How to Install and Watch Amazon Prime Video on Roku

This article explains how to install the Amazon Prime channel on your Roku and how to find and watch content from Prime.

How to Install Amazon Prime Video on Roku TV 

For many people, the Amazon Prime Video channel comes pre-installed on your Roku's home screen. If that's not the case for you, install it by following these steps:

1. The home screen on a Roku shows all the channel you have installed. So, in our case, highlight Search and click OK on your remote.
   

2. Use the onscreen keyboard or voice control on the remote search for Amazon Prime. Highlight Prime Video and click OK.

3. On the channel information screen, highlight Add channel and click OK.

   After the channel is installed, click OK to dismiss the confirmation pop up.

4. If you go back to the home screen (using the home button on the remote), Amazon Prime is there. Highlight it with the remote and click OK to open it.

5. The Amazon Prime Video channel for Roku requires you already have an Amazon account and a Prime subscription (or you'll create one). You can't create or sign into your account on Roku, but you can add an existing account.

   To do that, use your phone or computer to scan the QR code on your TV or go to Amazon's MyTV page in your browser. You'll also need the activation code that's also on the screen.

6. On your phone or computer, sign into your Amazon account.

7. After signing in, enter the registration code shown by your Roku in step 5.

   When the confirmation message appears on your phone, your account is linked and you're ready to start watching.

How to Watch Amazon Prime Video on Roku TV 

Finding and watching movies and TV shows from Amazon Prime Video on your Roku device is simple. Just follow these steps:

1. From the Roku home screen, use the remote control to highlight the Amazon Prime channel and click OK on the remote to launch it.

2. Select the user profile you want to use and click OK.

3. The Amazon Prime Video channel home screen offers two ways to find things to watch: browsing and searching,

   To browse, use the remote to scroll up and down, left and right through the featured content. The left-hand menu lets you go deeper into movies or TV shows and browse sub-categories within those sections.

   You can also search. To do that, highlight the magnifying glass icon in the left-hand menu, click OK on the remote, and type in what you want.
   

   The Roku remote control also offers voice search. Press the microphone button on the remote and speak what you're looking for.

4. When you've found a movie or TV show you're interested in, highlight it and click OK on the remote.

   This takes you to the information page about the content. This provides a short summary, rating and running time, stars, and—if it's a TV show—a list of seasons and episodes.

   For a movie, highlight the Start button and click OK on the remote. You can do that for TV shows to start at the first episode of the first season. To start somewhere else, navigate through the seasons and episodes and click OK.

5. You have two options during playback, both of which are accessed by pressing the remote's up button.

   When you've done this, the playback controls appear on the screen. Use the remote to access them or use the physical playback controls on the remote. These include play/pause, forward, and back, and volume and mute buttons on the right side of the remote.

   After pressing up, you can also use Amazon Prime's X-Ray feature, which provides more information about the thing you're watching and who is in it.
   

What to Do if Amazon Prime Isn't Working on Roku

The Amazon Prime Video channel is compatible with all current, and most past, Roku models. Very old models—like the Roku 1, first-generation Roku 2, and Roku 4—can no longer get channel software updates.

If you're having trouble getting Prime to work on Roku, the first thing to try is restarting your device (or unplugging your TV for 2 minutes if Roku is built into your TV).