Quick answer
Open YouTube from the Roku home screen, choose Sign in and Sign in with your phone, then enter the code at yt.be/activate and choose Allow.
Add YouTube to your Roku
- Open the store.Press Home and choose Streaming Store (older models say Streaming Channels).
- Search for YouTube.Choose Search, type YouTube and select it.
- Add it.Select Add channel. When you see "Channel added", press OK.
Sign in to YouTube on Roku
- Open YouTube from the home screen.
- Go to Sign in.Press ← to open the menu and select Sign in, then Sign in with your phone.
- Enter the code at yt.be/activate, or scan the QR code.
- Allow access for your Google account. The Roku signs in after a few seconds.
Opens Google's official page in a new tab. Type your code there, never on any other site.
Roku problems and fixes
Code expired before you finished
Press ← on the Roku remote and choose Sign in again for a new code. Have your phone ready before you open the code screen. More on expired codes
YouTube is slow, freezes or will not sign in
- Update: Settings → System → System update → Check now.
- Restart: Settings → System → Power → System restart (or unplug for 30 seconds).
- Reinstall: highlight YouTube on the home screen, press *, choose Remove channel, restart, then add it again from the store.
Sign out or switch account
Open the YouTube menu, select your profile picture, pick the account and choose Sign out. Sign out remotely
Questions people ask
Is yt.be/activate the same as roku.com/link?
No. roku.com/link connects the Roku device to your Roku account. yt.be/activate signs the YouTube app in to your Google account. You need the Roku one only once, when setting up the device.
How do I update YouTube on Roku?
Go to Settings → System → System update → Check now. This updates the Roku software and its channels, including YouTube.