Standalone Roku guide
Roku Changed Its Home Screen: 10 Settings to Fix Review
Roku does not offer one switch to restore the old home screen, but these 10 settings remove much of the new clutter, fix common power problems, and make everyday navigation more predictable.
Steve's verdict
You cannot fully roll Roku back, but hiding recommendations and Quick Access, organizing the app grid, and reviewing the power and display settings gets the interface much closer to a clean, familiar setup.
Best for
Roku owners frustrated by the new home screen, extra recommendations, black-screen wake problems, or unwanted automatic behavior.
Skip it if
You like Roku's new recommendations and automatic features exactly as they are—most of these changes are personal preferences, not mandatory fixes.
Start here
Update Roku software
Biggest cleanup
Hide two home rows
Time required
About 10 minutes
What I like
- Removes recommendation and Quick Access clutter
- Restores a full, manually organized app grid
- Can resolve some sleep and black-screen wake issues
- Explains the tradeoffs behind each setting
- Requires no additional hardware or paid software
What to know
- Roku does not provide a complete old-layout switch
- Menu names and availability can vary by Roku model
- App order does not sync across Roku devices
- Disabling power savings increases energy use
- Some display fixes introduce a brief black screen when modes change
What I tested
Real-world use, not just the spec sheet
- The redesigned Roku home screen and app grid
- Recommendation, Quick Access, and tile-size controls
- App organization and removal behavior
- Power, bandwidth, display, HDMI-CEC, and caption settings
- The tradeoff created by each on/off choice
Specs that matter
Guide type
Settings walkthrough
No purchase is required.
Software
Update first
Menu availability varies by Roku model and rollout.
Home cleanup
Two rows can hide
Recommendation row and Quick Access are controlled separately.
App order
Per device
The arrangement does not sync across multiple Roku devices.
Before changing anything
Open Settings, System, Software update, and choose Check now. Roku models do not always receive identical menus at the same time, so installing the latest available software gives you the best chance of seeing the options covered here.
1. Hide the recommendation row
Go to Settings, Home screen, Recommendation row, then choose Hide. Roku calls this row Top picks for you. Removing it puts your apps back near the top of the home screen; recommendations remain available in the For You section if you still want them.
2. Hide Quick Access
Go to Settings, Home screen, Quick Access, and choose Hide. Quick Access shows a smaller AI-influenced group of apps while pushing the complete grid farther down. Hiding it restores the familiar view of every installed app in one place.
3. Choose a tile size
Under Settings, Home screen, Tile size, pick the grid that is easiest to use. Large tiles show fewer apps and can help someone who has difficulty seeing the default layout. Small tiles place more apps on one screen for faster browsing.
4. Reorder and remove apps
Highlight an app and press the star button. Choose Move, Move to top, or Remove app. Put the services you use most near the beginning and remove anything that only creates clutter. The layout is saved on that Roku device and does not sync to the others on your account.
5. Review Auto power savings
Open Settings, System, Power, Auto power savings. Roku may shut down after 20 minutes without remote interaction, and some devices can fail to wake cleanly or show a black screen. Turning the option off may help that behavior, but it also uses more power.
6. Disable sponsored wallpaper
Go to Settings, Theme, Sponsored wallpapers, and turn the feature off if you do not want brands, movies, or shows changing the background. Seasonal wallpaper is a separate preference, so you can keep holiday themes while blocking sponsored changes.
7. Turn off Bandwidth saver when needed
Under Settings, Network, Bandwidth saver, turn the setting off if Roku stops a long football game, music stream, or background video after four hours. Leave it on if limiting unattended streaming is more important to you.
8. Test Auto-adjust display refresh rate
Open Settings, System, Advanced system settings, Advanced display settings. Enabling Auto-adjust display refresh rate can reduce judder by matching 24 fps movies and other content, but the TV may go black briefly while switching modes. Leave it off if those transitions are more distracting than the motion issue.
9. Decide whether to use One-touch play
Go to Settings, System, Control other devices, One-touch play. HDMI-CEC lets a Roku remote button switch the television to the Roku input, which is convenient. Disable it if the Roku wakes unexpectedly and pulls the TV away from a game console or computer.
10. Enable captions on replay
Open Settings, Accessibility, Caption mode, and choose On replay. Pressing the replay button then jumps back 10 seconds and temporarily shows captions, making a missed or mumbled line much easier to catch without leaving captions on permanently.
What these changes cannot do
These settings reduce clutter and unwanted automation, but they do not restore every piece of the old Roku software. Privacy controls are also a separate topic. If one of the paths is missing, your model or software version may not support that option even after updating.
Questions before you buy
Can I restore the old Roku home screen?
Roku does not provide one switch that fully restores the old layout. You can get much closer by hiding the Recommendation row and Quick Access, choosing your preferred tile size, and manually reorganizing the app grid.
Why does my Roku show a black screen after it sleeps?
Auto power savings can cause some Roku devices to shut down after 20 minutes without remote interaction and then fail to wake cleanly. Turn off Auto power savings to test whether it fixes the problem, keeping in mind that the Roku will use more power.
How do I stop Roku from pausing after four hours?
Go to Settings, Network, Bandwidth saver, and turn the setting off. Leave it on if you prefer Roku to stop unattended streaming after four hours and reduce unnecessary data use.
How do I stop Roku from changing my wallpaper?
Go to Settings, Theme, Sponsored wallpapers, and turn the feature off. Seasonal wallpaper is controlled separately, so you can keep holiday themes while blocking sponsored changes.
From the YouTube comments
“How do I turn off the annoying voice announcements on Roku?”
Steve's answer
Go to Settings, Accessibility, Screen reader, and set it to Off. The screen reader can also be toggled accidentally with a remote shortcut on some Roku devices, so this is the first setting to check if Roku suddenly starts reading menus aloud.
Watch the full review