A free desktop remote for Roku TVs and streaming players. Every button on the physical remote, your keyboard as a remote, live typing into search boxes, channel launching with real channel art, and a Turn on button that can wake a TV from standby — in a native window on Windows, macOS or Linux. One Tauri (Rust + React) codebase, a binary around 5 MB.
No ads, no accounts, no tracking. The app only ever talks to the Rokus on your own network.
- Microsoft Store — search for Roku Control (Windows).
- Installers — Windows, macOS and Linux downloads are on the latest release.
- From source — any OS:
git clone https://github.com/BlizzHacker/RokuControl.git
cd RokuControl
npm install
npm run tauri:devThat's a live dev build with hot reload. To produce a real installer:
npm run tauri:build # current OS
npm run tauri:build:win # Windows .msi
npm run tauri:build:mac # macOS .dmg
npm run tauri:build:linux # Linux .deb + .AppImageInstallers land in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/.
Build through
npm run tauri:build, notcargo builddirectly — the Tauri script builds the web frontend first. A bare cargo build packages an empty frontend and you get a blank window that looks like a broken app.
- Finds your Rokus by itself on launch — SSDP on every network adapter, and a direct scan of your subnet when multicast is blocked. Add one by IP if you need to. Devices are remembered by serial number, so when your router hands a Roku a new address the app follows it.
- Honest status — the dot next to your Roku reflects a real check every few seconds: connected, screen off, not responding, or Limited mode.
- Turn on from off — sends
PowerOn, and if the TV has dropped off the network, Wake-on-LAN to every MAC address it has seen for it, then keeps knocking until the TV answers. - Your keyboard is a remote (see below), with press-and-hold repeat on the arrows and volume.
- Live typing — type into the app and the letters appear in the TV's search box as you type, including accents and symbols. Fix a typo anywhere and the TV follows.
- Channels with their real icons, a filter, and "on now"; TV inputs by the names you gave them on the TV.
- Mini remote (📌) — a compact remote that stays on top of other windows.
- Straight-to-GitHub feedback — Report a problem and Suggest an idea open a pre-filled GitHub issue (Roku model and software version only — never IPs, names or serials). Nothing is sent until you press Submit.
| Key | Does |
|---|---|
| ↑ ↓ ← → | Move |
| Enter | OK |
| Backspace / Esc | Back |
| H | Home |
| Space or P | Play / Pause |
, / . (or [ / ]) |
Rewind / Fast forward |
| R | Instant replay |
I or * |
Options |
| S | Search |
+ / − / M |
Volume up / down / mute |
| Page Up / Page Down | Channel up / down |
/ or T |
Start typing on the TV (Esc to stop) |
? |
Show all shortcuts |
Only volume works, or the app says your Roku is blocking it. Roku OS 14.1 and later ship in Limited mode. On the Roku open Settings › System › Advanced system settings › Control by mobile apps and choose Enabled (or set Network access to Permissive).
Turn on doesn't wake the TV. A Roku TV that is fully off switches its network off too. Turn on Settings › System › Power › Fast TV start.
No Roku found. Put the computer on the same network as the Roku (not a guest network). On Windows, set that network to Private. You can always add a Roku by IP — it's under Settings › Network › About on the Roku.
Still stuck? Use Report a problem in the app, or open an issue.
Roku devices expose the
External Control Protocol
on port 8060: plain HTTP for keypresses, app launching and device queries. The
app discovers devices with an SSDP multicast query (239.255.255.250:1900) and
then talks straight to each Roku.
| Layer | Tech |
|---|---|
| Desktop shell | Tauri 2 (Rust) |
| UI | React 19 + Vite |
| Networking | reqwest (plain HTTP, no proxy) |
| Discovery | SSDP multicast + subnet probe |
| Wake | Wake-on-LAN magic packets |
Run the Rust tests (they include a fake Roku to talk to) with
cd src-tauri && cargo test.
Roku Control does not collect or transmit any personal data. All communication is strictly between the app and Roku devices on your local network. No analytics, no telemetry, no tracking. See privacy.txt.
Made ad-free by MoveWeight.com. If the app helps you, a rating in the Microsoft Store or a star here is how other people find it.
MIT — see LICENSE.