TV already on, a short press opens the Input List rather than doing nothing, and a long press turns it off. There is no button path into the network menu: Roku expects a remote or a phone. If the TV was never on your Wi-Fi, plug in Ethernet or a USB keyboard to get through first-time setup, then switch to wireless.

Why would a remote app fail to find my Roku TV?

Roku has a switch that governs exactly this. Settings → System → Advanced system settings → Control by mobile apps decides whether your Roku will accept keypress commands from anything other than its own remote, and Roku’s developer documentation states that from Roku OS 14.1 it has to be set to Enabled for certain ECP keypress commands to land. Set Control by mobile apps to Enabled. If discovery itself is failing, the cause is usually the router: SSDP is multicast traffic, and AP isolation, guest networks and some mesh setups drop it. Put phone and TV on the same SSID, or enter the Roku’s IP address by hand.