How to get the YouTube or YouTube TV app on Roku to stream your favorite shows and playlists

• You can get the YouTube TV app through the search function on your Roku device.
• Once you add the channel, you can either use the free trial or sign into your account.
• You can also use the free YouTube app to watch videos on Roku.

YouTube used to be synonymous with free content — but nowadays there are many more options for watching videos on the platform. Take YouTube TV, for example. It’s a paid subscription that gives you access to a wide selection of live TV, though you can still access the YouTube app for free. 

Either way, you can watch them on your Roku device. Here’s how.

How to get Youtube TV on Roku

Although Youtube TV was temporarily unavailable on Roku, that’s no longer the case. Here’s what to do to get YouTube TV onto your device:

1. Turn on your Roku Device and press the Home button on your remote.

2. Use the arrow keys to go down to Search and press Ok.

3. Search for YouTube TV and then select Ok when you find it.

4. Choose Add Channel.

5. Once it’s been added, select Go to channel and then hit Ok.

6. Select either Try it for free to access the free trail, or choose Member sign in and follow the directions to sign into your account.

How to watch Youtube on Roku

If you prefer, you can use the free YouTube app. Once you’ve added the channel to your Roku device, here are a few options to start watching within the app:

Playlists

After you’ve logged into your YouTube account, you’ll have access to your playlists. You can also add videos to your playlists as you browse through YouTube. Playlists are available from the left sidebar menu.

Guest account access

The YouTube app for Roku has a handy guest account that can be used to watch free content without logging into a Google Account. 

You won’t need an additional set up to jump into your favorite videos after installing the Roku YouTube app.

Youtube Premium

YouTube Premium, formerly called YouTube Red, is a paid subscription that includes commercial-free viewing, unlimited music streaming, and access to YouTube Original shows. 

To access YouTube Premium content from the Roku YouTube app, be sure to log in with the YouTube account you used to subscribe. (Or go into the app’s settings to get YouTube Premium.)

Once you have YouTube Premium, you can use the search option to find the content you’d like to watch, or visit your followed Premium channels.

The app also supports multiple users so you can easily switch users as needed. 

Rentals and purchases

The Roku YouTube app lets you purchase movies and TV shows from directly within the app. 

You can also access content you previously purchased through YouTube or Google Play Movies and TV — these purchases will show up in the Library section of the app. 

Content eligible for Google Play Family Library can also be viewed on the Roku YouTube app from accounts with access to your shared library of titles. 

Cast Youtube from a mobile device to Roku

Using the YouTube mobile app, you can cast videos from your iPhone to Roku. This will launch the app and video on your Roku right away.

This method is handy because it’s much easier to type out the name of a video using your phone than it is using the Roku remote.