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Roku Remote Buttons Explained: What Each Symbol Does

A practical guide to Roku remote buttons and symbols, with notes on voice controls, Headphone Mode and features that vary by model.
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Roku remote symbols differ by model. On a voice remote, a microphone or magnifying-glass button starts voice search and control; the star (*) opens Options. A headphone icon shown on your TV means Headphone Mode is active. Other controls—including TV power, volume, shortcuts and app buttons—depend on the remote and Roku setup.

First, identify which kind of Roku remote you have

Look near the purple directional pad. Roku says every voice remote has a voice button marked with either a microphone or magnifying-glass icon. If there is no voice button, Roku classifies it as a simple remote. Features vary among models, and handheld and tabletop voice remotes may differ. See Roku’s remote overview for identification guidance.

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  • Simple remote: Uses infrared, so point it at the Roku device and keep the path to its receiver unobstructed.
  • Voice remote: Supports push-to-talk voice control. Some models also have TV controls, a headphone jack, personal shortcuts, a lost-remote finder, hands-free voice or rechargeable batteries. Those features are not universal.

What the common Roku remote symbols and buttons mean

Symbol or label What it does Model or usage note
Microphone or magnifying glass Starts voice search and control. Hold the voice button, speak, then release. Roku gives examples such as searching for comedies or launching The Roku Channel. Roku voice-control instructions.
Star (*) Opens the Options menu. Available options depend on the screen or content. Roku app support.
Directional pad and OK Move through the interface and select an item. The pad is commonly purple, but layouts vary by model. Roku remote overview.
Home Returns to the Roku Home interface. Shown among the simple-remote controls in Roku’s setup illustration. Roku setup guidance.
Back Returns to the previous screen or step. Shown among the simple-remote controls in Roku’s setup illustration. Roku setup guidance.
Instant Replay Replays a recent segment. Roku describes instant replay as a 10-second replay control in its mobile-app information; whether replay works depends on the content. Roku app support.
TV power, volume, mute or sleep timer Controls the television. A simple remote bundled with a Roku TV may include these controls; some voice remotes also have TV controls. Roku remote overview.
Numbered 1 and 2 Personal shortcuts on supported remotes. Roku says to press and hold a shortcut button for five seconds to program it. Not all remotes include this feature. Roku remote overview.
App or service logo Launches a channel shortcut. The services shown vary; these buttons are not universal Roku controls. Roku setup guidance.
Headphone jack on the remote Connects wired headphones for private listening. Found on select voice remotes. In Headphone Mode, TV speakers are muted. Roku Headphone Mode instructions.

What the headphone symbol on your TV means

The headphone icon on the television is an on-screen status indicator, not a button found on every remote. It means Headphone Mode is active. On a compatible setup, plugging headphones into the jack on a supported voice remote routes audio to the headphones and mutes the TV speakers. Unplug the headphones to turn the mode off. Roku’s Headphone Mode instructions explain the feature.

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Why your remote may not have every symbol

Roku remotes vary across models and generations. TV controls, a headphone jack, shortcut buttons, backlighting, rechargeable batteries, hands-free voice and a lost-remote finder are model-dependent features—not a standard set found on every remote. App-logo buttons can also change with the remote. For an exact button-by-button mapping, identify the remote’s model number or compare a clear photo of its front and side with the documentation for that model; Roku notes that older remotes may differ from current models in its remote overview.

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