You like to turn your electronic devices off when the day is over or anytime they’re not in use. You are about to turn your Roku Ultra off when you realize that it does not actually have a power button! So, will turning your TV off also turn the Roku Ultra player off?

The Roku Ultra streaming media player does not have a power button and will stay on even if your TV is off. The device is designed to stay on and constantly connected to the internet. If you want to turn off a Roku Ultra, you need to cut power from the outlet.

Turning your devices off when they’re not in use is always a good practice to save electricity, prevent accidents, and prolong their lifespan. Since Roku media players are designed to always stay on, this can be a bit difficult. Keep reading to learn how to work a solution out!

Does Roku Ultra Turn Off When the TV Turns Off?

It can be a bit frustrating to try powering your Roku Ultra off, just to find out that there is no apparent way of doing so! You’ve tried using the power button on the remote control, but that only turned the TV off. To power off the device, you will have to unplug it or cut power from the outlet. 

For the sake of your tranquility, we will go over why Roku players are designed like this and some ways to ensure the device gets powered off. In the following sections, we will cover:

  • Why Roku streaming media players have this designHow to power your player off manuallyWays to automate the process

Below, we will show you how to cut power to your Roku Ultra so you can feel more comfortable using this device. 

Why is Roku Ultra Designed Like This?

The Roku Ultra, along with all other Roku players, does not have a dedicated power button. These are low-power devices that are designed to stay on permanently to maintain their connection to the internet. 

They do not have a standby mode, but will begin playing a screensaver when not used for an extended period. This mode, however, does not save any energy.

The reasoning behind this design is to keep the device readily available as soon as you would like to use it. They stay constantly connected to the internet and update the software as soon as a new version becomes available. This ensures that users experience no delays when they decide they’re ready to start using their Roku. Luckily, Roku players do not use much electricity at all, nor do they use the internet when not actively in use or performing an update.

How to Power Off Your Roku Ultra Manually

While there is no power button on the device, you can directly unplug your player from the wall outlet to cut power and disconnect it from your Wi-Fi network. However, keep in mind that it might take a while to start up, reconnect to the internet, and perform any necessary updates the next time you want to use it.

Other Roku players are powered with a USB cable directly plugged into the TV. This is the only case where turning off the TV will also power off the media player. Unfortunately, Roku Ultra is the most powerful device offered by this company, and a USB connection would not provide enough power. For this reason, it is not an option for this particular model.

Some Tricks to Automate the Process

Unplugging the power cord from the wall outlet is quite an obvious solution, but what if the outlet is in a difficult-to-reach location or requires you to move some furniture around? In this situation, some tricks can help you automate the process.

One way you can avoid having to reach for the power cord every time is with the help of a smart plug. These devices can be plugged into a wall outlet, then plugged into your Roku Ultra power adapter. 

You can control whether or not the player receives power from the wall with an AI assistant, such as Alexa or Google Home. You can say a voice command to turn your smart plug off while still sitting on your couch or set a time for it to turn off automatically.

Another option is using an extension cord with a built-in power button or a mechanical timer. This will give you similar results without the need for an AI assistant.

Conclusion

Roku Ultras are not designed to turn off when your TV turns off. However, it is understandable that you might want to turn your player off when it’s not being used to save energy. In the specific case of Roku Ultra, the only way to achieve this is to cut direct power to it. 

While you could just unplug the power cord, using a smart plug or an extension cord with a switch or mechanical timer can make this process much simpler and more convenient. Just keep in mind that you might need to wait a while for the player to reboot the next time you switch it on.