One of many most important promoting factors of Roku streaming devices and televisions is that they help such a variety of apps and providers—however you are not restricted to the apps you possibly can set up instantly by way of the streamer. You can too beam content material to your Roku instantly from an iPhone or Android gadget.
So long as each your Roku and your telephone are on the identical Wi-Fi community, getting related is fairly simple. It means you are capable of showcase photographs and movies on an even bigger display screen, in addition to stream audio and video from apps that are not put in in your Roku (or which can be signed in with a unique person account).
solid from Android to Roku
Some Android apps help casting to a Roku, however it may be hit or miss.
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Android being Android, the method of getting content material up on a Roku can differ between units and relying on which producer made your telephone. Roku units do help the Chromecast commonplace to some extent, however compatibility can differ between smartphones and totally different streaming apps.
In numerous fashionable Android apps—together with Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and Spotify—you will see a Chromecast button seem someplace on the playback window (it seems like a sq. with concentric arcs inside it). Faucet on this and choose your Roku from the popup menu, and the audio or video ought to proceed on the larger show, whereas the playback controls stay in your telephone.
Nonetheless, this function will not be supported in every single place: You’ll be able to’t, for instance, mirror the display screen of a Pixel telephone on a Roku in the mean time. Should you swipe down from the highest of the Pixel show with two fingers and select Forged, you will note common Chromecasts and Google TV units, however you will not see your Roku listed.
For no matter cause, Samsung has determined that its telephones ought to be capable to mirror their screens over to Roku units. Swipe down from the highest of the display screen with two fingers, then faucet Sensible View, and your Roku ought to seem within the listing of accessible units. Faucet it there to reflect the display screen. The function will not be actually quick to play video with out some syncing issues, nevertheless it works okay for exhibiting off photographs or different apps.
Whereas Android units could be irritating of their lack of consistency, the platform normally has a third-party app or two you possibly can flip to in a pinch. Should you’re struggling to get what you need up in your Roku, give Castify (it is free, however you possibly can pay to take away the adverts). This could show you how to get content material from most audio and video apps transferred to the large display screen.
solid from iPhone to Roku
Roku units help AirPlay, so it is easy to attach from an iPhone.
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As with macOS, if you wish to get an iPhone (or an iPad) related to a Roku, then the Apple AirPlay commonplace is your finest guess. Nearly each streaming app helps the protocol, and you may as well use it to reflect your iPhone’s display screen and showcase photographs and movies from the Picture app.
You do have to do some prep, nonetheless. To start with, it’s essential to arrange your Roku to just accept AirPlay connections. From the primary Settings display screen in your Roku, select Apple AirPlay and HomeKit: The highest possibility right here merely helps you to flip AirPlay on or off, however you may as well select how simple it’s for different units to attach.
Faucet on Require Code, and you may select whether or not a PIN code is required to attach on the First Time Solely or Each Time (this code will pop up in your TV and must be typed in in your iPhone). If you’d like much more safety towards unauthorized iPhones getting linked up, select Use Password As an alternative and set a customized password that shall be required to make use of AirPlay on this Roku.
As soon as all that is executed, and assuming your iPhone is on the identical Wi-Fi community as your Roku, you may get related. To reflect your iPhone display screen on the bigger show, open the telephone’s Management Heart with a swipe down from the highest proper, then faucet the Display Mirroring button (the 2 rectangles): You must see your Roku listed, and you may faucet on the gadget title to ship your iPhone display screen to your TV.
For casting audio and video, search for the AirPlay button inside most apps on iOS: It seems like an arrow pointing up into concentric rings (audio) or right into a rectangle (video). Once more, after your iPhone has scanned for suitable units, you need to see your Roku accessible as a range. The playback stops in your iPhone and continues on the Roku.
