Stop Roku from Changing Your Theme to a Featured One
Roku is set to change your theme to featured ones by default. If this has happened to you, here’s how to fix it, and never have it happen again.
Roku is a great streaming device, and the new user interface is much nicer and more fluid than the older clunky one. I’ve written several articles about Roku, and use it all the time. However the other day I found an annoyance – it changed my default theme. If this has happened to you, here’s how to fix it, and never have it happen again.
Roku Themes
The other day when I turned it on I saw the screenshot below.
It’s a special featured theme for a Lego movie…very annoying. No offense to Lego lovers out there, but it’s just not my thing, and most importantly, I want the control over how everything looks. It’s almost the same feeling you get when some crapware hijacks your browser because you forgot to uncheck a box during the installation — well maybe not that bad, but I digress…
To stop it from changing your default theme go to Settings > Themes > Custom Settings and turn off the option to allow featured themes.
After that, change your theme back to the one you had previously and wait while it switches back.
I prefer the Nebula theme…ah…much better!
Currently, the Roku is definitely my “go-to” set-top boxes for watching Netflix, Amazon, and WWE Network, and other movies and TV shows. While it has more channels, you can add even more that aren’t included in the channel store. For more on that, check out: How to Add Hidden Channels to Roku. My favorite hidden channel uses the code ITPC and it allows you to watch all of your favorite podcasts on the big screen.
I have a Roku 3 which is a nice affordable device, and it currently offers a lot more channels than the Apple TV or currently Amazon’s Fire TV.
Do you have a favorite set-top box or another streaming device? Google Chromecast maybe? Leave a comment below and tell us about it. I am always interested in hearing what other people are into for their entertainment – especially any of you cord cutters in the audience.
9 Comments
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Will
May 25, 2014 at 2:34 am
I use a WD Live Hub. It’s not exactly like the Roku, but it is networked to my computer and auxiliary hard drives. I live in Europe so I can’t really stream things, but I can download things and play them from a hard drive through the WD.
It has a wonderful feature that I never intend to give up. You can store your photos on the WD and start a slide show after 5 min. I use my LiveHub hard drive to store music and thousands of photos I would never bother to look at again but which appear randomly in the slide show. Brings back many happy memories while I am cleaning, working on other stuff or listening to music.
HighStrungLoner
October 29, 2014 at 7:16 pm
THANK YOU!!
ircsmith
May 19, 2017 at 5:48 pm
Thanks.
Mike
June 9, 2019 at 10:49 am
Thanks. It was getting annoying having my theme changed every few days.
Brian
February 13, 2020 at 3:19 pm
Thank you for this. It’s been driving me nuts for years. I even opened a support request with Roku, which they never answered.
jim
April 19, 2020 at 9:27 am
Agreed, thank you so much!!!
tazz
April 19, 2020 at 2:19 pm
OMG thank you i was loosing my mind wondering why they would let me choose a theme then changing it on me. thought i was on windows 95 ie.
John
June 2, 2020 at 10:12 am
Roku Ultra: Having disabled the custom themes last year (and yes function is still disabled) my choice of theme, Nebula, continually resets to the Roku purple default theme.The only thing that I can think of is the instead of getting the “seasonal” theme every time Roku pushes one, my device resets as it does not accept the featured upload from Roku.
Anybody experience the same? Suggestions/comments?
Prolapsed Vagina
May 7, 2023 at 11:20 am
On mine there is no custom setting. You hit wallpaper updates and turn it off.