Can Roku play my media files?
Roku is one of the most popular streaming media players available today. It allows you to access thousands of streaming channels and apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and more. With Roku, you can stream movies, TV shows, live TV, news, sports, music, and other content directly to your TV.
While Roku is great for streaming content from various apps and channels, many wonder if you can also use it to play your own personal media files. This includes video files, music, and photos stored locally on your computer or a USB drive. The good news is that Roku does support playback of local media files in certain formats.
In this article, we’ll explore the different ways to play media files on your Roku device. This includes using the native Roku Media Player, third-party apps like Plex, casting from your mobile device, and more. We’ll also look at what media formats Roku supports, as well as tips for converting your files if needed.
Roku’s Supported Media Formats
Roku devices support a wide variety of media formats for video, audio, and images. According to the Roku developer documentation, Roku supports the following formats:
Video: H.264/AVC (.mp4, .m4v, .mov); H.265/HEVC (.mp4, .mkv); VP9 (.mkv); AV1 (.mkv)
Audio: AAC (.mp4, .m4a); MP3 (.mp3, .mka); FLAC (.flac); PCM (.wav, .aif); AC3/E-AC3 (.ec3, .mkv, .mp4); DTS (.dts, .mkv, .mp4)
Images: JPG, PNG, GIF
The supported resolutions depend on the specific Roku player model, with high-end models like the Roku Ultra supporting up to 4K HDR video. However, most Roku devices can play Full HD 1080p video at a minimum.
Playing Media via USB
One of the easiest ways to play your personal media files on a Roku device is by using a USB drive. Most Roku devices have a USB port that allows you to directly connect a USB flash drive or hard drive.
To play media via USB, first make sure your files are compatible with the supported formats on Roku. Then load your media onto a USB drive and plug it into the USB port on your Roku device.
Once connected, use the Roku Media Player channel to find and play your files. The channel should automatically detect valid media files on the drive. You can browse through your folders and select video, music or photo files to play.
One limitation is that Roku only supports FAT32 formatted USB drives, so NTFS or other formats will not work. But overall, using a USB drive is a simple plug-and-play way to play your personal media library from a Roku.
Using Plex
Plex is a media streaming platform that allows you to stream your personal media content, like videos, music, and photos, to devices like Roku. With a Plex Server setup on a computer, device, or in the cloud, and the Plex app installed on your Roku, you can access your entire media library directly on your Roku.
To use Plex on your Roku, you will need to:
- Install the free Plex app on your Roku device. This can be found in the Roku Channel Store.
- Have a Plex Media Server already setup and running, with media content added to your libraries. This can either be running on your PC, NAS drive, in the cloud etc. [1]
- Make sure the Plex Media Server and Roku are on the same network, or the server has remote access enabled if connecting over the internet.
- Sign into the Plex channel on your Roku using your existing Plex account, or create a new free account if you don’t already have one.
- After signing in, your Roku will connect to your Plex Media Server and you will have access to all your libraries.
With Plex set up, you can browse and stream your personal media just like any other channel on your Roku. It essentially acts as a central hub to access all your content libraries like Movies, TV Shows, Music etc. Plex also has features like automatic media matching and metadata fetching to organize your libraries.
Some benefits of using Plex on Roku include remote streaming, easy content browsing, on-the-fly media conversion to a format Roku supports, and more. The Plex app on Roku also includes various playback settings and options to customize your streaming experience.
Using the Roku Media Player
The Roku Media Player [1] is a built-in channel on many Roku devices that allows you to play your personal media files like videos, photos, and music. According to a Roku Support article [2], it can play content from USB storage as well as media servers on your local network.
To use the Roku Media Player, first make sure it is installed on your Roku device. You can find it on the home screen or in the Channel Store. Once opened, you can browse files on any connected USB drives or access media servers that you have set up on your local network. The channel supports a wide variety of file types including MKV, MP4, MOV, and MP3.
Overall, the Roku Media Player provides an easy way to directly play your media library without needing to convert files or set up additional software. Just connect your USB or media server and you can instantly access your photos, music, and videos.
[1] https://channelstore.roku.com/details/1829ae20b082957f963d7dab42abf7e5/roku-media-player
[2] https://support.roku.com/article/208754908
Casting from Your Phone
One way to play media files from your phone on your Roku device is by using screen mirroring. Screen mirroring allows you to display and play the contents of your phone’s screen directly on your Roku.
To use screen mirroring on Android devices, first enable the Smart View or Screen Mirroring feature in your phone’s settings. Then select your Roku device from the list of available devices. Your phone’s screen will now be mirrored to your TV through the Roku. You can then open video, audio, or photo files on your phone and play them as you normally would, and they will be displayed on your TV screen (Roku Support).
For Windows devices, enable Project My Screen in your Windows settings to mirror your display. Like on Android, your Windows device screen will now display on your TV through the Roku. Open media files on your Windows device to play them (Roku Support).
This provides a quick and easy way to play media from your phone or Windows device on your TV using your Roku player or stick.
Using DLNA
DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) allows you to stream media files from a DLNA-compatible device, like a computer or NAS drive, to your Roku. To use DLNA, you need to have a DLNA server set up on the device hosting your media files. Both Windows and Mac operating systems have built-in DLNA server capabilities. There are also many third party DLNA server apps you can use.
Once you have a DLNA server enabled, your Roku will automatically detect it as long as they are on the same network. Open the Roku Media Player and select your DLNA server under “Media Devices.” You can then browse and play your compatible media files. With DLNA streaming, your media files remain stored on the host device rather than your Roku.
According to Roku’s specifications, DLNA streaming supports a wide range of media formats including MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, DivX, and more for video, and MP3, FLAC, WAV, and other common formats for audio (Roku Streaming Specifications). This makes DLNA a very flexible way to play your media library on your Roku.
Roku devices support a wide variety of media formats like MP4, MOV, and MKV for video as well as MP3, FLAC, and WMA for audio. However, some files may not play properly depending on factors like resolution, bitrate, codecs used, etc.
Converting Files
If your media files do not play on your Roku device, you may need to convert them to a fully compatible format. Here are some tips:
- Use a video converter like AVDshare to convert files to MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. This is one of the most widely compatible formats.
- Reduce the resolution if needed to 1080p or lower. 4K videos may not play smoothly on many Roku devices.
- Lower the video bitrate, especially for 4K videos. Roku has recommended keeping videos under 25 Mbps.
- Avoid exotic codecs like HEVC or VP9 which have limited device support. Stick to standard H.264 video and AAC or MP3 audio.
- Handbrake is a free, open-source transcoding program that works well for optimizing video for Roku and other devices.
Following those guidelines should allow you to successfully play your personal media library on Roku.
Roku Models and Media Capabilities
There are key differences between Roku models when it comes to media playback capabilities:
So in summary – the Express, Express+ and Premiere do not support USB media playback. All other current Roku devices do have a USB port and can use the Roku Media Player channel to access locally stored media files.
There are also playback differences in terms of file type support between models, particularly when comparing older vs newer Roku devices. The latest models tend to support more media codecs and file types than earlier generation players.
Conclusion
Roku devices support most common media file types like MP4, MOV, and MKV. You have several options for playing your personal media files on a Roku, including using a USB drive, DLNA server, Plex, the Roku Media Player channel, or casting from your phone.
The easiest option is likely using Plex, which can organize and stream your media library over WiFi without needing to convert files. USB drives give you portability but require files to be in a compatible format. Casting gives you access to more file types but depends on your phone’s resources.
As a final tip – if you have trouble playing a file, first check if the codec or container format is supported by your Roku model. Converting the file to a more compatible MP4 or MOV format can often resolve playback issues. And using ethernet over WiFi can provide faster and smoother streaming.