One of the most common questions among Roku users is “ Can Roku connect to Bluetooth devices such as headphones and speakers.
The simple answer is yes. However, until recently, Roku could only connect to a few Roku-specific devices.
Today, through the Roku app that you can freely download to your phone, you will be able to connect third-party devices such as Bluetooth headphones.
The process may not be as straightforward when connecting third-party devices.
You will have to connect your Roku TV to the app on your smartphone and then pair the Bluetooth device with the phone.
You can use other devices, such as tablets or computers, but we like smartphones due to seamless compatibility with the app.
Table of Contents
- Roku-Compatible Devices
- How to Connect Your Roku to Roku-Compatible Devices
- How to Connect Your Roku TV to a Bluetooth-Enabled Third-Party Device
- How to Stream Bluetooth Audio from the Connected Devices
- How to Disconnect a Bluetooth Device
- Can Multiple People Use Private Listening?
- What Do I Do if Private Listening is Not Working?
- The Final Thought
Roku-Compatible Devices
You can connect your Bluetooth-enabled phone, tablet, or computer to the following Roku-compatible devices.
- Roku TV wireless speaker
- Roku TV wireless soundbar
- Roku Steeambar
- Roku Smart Soundbar
- Roku Plus series TV
- Roku Ultra models 4802 and 4800
How to Connect Your Roku to Roku-Compatible Devices
Connecting Roku-supported devices is easier than connecting third-party Bluetooth devices to Roku.
You have to ensure all the devices involved in the connection share the same network, (Roku-compatible products, the television (TV), and the phone), then follow these steps.
- On your Roku remote, press the home button.
- On Settings, select Remote & Device.
- Press Pair Bluetooth Device. You will see a Bluetooth pairing screen.
- Once the pairing screen appears, go to your phone/tablet/computer, then complete the paring in these simple steps:
- Open your smartphone Bluetooth and enable it.
- Give the Bluetooth time to scan for the Roku device.
- Select the Roku device if it appears on the list of available devices.
A woman connecting a Bluetooth speaker to a smartphone
How to Connect Your Roku TV to a Bluetooth-Enabled Third-Party Device
You cannot pair your external Bluetooth-enabled device, such as headphones, to Roku TV.
No Roku TV has direct Bluetooth support for party devices. You can only connect it directly to Roku products like the ones we have listed above.
For third-party devices, you will have to make connections via MyRokuApp that you can download freely to your phone from Google Play Store or Apple Store.
The main feature of this app that makes things possible is called private listening.
The feature enables you to connect the external device to the Roku app and then to Roku TV.
That said, the process here begins by downloading the app, then setting up the private listening feature.
Go to either Google Play Store or Apple Store and download the app for free. You then need to launch it.
Immediately start searching for a nearby Roku device. When you see the Roku device or Roku TV on the list, select it to connect to the app.
Once you have the app ready, you can proceed to connect your device to Roku TV.
You need to ensure the TV and the phone are on the same network, then proceed as follows.
- Turn on the Bluetooth of the external device you want to connect with the Roku TV, then pair it with your phone.
- Go back to the Roku app and activate private listening by pressing a button on the virtual remote (for instance, the headphone icon if you are connecting headphones).
You can now stream your TV audio through the connected external device.
A lady listening to a Bluetooth speaker
How to Stream Bluetooth Audio from the Connected Devices
You can now stream your TV audio through the connected external device much like you would when you pair Bluetooth directly.
The Bluetooth channel will display the name of the device you are using, the name of the track you are listening to, and the artist in that order.
Sometimes you can fail to get sound from the device. Check your TV volume or the device volume and adjust it.
You can also adjust it via voice command. Simply press and hold the voice button and say something like “Turn up the volume” or “Volume nineteen” and it will go up.
Exist Roku Bluetooth channel if you want to stop streaming. Or you can manually disconnect from the Bluetooth setting menu on your smartphone.
How to Disconnect a Bluetooth Device
Disconnecting your Bluetooth device only disengages it from the current Bluetooth session.
It will remain on the Bluetooth list of your Roku device. To disconnect your smartphone/tablet/computer, follow the steps below.
Go to your Roku remote and press home. Scroll down the options and select Settings.
On the options that appear, select Remote & Devices then Smartphones and tablets.
Select Bluetooth device then Disconnect and that is it.
Disconnecting simply means you can’t stream audio to your Roku device. You will have to reconnect it again to stream.
Can Multiple People Use Private Listening?
The good thing about the Private Listening feature is that four different people can listen to it at once. However, there are things you need to achieve this.
To begin with, you can only do this using a phone. Here, the tablet won’t work.
Then ensure you are running the latest version of Roku OS on your Roku TV.
Most TVs check updates every 24-36 hours and update automatically.
You can easily check the version your Roku is running on. Simply go to the system and then about.
What Do I Do if Private Listening is Not Working?
Private Listening may fail to work on your Roku device or you have audio syncing issues. Just give it a few seconds to see if the issue corrects itself.
You can then stop and resume the audio, switch on and off the private listening, or close the app and open it again.
The Final Thought
Connecting a Roku-compatible device to Roku TV can be straightforward.
However, connecting a third-party Bluetooth device to your Roku TV may require some work.
Whichever way, you will need a phone and do the connection via the Roku app.
The app has a feature called private listening that enables you to connect Bluetooth audio devices, such as headphones, to your smartphone/tablet/computer and then to your Roku TV.
Hopefully, our step-by-step guide on this process is helpful.
