What’s more annoying than pressing a button in a game and watching your character react a beat later? The best Roku TV setting to check first is Game mode on the input your console uses. It reduces picture processing, which can shorten the delay between your controller action and what appears on screen.
This guide starts with that active HDMI input, then shows you how to check your TV model, port, and console before turning on extras such as HDR or variable refresh rate. The options vary across Roku-made and partner-brand TVs, so your screen may show fewer settings than someone else’s.
What Is Roku TV Game Mode?
Game mode is a picture setting for a device connected to a Roku TV’s HDMI or AV input. Think of picture processing as extra stops between your console and the screen. Game mode cuts back on some of those stops to make play feel more responsive. Roku’s gaming guide explains which gaming features may also be available on supported TVs.
- Game mode reduces picture processing on the active HDMI or AV input.
- ALLM, or Auto Low Latency Mode, lets a compatible console request Game mode automatically.
- HDR lets compatible games display a wider range of light and color; the TV switches when it receives supported HDR content.
- VRR, or variable refresh rate, helps a supported TV match its display timing to a console or computer’s changing frame rate. Some models offer FreeSync.
If you play on a connected console or computer and notice a delay, Game mode is the place to start. It isn’t a picture setting for streaming apps or antenna TV.
Prerequisites
Make sure you have:
- A Roku TV and its remote.
- A console or computer connected to an HDMI input. An AV-connected device also works if your TV has an AV input.
- The console or computer turned on, so you can identify its input.
- The TV’s model number, or access to its information screen, for checking model-specific features.
- For a supported 4K/120 Hz setup, the appropriate HDMI port on your TV and console. Check your TV and console specifications for the cable they recommend, since requirements can vary by model, before expecting that output.
There’s no app to install or command to run. These changes happen in the TV and, where applicable, your console’s video settings.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Select the Input Your Console Uses
Press Home on the Roku remote. Choose the HDMI tile for your console, then confirm that you can see the console’s picture. If you use an AV-connected device, select its AV tile instead.
This matters because Roku’s Game mode control applies to the input you’re watching. Adjusting a different input won’t help the console you’re playing.
Expected result: You see your console or computer on the TV.
Step 2: Open Picture Settings on That Input
While the console picture is on screen, press the *Star () button on the Roku remote. Open Picture settings, then Customize Picture**.
Expected result: The TV shows picture controls for the input you selected.
Step 3: Turn On Game Mode If Manual Control Is Available
In Customize Picture, select Game mode and set it to On. That is Roku’s manual path for an active HDMI or AV input.
Expected result: Game mode shows On. If you don’t see the control, keep going: automatic detection or ALLM may already be managing it.
Step 4: Find Your TV Model
Press Home and open the TV’s Settings menu. Find its system information or About screen and note the model number shown there. The exact route to model information can differ by TV and software version, so use the labels on your set.
Expected result: You have a model number you can use to check which gaming features your TV supports.
Step 5: Check the HDMI Port and Its Capabilities
Look at the label beside the HDMI port your console uses. On some supported TVs, a 120Hz marking and game-controller icon identify a port intended for high refresh rate gaming. Then compare that port with your model’s specifications. A TV may offer different capabilities on different HDMI inputs.
Expected result: You know whether your console is plugged into a port that supports the output you want. If your supported TV designates a 120 Hz port and you want to use it, move the console’s HDMI connection to that port.
Step 6: Check How Automatic Game Mode Works With Your Console
Start a game and check the TV’s picture settings again. Roku says a detected Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 5 can trigger automatic game configuration on supported TVs. Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S use ALLM for automatic Game mode switching. These aren’t all the same detection method.
If your console offers an ALLM option, check that it’s enabled when you want automatic switching. Roku does not provide a separate TV-side ALLM switch. When ALLM controls Game mode, the TV may hide the manual Game mode control.
Expected result: The TV uses Game mode while you play, either through the manual setting or supported automatic behavior.
Step 7: Enable VRR or FreeSync Only If Your Model Offers It
If your TV’s specifications list VRR or FreeSync, press Home and open Settings > Inputs. On some Roku TVs, the menu is called TV inputs. Select the HDMI input connected to your console and look for Variable refresh rate or FreeSync variable refresh rate. Enable the option that appears on your model.
Expected result: The supported option is enabled for the correct HDMI input. If it isn’t listed, don’t assume a software update will add it; check your model’s specifications. Roku’s user guide also says VRR needs a compatible source, Game mode, and a suitable HDMI mode such as Auto or HDMI 2.0 where those choices are provided.
Step 8: Check HDR and High Refresh Rate on the Console
Open your console’s display or video settings and review the capabilities it reports for the connected TV. On Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, check the available HDR, VRR, and refresh rate options against your TV model and HDMI port. Enable only the features that both devices support. On Nintendo Switch, check its TV output options and use Game mode for responsive play; don’t expect unsupported VRR or 4K/120 Hz options to appear.
Roku says a compatible TV switches to HDR automatically when it receives supported HDR game content, usually with a brief on-screen notice. A sudden HDR switch can therefore be normal. For 4K at 120 Hz, the TV model, specific port, console output, game, and cable all need to support the combination.
Expected result: Your console offers only the output modes available through the current connection. The TV shows an HDR notice when supported HDR content starts.
Configuration: Match the Settings to Your Setup
| Setting | Where to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Game mode | Active HDMI or AV input > *Star () > Picture settings > Customize Picture** | Set it to On when manual control is available. |
| ALLM | Console video settings, if offered | Enable it for automatic Game mode switching on a compatible setup. |
| HDMI mode | Settings for the connected HDMI input, if offered | Check it if a supported feature fails to appear. For VRR, Roku’s user guide calls for Auto or HDMI 2.0 where available. |
| VRR or FreeSync | Settings > Inputs or TV inputs > connected HDMI input | Enable the available option only if your model and game device support it. |
| HDR | Console and game video settings | Let the TV switch automatically when compatible HDR content starts. |
On Windows
If a Windows PC is your gaming device, use the Roku steps above for its HDMI input. Then open Windows Settings and search for display to review the resolution and refresh rates Windows offers for the connected TV. Select a mode supported by the TV model and the HDMI port you’re using. The exact Windows labels can vary by version.
On Android
An Android phone can help you look up your TV’s model information while you stand by the HDMI ports. Open your phone’s browser and search the model number from the TV’s information screen. The gaming changes themselves still happen on the Roku TV and connected console or computer.
On the Web
Use Roku’s gaming settings guide alongside your model’s specifications to check Game mode, automatic behavior, and supported HDMI features. Keep the exact model number and port number handy; “Roku TV” alone isn’t enough to establish VRR or 120 Hz support.
Other picture controls deserve a lighter touch. If your particular TV shows settings labeled motion smoothing, action smoothing, or noise reduction, compare the game with each available control changed one at a time. Those labels and controls vary by model, and one brightness or processing value won’t suit every Roku TV.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Problem: Game mode is missing or unavailable.
- Switch from the Home screen to the console’s HDMI or AV input.
- Press *Star () and open Picture settings > Customize Picture** again.
- If the manual control is still absent, check whether the console’s ALLM setting is controlling Game mode. If you need manual control, turn off ALLM on the console and return to the TV input.
Problem: The TV doesn’t seem to detect the console.
- Confirm that the console picture appears on the HDMI input you selected.
- Use the manual Game mode path if it’s available.
- Check your TV model and console output options before expecting automatic features. Roku’s gaming guide describes which automatic behavior applies to supported devices.
Problem: VRR, FreeSync, or 4K/120 Hz is unavailable.
- Check the TV model’s specifications for the feature.
- Check the specific HDMI port. For 120 Hz on a model with a marked gaming port, use that port, and check your TV and console documentation for the cable type they recommend.
- Check the input’s HDMI mode if your TV offers that setting.
- Review the console’s available output modes. A missing option can reflect the TV, port, cable, source, or their combination.
Problem: The picture looks dim or washed out.
- Check whether the TV switched into HDR when the game started.
- Compare the same game with HDR off on the console or in the game, if that option is available.
- Review the game’s HDR controls and the Roku TV’s picture settings for that input. Avoid copying someone else’s fixed brightness values; panels and rooms differ.
Problem: Gameplay feels delayed with wireless audio.
- Make sure Game mode is enabled on the active game input.
- Compare the experience using the TV’s own speakers. Roku says synchronizing Roku wireless speakers or a Roku TV Wireless Soundbar can add a slight audio and video delay that’s noticeable during games. A separate soundbar can also be worth checking in a comparison, but the cited Roku explanation concerns its wireless audio products.
Problem: Online games still feel laggy.
- Test the console’s local menus or an offline game.
- If those respond normally but online play does not, check your internet connection or cloud gaming service. Game mode addresses the TV’s display delay; it cannot fix network delay. A wired Ethernet connection, where your gaming device supports one, is a useful comparison with Wi-Fi.
FAQ
Does Game mode turn on automatically? It can. Roku says supported console detection can configure gaming features, while Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S use ALLM for automatic switching. Check the active input if you’re unsure.
Is ALLM another Roku TV setting I need to switch on? No. ALLM is a request from a compatible console; Roku does not list a separate TV-side ALLM switch.
Why did my TV switch to HDR by itself? A compatible Roku TV switches when it receives supported HDR content from the connected device. The brief on-screen HDR message is expected.
Does every Roku TV have VRR or 4K/120 Hz? No. Support depends on the model and often the HDMI port. Check the TV’s exact specifications before changing cables or console settings.
Wrapping Up
Game mode on the active input is the first setting I’d check when a Roku TV feels slow during games. After that, your model and HDMI port decide which extras are worth turning on.
| Step | Action | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Select the console’s input and check Game mode | All connected game devices |
| 2 | Check the TV model and HDMI port | Anyone checking supported features |
| 3 | Match ALLM, HDR, VRR, and refresh rate options | Compatible TVs and game devices |
A good HDMI cable or the right port may help unlock a feature your TV already supports. Neither is a substitute for checking the model number first (the least exciting step, but often the one that saves the most head-scratching).