The 5 best universal remotes for Rokus

Maybe you’ve lost your original Roku remote, or maybe you’re looking for a design that controls your smart TVs and other electronics from one place. Either way, Amazon has some of the best universal remotes for Rokus. Of course, your remote should be compatible with your particular Roku TV or streaming stick model — but you’ll also want to consider secondary compatibility and extra features that make your TV-watching experience much more convenient.

As you shop, be sure that your remote of choice works with your particular Roku device. Many devices that claim to be “Roku-compatible” only work alongside Roku TVs — not Roku streaming sticks or boxes. If you have a Roku streaming stick, the first remote (the official Roku Pro) and the last remote (the Logitech Harmony) in this list are the only ones on this list that will work seamlessly alongside your device. All the other remotes are designed to work with most Roku TVs, along with many other devices. And if you’re looking for a remote that controls televisions and electronics other than your Roku, check the compatibility there, too. For your convenience, I’ve listed the device compatibility below each product.

Finally, some remotes have built-in, high-tech features that improve both the navigation and your watching experience — like backlights, voice control, headphone jacks, rechargeable batteries, shortcut buttons, and even phone syncing. Keep reading to check the best options — and they’re all available on Amazon.

1. The best official Roku remote

The Roku Voice Remote Pro is designed to work with all Roku devices (including TVs, streaming sticks, soundbars, and more). You can control the TV power, volume, and navigation, but that’s just the beginning: You can also speak to your remote hands-free by saying “Hey Roku,” and then voice-navigate your way to specific streaming services, channels, shows, or settings. You can also set your own personalized shortcut buttons, locate your lost remote in seconds with the built-in finder, and listen to the TV privately using the headphone jack. Finally, this remote is USB-rechargeable, so you never again need to buy replacement batteries.

• Compatible with: Roku TV, Roku Express, Roku Express+, Roku Express 4k, Roku Express 4k+, Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Streaming Stick+, Roku Premiere, Roku Ultra, Roku Ultra LT, Roku SE, Roku Smart Soundbar, Roku Streambar, & Roku Streambar Pro

One reviewer wrote: “I've had this remote for over a year now. I love the private listening feature. I use the hands-free feature DAILY & love that I can just turn it off with the flick of a switch. I also love that I don't have to change out the batteries every other week like I had to with my factory Roku remote. Once it says low battery, I just plug it in. I'm seriously thinking about buying another!”

2. A popular universal remote in lots of colors

Looking for a remote that works with your Roku TV as well as your other devices? Pair up to four things to the Philips universal remote (which supports most major brands and thousands of audio/video equipment types), and then control them all from one place. According to reviewers, setup is easy, and it has various buttons for hardware control, streaming apps, and DVR functionality. It also comes in your choice of five different colors and has racked up more than 20,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.3-star overall rating.

• Compatible with: Roku TVs and most brands of televisions, stereo systems, VCRs, DVD/Blu-ray players, and home theaters (Not compatible with streaming sticks!)

One reviewer wrote: “Needed a remote for my blu-ray player after the old one fried (6 years old). The player would not operate without a remote so I figured I'd give this a shot before I tried replacing the player. It works great! A big plus is it also works on the Roku TV so now I only need one remote and can control everything. Setup was so easy.”

3. The best backlit remote

The GE universal remote control has all the essential features including multi-device control, support for most major brands, pairing for up to four devices, and programmable devices. However, it also has one rare feature that reviewers love: a sleek backlit display that allows them to find and press buttons in a dark room. Of course, it also works with many Roku devices (but not streaming sticks).

• Compatible with: Roku TVs and most brands of televisions, stereo systems, VCRs, DVD/Blu-ray players, and home theaters (Not compatible with streaming sticks!)

One reviewer wrote: “Great remote! Works with my TV, Sound Bar and Roku. And the lights are awesome at night.”

4. A cheap remote with lots of shortcut buttons

Most standard Roku remotes have four buttons to quickly access your favorite streaming apps. This replacement Roku remote has a grand total of 12 (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Roku Channel, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube, VUDU, Spotify, Sling, ESPN+ HBONOW, and NOW), and it’s designed to work seamlessly with most Roku TVs without a complicated setup. It doesn’t have too many extra bells and whistles — there’s no voice control or headphone jack, for example, and it won’t work with a streaming stick — but when it comes to an affordable, convenient replacement, this one has earned a 4.3-star overall rating after more than 1,600 reviews on Amazon.

• Compatible with: all Roku TVs including TCL, Hisense, ONN, INSIGNIA, SHARP, Hitachi, Philips, SANYO, Westinghouse, Element, LG, RCA, JVC, Magnavox, and InFocus (Not compatible with streaming sticks!)

One reviewer wrote: “Our original Roku TV (TCL brand) remote stopped working for the power button - and only the power button. I needed to get a replacement and saw this one which had all of the same features as the original, but ALSO had all of the shortcut buttons for the major streaming services we already use. This remote is WAY better than the original. Same size and functions PLUS the extra shortcut buttons (SUPER HANDY) and as a total bonus, there is NOTHING TO SET UP!!! No pairing, no programming. Just pop in some batteries and it just plain works.”

5. The remote that works with 270,000+ devices

Finally, if your home is loaded with smart devices, and you’d like a universal remote that controls them all, the Logitech Harmony Companion is worth the splurge. Yes, it works with entertainment systems and devices like Roku, but you can also use it to control smart tech like the Philips Hue lights and Nest thermostat. You can also set up customized “activities,” so when you choose “watch a movie,” your lights dim, your TV and gaming console turn on, and your blinds lower. Finally, it’s compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home for voice control; it works with a phone app; and it can control up to eight devices at once.

• Compatible with: over 270,000 devices, including Roku devices, your TV, satellite or cable box, blu-ray player, Apple TV, Sonos, game consoles, Philips Hue lights, and more

One reviewer wrote: “I took the plunge and bought the Harmony Companion to replace my old Harmony ONE remote. I spent a bit of time programming it to work in tandem with my Google Home, Philips Hue, Nest products, Roku, etc. So far it’s been a worthwhile purchase. Programming verbal functions like “Hey Google, turn on the TV” have really changed the way we use our Google Home. Harmony automates the TV, receiver, cable box, Roku, etc. The iOS app is intuitive and easy to use.”