Roku just made browsing its free live TV channels so much easier - how the 'Search' button works

Source: ZDNet

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Roku Channel now has a search button for live TV.
• Previously, you were limited to searching by category.
• Roku offers more than 500 free live TV channels.

Roku just fixed one of the biggest problems with navigating its immense lineup of free TV channels.

If you haven’t caught on yet, The Roku Channel is perhaps one of the best free streaming options. Not only does it have a large library of on‑demand movies and TV shows, but it also offers hundreds of live channels you can watch for free.

Also: Want free TV streaming? How to get more than 1000 channels – no subscription required

The only problem was that there wasn’t an easy way to search for what you wanted. You could add channels to your favorites list by clicking the ★ button, or you could search by category, but finding something specific still involved scrolling through channel after channel on the lineup.

Meet the new search button

That’s no longer an issue thanks to a new search button (first spotted by CordCuttersNews).

You’ll see the new search function on the left side at the top of the category options. You can search by the name of the show, genre, or any keywords that might be associated. I was able to quickly find my local news station’s channel, my favorite comfort sitcom, and several other things I wanted easy access to.

Also: Your Roku TV has 100+ free live channels – here’s how to watch them (and what’s available)

Given that The Roku Channel has more than 500 live channels and is consistently expanding, this is a small but significant upgrade that’ll save you time when trying to find your favorite show. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in a huge library, you’ll likely look elsewhere. And if Roku keeps investing in free content, it’s good to keep users around.