If you’re a user of the Roku streaming device, then you should probably know that you can use it to install various apps and watch different content on your TV. You can easily watch YouTube on your Roku device. If you want to get the best out of your watching experience, you can buy a subscription to YouTube Premium and watch YouTube without embedded ads.
Many people mistakenly think that the whole point of a YouTube Premium account is just the absence of ads on YouTube. Even though this is a compelling argument, there are a lot of other interesting features that Google provides to users of the YouTube Premium subscription. Well, let’s take a closer look at how to use YouTube Premium on your Roku device.
What is Roku?
Roku is a device (developed by Roku) that streams media (shows, movies, and even music) from the Internet to your TV. The devices require minimal setup and connect to the Internet just like your PC. Roku media streaming devices include an operating system that allows users to access and manage streaming content on the Internet.
Many products can add Internet streaming to watch TV and listen to music, and Roku devices are among the most popular. Others include Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV.
All Roku products provide access to 4,500 channels (depending on location) of streaming content on the Internet. Channels range from popular services like Netflix, Vudu, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, Pandora, and iHeart Radio, to niche channels like Crunchyroll, Euronews, and many others. Even major networks like NBC already have apps. By the way, the NBC Roku app allows you to live stream major sporting events, such as the Olympics.
In addition to streaming Internet feeds, Roku also provides additional applications that allow users to access videos, music, and photos stored on PCs or media servers that may also be connected to your home network.
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How to install YouTube on Roku
YouTube used to be synonymous with free content. Today it still is, with the addition of ads. However, there are now many more options for watching videos on the platform. All of this is possible thanks to YouTube Premium. With it, you can watch YouTube without ads, watch exclusive content, and use the app in the background (on your smartphone).
The main advantage is still the absence of ads. However, to use YouTube Premium and all its benefits on your Roku device, you must first install the YouTube app. So, follow these steps to get YouTube on your Roku device:
- First of all, turn on your Roku device and press the “Home” button on your Roku remote control.
- Then, navigate to the “Search” option and press “OK”.
- After that, find the “YouTube” channel and select it.
- Next, click on the “Add channel” button.
- Click on the “Go to channel” option.
- Finally, just sign in to your YouTube account and enjoy watching your favorite videos.
Once you have completed these steps, you will be able to install YouTube on your Roku device.
How to use YouTube Premium on your Roku device
After you sign in to your YouTube account, you can access your playlists. You can also add videos to playlists as you browse YouTube. Playlists are available in the left-side menu. In addition, if you already have a YouTube Premium subscription, it will automatically appear in your YouTube app on Roku. If you don’t have a subscription, you’ll need to buy one first. You can do this using the “Settings” menu in the YouTube app. Just select the “Get YouTube Premium” option. You can also use your smartphone or PC to subscribe to it.
YouTube Premium is a paid subscription that includes ad-free viewing, unlimited music streaming, and access to YouTube Original shows. To access YouTube Premium content through the YouTube app for Roku, be sure to log in with the YouTube account you used to subscribe.
Once you have access to YouTube Premium, you can use the search feature to find the content you’d like to watch or visit your subsequent Premium channels. The app also supports multiple users, so you can easily switch between them if necessary.
What are the advantages of the YouTube Premium subscription?
There’s no need to explain how annoying YouTube ads can be. In the past, you only had to wait a few seconds before moving on to the video, but now the video can be interrupted “on a commercial break” up to 5 times per watch. And skipping an ad isn’t always convenient. That’s why the main advantage of subscribing to YouTube Premium is the absence or blocking of ads.
When you pay for YouTube Premium, you automatically get the YouTube Music service in addition. You can listen to music just like on Spotify or Apple Music. All songs are available and you’re sure to find your favorite tracks. You can also listen to tracks from YouTube Music on your Roku device. However, to do this, you need to connect your smartphone using the screencast option.
Moreover, you can also watch YouTube offline and listen to YouTube videos in the background if you’re using a smartphone.
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- How to connect your Roku TV to Wi-Fi without remote
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- Why you can’t skip YouTube ads?
What is the Roku mobile app?
Roku also provides a mobile app for iOS and Android devices that provides even more flexibility. The mobile app provides voice search and also duplicates several menu categories that are part of the main Roku TV OSD system, allowing you to control your Roku devices directly from your phone.
For Roku TVs, the mobile app also manages Internet streaming and TV functions such as input selection, OTA channel scanning, and picture and sound settings.
You can also use your smartphone or tablet to send videos and photos from your phone to the Roku box, a streaming flash drive, and watch them on your TV or directly from your phone to Roku TV. Another bonus is that you can use your smartphone’s headphones to privately listen to the content you’re accessing on your Roku device.
