How to Control a Soundbar With Your Roku Remote
How to control a soundbar with a Roku remote: plug the soundbar into your TV’s HDMI ARC port, turn on the TV’s CEC and ARC settings, and the Roku remote’s volume buttons will reach the soundbar through the TV.
Roku’s own help pages say its remotes can’t control a soundbar directly, so the TV has to pass the commands along.
Miss one of those settings, and you’re back to juggling two remotes while the soundbar’s volume sits out of reach.
The steps differ between a Roku TV, a Roku streaming stick plugged into another brand’s TV, and Roku’s own soundbars.
Below are Roku’s steps for each, the names every major TV brand gives these settings, and what to check when the volume buttons still do nothing.
Can a Roku Remote Control a Soundbar?
That TV in the middle is the whole trick. Yes, a Roku remote can control a soundbar, but only through the TV: Roku says its remotes can’t directly control a soundbar or receiver, though a Roku player can control the sound when everything is connected by HDMI with HDMI-CEC turned on (Roku).
CEC, short for Consumer Electronics Control, lets devices share commands over the same HDMI connection that carries the picture and sound. Roku’s guide to it gives this exact example: with CEC on, a TV remote can adjust the volume of a connected soundbar (Roku).
It also warns that CEC doesn’t control every function of every device. For some settings, you may still need the soundbar’s own remote.
What you need depends on the setup:
| Your setup | What lets the Roku remote control the soundbar |
|---|---|
| Roku TV with a soundbar on HDMI ARC | ARC, System audio control and 1-touch play turned on in the TV’s CEC menu |
| Roku streaming stick or box on another brand’s TV | A Roku remote with TV controls, set up for your TV, plus CEC and ARC turned on in the TV |
| Roku Streambar Pro or Roku Smart Soundbar | Nothing extra: the soundbar is the Roku device, so the remote pairs with it |
| Any soundbar on an optical cable | CEC can’t travel over optical, so the soundbar must be able to learn the remote’s infrared signal |
How to Control a Soundbar With a Roku TV Remote
The Roku TV row in that table is the simplest case, because the TV and the remote already belong to the same system. Turn on ARC and CEC in the TV’s CEC menu, and the Roku TV remote controls the soundbar’s volume and mute.
Here are Roku’s steps (Roku):
- Press Home on the Roku TV remote, then scroll and select Settings.
- Select System, then Control other devices (CEC).
- Highlight ARC (or eARC on models that have it) and press OK to check the box.
- In the same menu, check System audio control.
- Highlight 1-touch play and check that box too.
Roku says that with CEC on, the Roku TV remote adjusts the volume and mutes the soundbar, and the TV shows the volume level and mute status on screen. That on-screen volume bar is the quickest sign the link is working.
The soundbar may have its own CEC and ARC settings as well. Roku points you to the soundbar maker’s guides for those.
The same Settings, System, Audio menu holds a setting called S/PDIF and ARC, which decides the sound format the TV sends. Auto detect is the default, and Roku suggests choosing a specific format only when the TV doesn’t detect what the soundbar supports.
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A Roku streaming stick or box on another brand’s TV takes one extra step, because the remote has to learn that TV first. Set the remote up for TV control: Roku’s steps are to press Home, go to Settings, then Remotes & devices, then Remotes, choose your voice remote, and select Set up remote for TV control (Roku).
Before you start, turn the TV’s volume up and point the remote straight at the TV. The TV plays a few sounds while the Roku finds the right settings, and you confirm whether you heard the music.
Only some Roku remotes can do this. Roku names the Roku Voice Remote, Voice Remote Pro and Voice Remote Pro 2nd Edition as the remotes that control a TV, and warns that some TVs accept volume but not power from them.
One step matters for soundbar owners. If your Roku player plugs into the soundbar or a receiver rather than the TV, Roku says to connect it directly to the TV during setup, which helps the Roku detect your TV’s brand correctly.
Once the remote controls the TV, turn on CEC and ARC in the TV itself, using the menu names in the next section. The TV then passes the volume commands along to the soundbar.
If your Roku player runs through a Samsung soundbar rather than the TV, our guide to connecting a Roku Ultra to a Samsung soundbar walks through that layout.
Which TV Settings Turn On CEC and ARC?
Those CEC and ARC switches hide under a different name on nearly every brand, and Roku notes they’re often off by default. Roku’s guide lists the trade names and menu paths for common brands, and this is where to look on each (Roku):
| TV brand | What the brand calls CEC | Where to turn it on |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) | Settings, System, Expert Settings, Anynet+ (or General, External Device Manager); ARC turns on with it |
| LG | SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC) | All Settings, General, SIMPLINK; then Sound, Sound Out, Audio Out (Optical/HDMI ARC), with Digital Sound Out on Auto |
| Sony | BRAVIA Sync | Settings, Watching TV, External inputs, BRAVIA Sync settings; then eARC mode on Auto under Display & Sound, Audio output |
| Vizio | CEC | Menu, System, CEC: set CEC Function to Enable and System Audio Control to On, then run Device Discovery |
| TCL (Google TV) | External Devices Control, or T-Link on older models | Settings, Channels & Inputs, Inputs; then Audio Output set to HDMI ARC |
| Hisense (Google TV) | HDMI Control or HDMI CEC | Settings, Channels & Inputs (or System), Inputs; then Audio Output set to ARC |
| Amazon Fire TV | HDMI CEC Device Control | Settings, Display & Sounds, HDMI CEC Device Control; turn on ARC/eARC in the same place |
| Panasonic | VIERA Link, HDAVI Control or EZ Sync | Menu, Setup, HDMI control, CEC function |
| Philips | EasyLink | Setup, TV settings, Installation, Preferences, EasyLink; then HDMI-ARC on |
| Toshiba | CE-Link or Regza Link | Menu, Options, HDMI CEC Control Setup, with Amplifier Control on |
Roku adds that these steps vary from model to model and can change with TV software updates. When a menu doesn’t match, the TV’s own manual has the current path.
Two brand quirks are worth knowing. On LG, SIMPLINK has to be on before the ARC option works, and on Hisense, Roku says a grayed-out ARC option means HDMI-CEC isn’t fully enabled yet: turn it on and restart the TV.
Can You Control an Optical Soundbar With a Roku Remote?
All of those menus assume an HDMI cable, which is the catch for soundbars on an optical cable. Not through CEC: its commands travel over HDMI, and Roku lists volume and mute control from the Roku TV remote as a benefit of the HDMI ARC connection rather than the optical one (Roku).
The simplest fix is to switch cables. If the soundbar has an HDMI ARC port, one HDMI cable to the TV’s ARC port brings the remote control with it, and Roku notes that ARC also carries formats the optical port can’t, like Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos.
A short cable rated for ARC and eARC is enough for a bar right below the TV, such as Silkland’s 3.3-foot eARC HDMI cable. Check that the TV end goes into the port labeled ARC or eARC, not any HDMI port.
Silkland’s 3.3-foot eARC HDMI cable
Without an HDMI port on the soundbar, the other route is a soundbar that learns a TV remote’s infrared signal. Sonos, for example, says its bars on an optical cable need the TV remote set up by hand in the Sonos app, under Settings, the room, then Remote Control Setup (Sonos).
That route has a limit. Sonos says bars on optical only work with infrared remotes, and remotes that use only Bluetooth or radio signals may need extra setup or may not work at all (Sonos).
So test your Roku remote during the soundbar’s remote setup. If the bar won’t respond to it, the HDMI cable is the more reliable fix.
What Can a Roku TV Remote Control on a Roku TV Ready Soundbar?
Soundbars sold as Roku TV Ready take most of the guesswork out, because they’re built to work with a Roku TV’s remote and menus. A Roku TV remote controls the soundbar’s volume, mute and sound modes: Roku says the TV shows an on-screen volume level that matches the soundbar, and the Star button opens Sound settings, where you pick the bar’s sound modes (Roku).
Power and input switching are the exception. Roku notes those stay with the soundbar and its own remote, while any volume or sound mode change you make with the soundbar’s remote shows up in the Roku TV’s audio settings.
The soundbar still has to sit on the TV’s HDMI ARC port and be set up properly. Roku says a soundbar that’s switched off or hasn’t been set up can’t have its volume, mute or sound modes controlled at all.
For bars that pair well with a Roku TV, our guide to the best soundbar for a Roku TV compares current picks.
How Do You Pair a Roku Remote to a Roku Streambar or Smart Soundbar?
Roku’s own soundbars go a step further than Roku TV Ready ones, since the soundbar is the Roku device. Put fresh batteries in the remote: Roku says a Streambar Pro or Roku Smart Soundbar detects its voice remote and pairs with it automatically, and the remote then works without being pointed at the bar (Roku).
The onn.-branded Roku Smart Soundbar works differently. Its Roku simple remote is ready as soon as the batteries are in, but you have to point it at the front of the soundbar when you press a button.
On a non-Roku TV, these bars offer TV control during setup: select Check remote settings, or set it up later under Settings, Remotes & devices, Remotes, then your remote and Set up remote for TV control. Roku says that option only appears with a Roku voice remote that has TV controls, and some TVs accept volume but not power from it.
Roku also recommends connecting the bar to the TV’s ARC port. If you use a different HDMI port, you’ll need the included optical cable to hear sound from the TV’s own tuner and connected devices.
If you’re still choosing, our comparison of the Roku Streambar and a standard soundbar covers what each one does better.
Why Won’t a Roku Remote Control the Soundbar?
When the volume buttons still do nothing after all that, work through Roku’s own checks in order (Roku):
- Watch the screen. Press volume and look for the volume indicator on the TV; if it doesn’t appear, the remote itself may not be working.
- Check the port and power. The soundbar has to be in the TV’s HDMI ARC port, switched on and set up.
- Clear the TV’s infrared window. Roku warns that a soundbar in front of the TV can block its infrared receiver, usually along the bottom edge of the screen, even partly; an IR repeater helps if you can’t move the bar.
- Turn on CEC and ARC. They’re often off by default, under the brand names in the table above.
- Redo the TV control setup. For a Roku player, run Set up remote for TV control again or re-enter your TV brand, with the player plugged straight into the TV.
- Update the soundbar. Some Roku TV Ready soundbars update over Wi-Fi and others need a file on a USB drive, so check the maker’s support site.
- Check eARC. Roku says the Roku Streambar SE doesn’t support eARC, so you may need to turn eARC off on the TV before it works.
The infrared check is easy to overlook. Roku says even a partly blocked receiver can affect how well the remote controls the TV and soundbar, which is easy to mistake for a settings problem.
Can You Change the Soundbar Volume by Voice?
Once the buttons work, the Roku Voice Remote Pro can do the same job hands-free. With a Voice Remote Pro (1st or 2nd edition) and CEC turned on, Roku lists commands like “Hey Roku, turn up the volume” and “Hey Roku, set volume to 11” (Roku).
Roku’s list also includes “Hey Roku, turn on the TV” and “Hey Roku, turn off the TV,” and it says to speak naturally rather than shouting or slowing down.
On a Roku TV, Roku says to turn on One-Touch Play under Settings, System, Control other devices (CEC). Then set the voice remote up again under Settings, Remotes & devices, Remotes, and test it with “Hey Roku, what time is it?”
Roku adds that not every TV fully supports CEC. Some voice commands may work while others don’t, so check your TV’s manual if one keeps failing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I program my Roku remote to my soundbar?
Not with codes. Roku says its remotes can’t directly control a soundbar; they control it through the TV when HDMI-CEC is on, or directly only on Roku’s own soundbars.
Which Roku remotes can control a soundbar?
On a Roku streaming player, only remotes with TV controls: Roku names the Voice Remote, Voice Remote Pro and Voice Remote Pro 2nd Edition. On a Roku TV, the TV’s own remote works once ARC and CEC are on.
Why does the Roku remote change the TV’s volume but not the soundbar’s?
The TV isn’t passing the volume commands along yet. Turn on ARC and System audio control in the TV’s CEC menu, and check that the soundbar is plugged into the TV’s ARC port.
Does the Roku simple remote control a soundbar?
Not on a Roku streaming player, since TV controls need a Roku Voice Remote, Voice Remote Pro or Voice Remote Pro 2nd Edition. The onn.-branded Roku Smart Soundbar is the exception: its simple remote controls the bar directly when you point it at the front.
Can the Roku remote turn my soundbar on and off?
Roku says power and input buttons on a Roku TV Ready soundbar stay with the soundbar’s own remote. The Roku TV remote handles its volume, mute and sound modes.
Do I need to point the Roku remote at the soundbar?
For TV controls, point it at the TV and keep the TV’s infrared receiver clear. The Streambar Pro and Roku Smart Soundbar remotes work from any direction, but the onn.-branded Roku Smart Soundbar’s simple remote must point at the bar.
