Roku devices are considered one of the best ways to stream content on your TV However, what happens if you want to use your Roku for other things, such as browsing the web and classifying your photos?
What you need is access to Google services on your devices. And in this article, we explain how to get Google on Roku. Including Google Play Movies and TV, Google Photos and Google Search.
How to get movies and TV from Google Play on Roku
We start with one of the most direct ways to get Google on Roku. Since these devices are compatible with all major streaming services, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that Google Play Movies and TV has an official channel of this platform that you can download and use.
Once you have installed the Google Play Movies app there, you must link it to your Google account by visiting play.google.com/roku. You must also provide a payment method during the registration process, although you will not be charged unless you request something.
On the official Google help page, he states that there are some geographical restrictions. In theory, you can only use the application if you live in: Canada, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, the United States or the United Kingdom.
It is not clear how accurate the information is; since many users in other countries can download and access the Roku service. Just keep in mind that unsupported countries may have problems.
How to get Google Play Music on this platform
Unfortunately, there is no official Google Play Music for Roku devices. You can draw your own conclusions about Google's reasons, such as Chromecasts.
Although there used to be a couple of ways to listen to Google Play Music on your Roku: you could use Nowhere Music's Roku private channel or you could use a third-party add-on for Plex. Unfortunately, development in both projects has ceased.
As such, the only remaining option is to stream Google Play Music from an Android device or Windows computer directly to your platform. Roku devices use Miracast technology, so iOS devices are not compatible.
It is an inelegant solution for many reasons, but it works. Just remember to control playback directly from your smartphone or computer instead of through the Roku TV remote control.
To listen to Google Play Music on a Roku, follow these instructions if you are an Android user:
- Make sure your Android device and your Roku device are on the same Wi-Fi network.
- On your Android, swipe down the notification bar.
- Click on "Cast."
- Select your Roku from the list of devices.
Follow these instructions if you are using Windows
- Make sure your Windows computer and your Roku device are on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open the configuration application.
- Go to System and then to Screen.
- Scroll down to multiple screens.
- Click Connect to a wireless screen.
- Choose your Roku device from the list of available options.
While you are running Roku OS 7.7 or later, you do not need to perform any action on the device. Duplication will start automatically.
How to get Google Photos
Again, there is no official Google Photos application for your platform. This time, you can use a third-party application from the Roku Channel Store.
The application is called PhotoView for Google Photos. It began its life at the end of 2016 as a simple software without much appeal. Today, it has an official "Partner" status with the Google Photos app and has become the best way to access your images on Roku.
PhotoView supports your Google Photos albums and has an integrated search function. The application also comes with a screen saver function; You can play your photos in a slide show when your device is not in use.
You should keep in mind that you will have to give PhotoView access to your Google account during the setup process. Although some people may feel uncomfortable with this.
Can you get Google Play Store on Roku?
Although we are sure that many people wish it were possible, there is simply no way to get Google Play Store on their device.
It is due to the underlying services that Play Store relies on. Your Roku would need to run the Google Services Framework, Google Account Manager and Google Play Services, none of which is available. And, unlike Fire TV, there is no way to load those components on your platform.
In terms of obtaining Google applications on your device, the result of the lack of Google Play Store is that if you want to use software such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Keep, etc., you will not be lucky.
So, the only possible solution is to duplicate your screen using the steps described above. In this case, it is not clear what benefit screen duplication would have by simply using the respective applications directly on your smartphone or tablet.
Can you get Google Chrome on Roku?
In what is becoming a family story, there is no Google Chrome application for Roku devices. If you really need to access Chrome on your TV screen, you should duplicate your screen from another Miracast-enabled device.
How to get Google Search
If you wonder how to connect to the Internet on Roku, we have bad news. since your list of options is minimal. The quality of web browsers on these devices is not as robust as the options on Fire TV devices or Android TV.
In fact, there are only two options to choose from: Web Browser X and Poprism.
Poprism is only based on text: it cannot display images, photos or Flash content. Web Browser X is very unreliable. To use Google Search, navigate to google.com in the usual way.
If none of the browsers work for you, the only option is to duplicate your Android or Windows screen on your TV once again.
Looking beyond using Google on Roku
Of course, the fact that the prospects for using Google applications and services on your Roku are not so good, does not mean that there are still tons of excellent channels of this platform from which you can choose.