First things first! Let’s dig into the basics of Roku. With a mission to connect the entire TV ecosystem to the world, Roku is a pioneer in the television streaming industry. Its services include the Roku platform for content providers and advertisers, Roku channel, Roku streaming sticks, Roku sound smartbars, Roku TV, and the Roku channel store. Roku TVs are manufactured by Hisense in association with Roku and they run on Roku’s purpose-built OS and TV hardware reference design. The Roku OS also powers Roku players, streaming sticks, and streambars. The 7 Best Screen Mirroring Apps on Android 5 proven ways to fix common screen mirroring problems
Why is Roku TV so popular?
The Roku streaming device gained the highest popularity in the year of COVID pandemic, aka 2020, when people were locked inside their homes. To their rescue were streaming devices like Roku, Samsung, Vizio, and LG. And believe it or not, Roku came out on top in the smart TV sales among all these giants in the TV industry in 2020. According to NPD’s data, Roku TVs had a market share of 38% and 31% in USA and Canada respectively with over 14 million new accounts worldwide. And it’s no surprise to me why Roku is getting so popular. I can list down plenty of reasons for its popularity but here are the most obvious reasons: The challenge, though, lies ahead. I’m excited to see how Roku keeps the momentum going as people will start working from offices again once the pandemic recedes.
Screen mirroring vs Casting
While screen mirroring and casting are used interchangeably by most websites and smartphone manufacturers, there are a few evident differences between the two. Let me break it down for you. Here’s what you need to do to mirror your Android device to Roku.
3 ways to mirror Android to Roku
Smartphone manufacturers use the term screen mirroring in many ways. To help you with screen mirroring your Android to Roku, I’m jotting down the other names smartphone manufacturers use for screen mirroring: You can mirror your Android to Roku with the help of three methods: Also read: Android Mirror Cast: Everything You Need to Know How to connect Android phone to TV
Mirror Android to Roku with native screen mirroring
To mirror Android to Roku using the Screen Cast feature, follow these simple steps. Before anything else, make sure screen mirroring is enabled in your Roku TV’s settings.
Step 1
Open the notification shade on your Android device. Note: Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Cast.
Step 2
Look for the Screen Cast / Cast / other similar option and tap on it
Step 3
The device will start searching for devices. Next, select your Roku player or Roku TV from the list of detected devices to establish connection. For more information on casting your Android to Roku, refer to the documentation provided with the Roku player or Roku TV.
Mirror Android to Roku with the Roku app
Roku- Official Remote Control app
Note: With this app, you can only cast photos, videos, and other media files on your Android to the Roku TV. The app doesn’t offer a screen mirroring feature. Yet another simple and effective way to cast Android to Roku is by using the Roku Official Remote Control app. The app allows you to stream loads of movies and shows on the Roku channel. The app can be used as an alternative for physical remote control if it is low on battery or if you simply misplaced it. It also offers private listening on Roku Express, Express+, Roku Streaming Stick (3600, 3800, 3810), Roku Streaming Stick+, Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+, Roku Ultra and Roku TVs. But what does private listening mean? Well, it is a feature on Roku TV that enables you to listen to the audio on a Roku player or TV through a pair of earbuds or headphones. Here’s how to cast your Android to Roku.
Step 1
Install the app from the Play Store
Step 2
Follow the on-screen instructions to connect the app with your Roku TV
Step 3
Tap on Devices at the bottom of the screen
Step 4
Select the type of media you would like to cast
Step 5
Finally, select the file you would like to cast to Roku TV
Mirror Android to Roku with a third-party app
The above two methods work just as well to mirror or cast your Android to Roku. However, you can use a third-party app as well for the same purpose. Google Play Store has innumerable apps to help you with this.
Cast Android to Roku with Video & TV Cast app
To cast your Android to Roku, install the Video & TV Cast | Roku Remote & Movie Stream App from the Play Store. With this app, you can browse through the web and stream and cast videos online to your Roku TV. Devices supported: Roku Players: Roku TV, Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Express, Roku Premiere, Roku Ultra, Roku 2, Roku 3, Roku 4, Roku HD (2500), and Roku LT (2400+2450) Player Here’s how to cast Android to Roku with the Video & TV Cast app. Install the app from the Play Store Launch the app and wait for the red icon to turn white. It indicates a successful connection of your Roku TV to the app. If the device isn’t connected, restart the app. In the menu bar, tap on the pencil icon to add the URL of the video you would like to watch. Wait for a while until the link to the video is shown in the browser. If it is not detected, play the video and enter full screen mode. Next, tap ‘Tap here to cast’ and the app will cast the video content on your Android to your Roku TV.
Mirror Android to Roku with Screen Mirroring for Roku app
Note: The app doesn’t support sound. You may have to use an external bluetooth speaker for audio. To mirror your Android to Roku using a third-party app, install the Screen Mirroring for Roku app from the Play Store. Devices supported: Android 5.0+and all Roku devices, including Sticks, Boxes, TVs, and Roku Express 3700 / 3710. Here’s how to mirror Android to Roku using the Screen Mirroring for Roku app. Install the app from the Play store Launch the app and connect your Android device to the same wireless network as the Roku TV Follow the on-screen instructions to connect the device to the app Tap on any media file you would like to mirror to Roku TV Voila! The media file will be mirrored onto your big screen. The best part of such apps is that you don’t require an external casting hardware like Chromecast to stream your favorite TV shows and movies on the big screen. Thank me later for saving your hard-earned money! 😉
Bonus Tip
Connect Android to Roku without WiFi
Not sure if you know this or not, but here’s a pro tip! You can connect your Android device to Roku without WiFi. This tip is especially helpful for those who don’t have an established wireless network and still want to cast offline video files or online content viewed on mobile data. It works the same as the native cast option. The Samsung devices come with an in-built Smart view option to cast the screen. Other smartphones may use different terms for cast viz., Screen cast, SmartShare, or simply Cast. To connect Android to Roku without WiFi, on your Roku TV, go to Settings > System > Screen mirroring > Screen mirroring mode > Never allow (in the prompt). Next, go to Screen mirroring devices and grab your phone in hand. Slide down the notification shade and tap Smart view (find the cast option on your phone model). Select your Roku player or TV to cast the screen. Next, on your Roku TV, you’ll see a prompt saying you aren’t connected to the internet. Select Proceed anyway from the two options. Wait for a while until the TV screen confirms the connection. You are all set to enjoy your favorite content on the big screen without WiFi. Launch the streaming app you would like to cast to the screen and tap the video. There you are! Enjoy your favorite movies and shows on the big screen without WiFi. Suggested reads: How to Set up Chromecast Using your Android Phone: A Beginner’s Guide 3 easy methods to cast your Android to TV (without Chromecast)
Get the most out of your Roku!
Having read all the above methods of mirroring or casting Android to Roku, you can easily tell that Roku TV is the most-flexible streaming device. Mirroring or casting your Android to Roku is so seamless and requires minimal effort. And with the power to cast popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, there’s no stopping you from staying entertained in these trying times. Services like Roku TV and Roku streaming sticks have taken the streaming experience to a whole new level. If you already have a Roku TV, try these simple tricks to mirror/cast your Android to it. If not, I highly recommend you to get one if you are planning to buy a streaming device. Your near and dear will thank you for it. I hope this article brought some value to your Android usage and streaming experience. Let me know your experience of mirroring Android to Roku. Have questions related to Android mirroring to Roku? Feel free to leave them down in the comments section. Also, do share the article with someone who needs to read it. And as always, take care of yourself and those around you and stay safe. Cheers!
