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ZDNET Highlights
- Roku beta testing may rearrange your home screen apps.
- This beta test is not opt-in.
- The redesign will prioritize the apps you use most.
Thanks to beta testing that’s now becoming available to more users, your Roku home screen may soon look a little different.
Several months ago, Roku began testing a home page redesign that not only shows you more content but also helps you find more shows, movies, and apps that suit your viewing habits. Earlier this year the test involved a limited number of users, but now the test is expanding, and more users are seeing the new layout.
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It appears that the redesign is fluid, meaning the layout of your app will change over time. The apps you use most frequently will appear at the top, reducing time spent scrolling. Some users are also noticing a new 4×4 grid layout instead of the classic 3×3 that has become synonymous with Roku. This means the individual tiles are smaller, but you’ll see 16 in total on your home screen instead of 9.
When testing began a few months ago, Preston Smalley, vice president of viewer product at Roku, explained that the company is “constantly looking for ways to make the Roku experience more engaging,” and was testing the Roku home page update “with the goal of providing a better, more intuitive and personalized TV journey.”
“We’re listening carefully,” he said, “and the audience’s response will influence how we think about the home screen in the future.”
While most beta tests are opt-in, it appears that Roku has a different approach; You can appear in the exam without knowing. You won’t know that something is happening until you see changes, and you see a survey asking your thoughts.
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If you want your apps to remain as you have them, there may be a solution. Some users report that you can go to Settings > Home screen > App order and then select “Manual.” However, I didn’t see that last option on any of my four Roku TVs, so that option may not be available for every device. It’s possible that the option is only available to people enrolled in this beta test.
I’ve reached out to Roku to learn more about this beta test and to determine whether setting your app to manual will maintain the current settings.
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