How to manage volume levels on your Roku streaming device
It’s common for viewers to notice that commercials or movies and shows in different apps sound noticeably louder. Audio levels can vary across different sources, which can lead to a jarring listening experience. Roku® streaming devices offer built-in volume modes designed to help maintain more consistent audio output.
This article provides information about how to maintain consistent sound levels and instructions on how to change volume modes on Roku streaming devices.
How can I reduce sudden volume spikes or dips?
Roku offers volume modes designed to help manage audio levels.
- Off: Volume modes are inactive and audio plays as normal.
- Leveling: Enables consistent volume across different types of entertainment so you do not have to change the volume every time you switch apps or a commercial comes on.
- Night: Increases the volume of quiet sounds (like dialogue) while decreasing the intensity of loud sounds (such as explosions), making it easier to watch at night without disturbing others.
- Dialogue: Conversations are easier to hear over background sounds
- Movie: Optimized for immersive theater-like experience
- Music: Settings for music
Note: Volume leveling is not available for all Roku streaming devices. Additionally, some devices only have Leveling and Night modes.
Enable volume leveling on a Roku TV
- Start playing a show or movie
- Press Star
on your Roku remote - Navigate to Sound Settings > Sound Mode
- Select Customize sound mode
- Scroll down to Volume Leveling and choose from Low, Medium, or High. Low allows volume to go up and down between shows, commercials, and apps. High keeps the volume more even so nothing sounds too loud or too quiet.
Note: In some streaming apps, Star is assigned a different function meaning it will not open the Options menu as described above. In these cases, you must launch a different app, such as The Roku Channel, and follow the steps above. Once the volume mode is switched, the setting will remain when you return to the original app.
Enable volume leveling on a Roku Streaming Player or Streambar
If you are watching content from an external device connected to your Roku TV system, like a Blu-ray™ player or cable set-top box, switch the active input to the external device.
- Start playing a movie, TV show, or other content
- Press Star on your Roku remote
- Navigate to Sound Settings
- Select Customize sound mode and choose the desired setting
Note: If you are watching content from an external device connected to your TV, you cannot adjust audio settings during playback. Use the steps in the next section to adjust audio settings from the Settings menu.
Adjust volume modes from the Settings menu
If you have a Roku Streambar® SE, Roku Streambar, or Roku Streambar Pro, you can enable Leveling or Night mode from the Settings menu at any time. If you are using an external device, like a Blu-ray player or game console, switch your TV to the input where your Roku audio device is connected before you begin.
- Press Home
on your Roku remote - Scroll and select Settings
- Select Audio
- Select Volume mode and choose the desired setting
How to adjust other audio settings on your Roku device
If you have a Roku TV system, you may be able to adjust manufacturer-specific sound modes from the same Options menu described above. When you are using a Roku audio device, you may be able to configure additional audio settings like sound modes, speech clarity, and expanded stereo. For more details, learn how to adjust other audio settings on your Roku audio device.
Troubleshooting
- Volume modes are not available for some audio formats.
- When using volume modes, movies and TV shows you stream with a surround sound format such as Dolby® Digital, DTS®, Dolby Digital Plus™, and Dolby ATMOS™ may be converted to stereo. If your Roku device is connected to an audio/video receiver (AVR) or soundbar, you may need to set volume modes to Off to hear the surround sound format.
Last updated at 2/24/2026 10:14:05 PM
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