Deleting an app from Roku takes less than a minute
To remove an app from your Roku, highlight it on the home screen, press the Options button (the star icon) on your remote, and select "Remove channel". The app disappears immediately. You can reinstall it later from the Roku Channel Store at any time — removing an app does not delete your account or login information for that service.
The process is the same whether you use a Roku TV, a Roku streaming stick, or a Roku box. The only difference is where the app sits on your screen, but the deletion method never changes.
Key Takeaways
- Highlight the app you want to remove, press the star (Options) button on your remote, and select "Remove channel" from the menu.
- Deleting an app from Roku does not erase your login credentials or account data with that service — you can sign back in immediately if you reinstall it.
- You can reinstall any app you remove by going to the Roku Channel Store and searching for it by name.
- Removing apps frees up storage space on your device and cleans up your home screen without affecting your Roku account or other settings.
Step-by-step removal on your home screen
Start on your Roku home screen. Use the arrow buttons on your remote to highlight the app tile you want to delete. Move left, right, up, or down until the app is selected — you will see it highlighted with a border or slight color change.
Once the app is highlighted, press the star button (labeled Options) on your remote. A small menu will pop up with several choices. Look for "Remove channel" in that menu and press OK to select it. The app will vanish from your home screen within seconds.
If you accidentally delete an app, you have not lost anything. Go to the Roku Channel Store, search for the app by name, and reinstall it. Your login information for that service remains saved on Roku's servers, so you will not need to sign in again unless you clear your account data separately.
What happens to your account when you delete an app
Removing an app from Roku does not touch your account with that streaming service. Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube, and every other service store your login information on their own servers, not on your Roku device. When you delete the Netflix app from Roku, Netflix still knows who you are and what you watched.
If you reinstall the app later, you will often be signed in automatically. Some services ask you to sign in again as a security measure, but your account, watch history, saved shows, and preferences are untouched. The only thing deletion removes is the app itself from your device.
Freeing up storage space by removing unused apps
Roku devices have limited storage, and apps take up space. If your device is running slowly or you see a message about storage being full, removing apps you no longer use can help. Streaming apps like Peacock, Paramount+, and Pluto TV each take up several hundred megabytes.
You do not need to keep every app installed. Most people use three to five streaming services regularly and can safely remove the rest. Removing apps you installed once and never opened again is one of the fastest ways to improve your device's performance.
Reinstalling an app you removed
To put an app back on your Roku, press the Home button on your remote to go to the home screen. Navigate to the Roku Channel Store — it is usually a tile on your home screen, or you can find it in the menu. Search for the app by name using the on-screen keyboard.
When you find the app, select it and press OK. Choose "Add channel" or "Install" depending on what the screen shows. The app will download and install in the background, and a notification will appear when it is ready to use. You can then open it and sign in if needed.
Removing pre-installed apps that came with your Roku
Some apps come built into your Roku and cannot be deleted — these include the Roku Channel Store, Settings, and a few others. If you highlight one of these apps and press the Options button, the "Remove channel" option will not appear. Roku locks these apps to prevent accidental removal.
Most other pre-installed apps, like The Roku Channel, Roku Search, and some demo apps, can be removed using the same method as any other app. Try highlighting the app and pressing Options. If "Remove channel" appears, you can delete it. If it does not appear, that app is locked and cannot be removed.
Organizing your home screen after deletion
After you delete apps, you may notice empty spaces on your home screen. You can rearrange the remaining apps to clean up the layout. Highlight any app, press the Options button, and select "Move channel". Use the arrow buttons to drag it to a new position, then press OK to drop it there.
Organizing your apps by category — putting all your news apps together, all your music apps together — makes your home screen easier to navigate. You can also move your most-used apps to the top row so they are the first thing you see when you turn on your Roku.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting an app erase my watch history or saved shows?
No. Your watch history, saved shows, and account settings live on the streaming service's servers, not on your Roku. Deleting the Netflix app does not erase your Netflix account or what you have watched. When you reinstall it, you will see everything exactly as you left it.
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
No, Roku does not have a bulk delete feature. You must remove apps one at a time by highlighting each one, pressing Options, and selecting "Remove channel". If you have many apps to delete, it takes a few minutes, but the process is straightforward for each one.
What if I delete an app by mistake?
You can reinstall it immediately from the Roku Channel Store. Search for the app by name, select it, and choose "Add channel". Your account and all your data with that service remain intact. There is no penalty for deleting and reinstalling apps.
Does removing apps make my Roku faster?
Yes, removing unused apps frees up storage space and can improve performance if your device is running low on memory. If your Roku is slow or freezing, deleting apps you do not use regularly is one of the quickest fixes you can try.
Can I hide apps instead of deleting them?
Roku does not have a built-in hide feature, but you can move apps to the far right of your home screen where you will not see them. The app still takes up storage space, so deletion is better if you truly do not want it. Some Roku models let you create custom rows, which gives you more control over what appears on your main screen.