If a streaming service exists, it’s usually available on Roku devices. A big exception to this, though, is Twitch, which Amazon pulled from the Channel Store despite the service’s massive popularity with gamers and other fanbases. There are workarounds however — here’s how to watch Twitch on Roku.
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To watch Twitch on Roku, the most dependable method is screen mirroring using Android, Windows, or Apple AirPlay. There’s no official Twitch app listed in the Roku Channel Store, and even unofficial apps have been pulled.
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How to watch Twitch on Roku
Roger Fingas / Android Authority
While the official Twitch app for Roku is gone from the Channel Store, you can re-install it if you’ve ever used it in the past. Visit your Roku account webpage, click Add channel with a code, then try the code twitchtv. You’ll see a warning message during the process, but it should be safe to add.
If you haven’t previously downloaded Twitch, you can still try a defunct third-party client, Twoku. For that one, you’ll need to use the code C6ZVZD — it’s likewise missing from the Channel Store.
Roger Fingas / Android Authority
Neither of these apps are guaranteed to work indefinitely, or maybe even at all by the time you read this. Since they’re not officially supported, Amazon could easily break backend connections that the apps rely on.
How to cast Twitch to Roku
Since it’s handled entirely locally, screen mirroring is an option Amazon can’t derail. It’s still imperfect, though, given that mirroring displays a device’s entire interface, and there’s the potential for audio lag.
Compatible platforms include Android, Windows, and Apple AirPlay. Any current Roku device can be used for output, although Express owners should check that their model number is 3900 or later. The Express Plus 3910 only supports mirroring when it’s plugged into HDMI.
On your Roku device, make sure you go to Settings > System > Screen mirroring and switch the mirroring mode to Prompt or Always allow. If you choose the former, you’ll have to authorize with your remote every time you want to mirror something. If you’re using a Roku TV or soundbar, you should also ensure that Fast TV Start is enabled by going to Settings > System > Power. Otherwise you’ll have to wait through a long boot process every time you turn your TV on.
Unfortunately, there’s no single answer for how to start mirroring from Android — phone makers locate the command in different places and often use a variety of names, such as Display Mirroring, Wireless display, or Smart View.
Confusingly, one of those names is Cast. You have to do full mirroring, not just regular casting, the latter of which would cue a Roku to load a video in a native app. In this case, the app is probably missing.
As a sample guide, here’s what to do on a OnePlus 9:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Bluetooth & Device Connection.
- Tap Cast.
- Turn on Enable wireless display.
- Select the Roku you’re trying to connect to (make sure it’s your own, not a neighbor’s).