Tidy up your Roku home screen in 30 seconds
One of the first things I did as a new Roku user was start adding apps to the home screen, from Netflix and Disney+ to Apple TV+ and HBO Max.
But once I had all my apps installed, I hit a roadblock. How exactly do you rearrange all those app tiles? Personally, I like having Netflix at the top, along with oft-used services like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, but they were all jumbled together in the middle of the apps grid.
During this time, I wanted to remove some apps, such as People TV and Roku’s Getting Started channel.
If you’re new to Roku, it’s easy to get stuck trying to move or delete apps on the Home screen, since there’s no obvious way to rearrange your tiles.
More experienced Roku users, however, will know the trick: the ever-useful “*” button, aka Options, which reveals contextual and related options when pressed. Once you’re familiar with the Options button, rearranging apps on the Home screen is a breeze.
How to Move and Remove Apps from Roku Home Screen
We’ll start by moving and rearranging apps on the Roku home screen; then delete channel apps.
Rearrange apps on the Roku home screen
Go to the Home tab on the main Roku screen, press the “>” button on the remote, then navigate to the channel tile you want to move.
Then press the “*” button on the remote control. When you do, a menu will appear with a variety of options, allowing you to check for updates, delete the app (we’ll get to that in a moment), and so on.
Ben Patterson/Foundry
The option you’re looking for is “Move App” or, if the app isn’t already in the top row, “Move App Up.” Select the latter option to move the app to the top of the screen, or “Move app” to fine-tune its layout.
Now you’ll see the app thumbnails again, except this time the one you selected will be surrounded by arrows.
Ben Patterson/Foundry
Using the arrow keys on the remote, move the app tile until it is in the ideal position, then press the OK button. Everything is ready!
Remove Apps from the Roku Home Screen
Want to delete an app tile? It’s a breeze, but keep in mind that just because you remove an app (like, say, Hulu or Max) from the Roku home screen doesn’t mean you’ve unsubscribed from the associated service.
This is why you need to check if you are subscribed to the app you want to delete. In some cases, you may have subscribed directly to the service; in others, you may have subscribed through Roku. If you don’t check, you run the risk of incurring surprise charges on your next credit card bill.
To find out if you subscribed through Roku, visit my.roku.com and select Manage your subscriptions. If the channel you want to remove is listed, be sure to unsubscribe if you no longer want it.
If the service isn’t it listed, you either subscribed directly or through a third party, or maybe the app doesn’t offer a subscription at all.
Ben Patterson/Foundry
Once you’ve finished checking your subscription (if you had one in the first place), deleting a channel on Roku is similar to moving an app.
Simply navigate to the app you want to remove, tap the “*” (Options) button, then select “Delete App”.
This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best media streaming devices.
