The Roku has amazed me with many of its features. It seemed only natural that I’d be able to connect a keyboard to its USB port and use it to navigate and type. That doesn’t work though. Nor is there a Bluetooth keyboard solution available. It’s the one missing feature that would make the Roku absolutely perfect. Typing using the standard remote control is aggravating. There are a few handy alternatives for people who absolutely must use a keyboard with their Roku.
Roku app
Use your smartphone or tablet to control your Roku, right from the Roku official app. Not only does the app have a keyboard, but you can also speak commands to change the channel. Commands don’t work to call up individual movies, but it’s still a nice feature. The keyboard (and the entire app) only works vertically, which is perplexing since the keyboard would work so much smoother sideways. The Roku app is available for Android and iOS. Windows Phone users can settle for a number of third-party Roku apps.
remoku.tv
This handy web-based app will connect to your Roku player via your home network and allow you to use the standard arrow controls as well as a keyboard. You can use the website from almost any web browser including Android’s stock browser and Safari for iOS. Just type in the IP address to your Roku on the Setting screen (the scan option didn’t work for me) and you can instantly control your Roku.
Those are the best keyboard connection solutions we could find. How do you use a keyboard with your Roku? We want to hear about it in our comments section.
Hi,
I just started using Roku app on IOS. It works fine in most cases. However on my quick tests, the keyboard does not work at all, for the YouTube app. The other thing I found is that I could use the microphone icon on the keyboard, dictate and get my device to display that as the entry, but the entry does not get communicated to the Roku. Nothing does unless I use the keys!
I have not tried the remoku.tv yet!
Thanks,
Sury
Thanks so much!!!
I bought roku express plus and I try keyboard remote from my I phone it work other channel but not working on YouTube search so please help me what I have to do so it work on YouTube thank you
I’m guessing by my having a similar difficulty on my keyboard enabled smart tv with YouTube entry that it has more to do with the coding of the app across any platform not just roku.
I just want to say… ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU!!!!!
I can not use the keyboard with YouTube, as other users have found; still have to use the manual keyboard that comes with YouTube, very annoying.