To rename an input on a Roku TV, press Home, highlight the input tile (such as HDMI 1), press the Star button, and select Rename input. Highlight a name in the list, such as Cable Box or DVR, and press OK. To use your own wording and choose a picture for the tile, select Set name & icon instead and follow the instructions on the screen.
These steps follow the Roku TV User Guide, version 15.0 (United States, English). The 14.0 guide describes the same menu labels, so the steps should match on TVs that have not updated yet. Menu wording can still differ a little between TV brands and software versions.
What you need before you start
- A Roku TV. That is a television with the Roku software built in, sold by brands such as TCL, Hisense, onn. and Roku itself. A separate Roku player or Streaming Stick has no video inputs to rename. It plugs into one of the inputs on your television.
- A remote with a Star button. The Star button has an asterisk (*) on it. Roku’s guide says it displays additional options when they are available, and that on-screen hints tell you when the button is active.
- The input tile on the Home screen. An input is one of the connections on the TV, such as HDMI 1, HDMI 2, AV or Live TV. Each one appears on the Home screen as a tile, which is the square you highlight and select. If the tile is missing, see the troubleshooting section below.
- The connected device, ideally. It helps to know which device is plugged into which port before you rename anything. The port numbers are usually printed next to the sockets on the TV.
How to rename an input from the Home screen
This is the method Roku documents, and it takes less than a minute for each input.
- Press Home on your Roku TV remote. The Home screen opens with your apps and input tiles.
- Use the arrow buttons to highlight the input tile you want to rename. Do not press OK yet, because that switches the TV to that input.
- Press Star. An options menu for that tile opens.
- Highlight Rename input and press OK. A list of built-in names appears.
- Highlight the name that fits your device and press OK to assign it.
Result: you return to the Home screen and the tile shows the new name. Roku’s guide treats the built-in names and icons as a set, so expect the icon to change along with the name.
How to set a custom name and icon
Use this method when none of the built-in names fits, for example when you have two game consoles and want each tile to show the console’s own name.
Before you do this: Roku warns that voice commands might not reliably switch to an input that has a custom name. If you change inputs by voice, read the next section first.
- Press Home, highlight the input tile, and press Star.
- Select Rename input and press OK.
- Scroll up or down in the list until Set name & icon is highlighted, then press OK.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to enter a name. You pick each character with the arrow buttons and OK.
- Select an icon for the input when the TV asks for one.
Result: the tile shows the name you entered and the icon you picked. Short names are easier to read on a tile, so “Switch” or “Office PC” works better than a full sentence. Roku does not publish a character limit for custom names, so if a long name is cut off, shorten it.
Built-in names, custom names and voice control
Roku TVs with a voice remote, and the Roku mobile app, can switch inputs when you say a command. The user guide gives “switch to game console” as an example. That works because the TV matches what you say against the name on the tile.
The guide adds a note about custom names: voice commands typically can only switch among inputs that use built-in names, such as “AV,” “Cable Box,” and “DVR.” A custom name may be ignored or misheard. The choice comes down to how you change inputs:
| If you… | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Switch inputs by voice | A built-in name from the list | Roku says voice commands typically work only with built-in names |
| Switch inputs with the remote only | A built-in or custom name | The label does not affect selecting the tile and pressing OK |
| Have two similar devices | Set name & icon | You can give each tile a different, specific name |
How to confirm the change and undo it
Press Home and find the tile. It should show the new name. To test it, highlight the tile and press OK. The TV switches to that input, and you should see the picture from the connected device if it is turned on.
Renaming is not permanent. To change the name again, repeat the steps and pick a different entry in the Rename input list, or open Set name & icon and enter something else. Roku’s guide does not list every built-in name, so if you want the original port label back (for example HDMI 1), look for it in that list.
Roku describes renaming only as assigning a name and an icon to the input. The guide does not connect the name to picture or sound settings.
Rename from Settings on some models
Roku TVs also have a Settings > TV inputs menu. Roku documents it as the place to add an input to the Home screen: its support article on setting up cable, satellite or antenna TV on a Roku TV uses Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Set up input when the Live TV tile is not on the Home screen.
Some owners report a Rename option in that same menu after they select an input. Roku’s user guide does not describe one, so treat it as something that depends on your model and software. If you open Settings > TV inputs and see no rename option, go back to the Home screen and use the Star button method above.
Move, remove, or let the TV name inputs
The same Star menu holds two more options that help once your inputs have clear names.
- Move: highlight the tile, press Star, choose Move input, and press OK. Use the directional pad to move the tile, then press OK to lock it in its new location. Putting the inputs you use most near the top saves scrolling.
- Remove: highlight the tile, press Star, choose Remove input, and press OK. This takes the tile off the Home screen. It does not disable the port, and you can add the tile back from Settings > TV inputs.
- Automatic names: Roku says the TV detects when you connect a new device to an HDMI input and turn it on. The input is added to the Home screen if it is not already there, and the TV identifies the device, renames the input, and changes its icon to suit the device.
Automatic naming is the reason a tile might already say something like “Game Console” before you touch it. Roku’s guide does not say whether the TV will rename an input again after you have chosen a name yourself. If a name changes after you swap devices between ports, rename the tile again with the steps above.
Troubleshooting
The input tile is not on the Home screen
You can only rename a tile you can highlight. Scroll through the whole Home screen first, because inputs are mixed in with your apps and may have been moved. On current software, Roku’s support article also describes moving down from the main screen to an Inputs list. If the input is still missing, go to Settings > TV inputs, select the input, and choose Set up input. For an HDMI port, you can also connect a device and turn it on, since the TV adds a detected HDMI input automatically.
Pressing Star does nothing, or Rename input is missing
The Star menu changes with what is highlighted. Make sure the highlight is on an input tile and not on a streaming app, where the menu offers app options instead. Watch for the on-screen hint that shows the Star button is active. If you are already watching the input, press Home first, because Star opens a different menu while you watch.
The remote has no working Star button
Roku’s free mobile app includes a remote control that Roku describes as a second remote for the TV. Your phone and the TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Roku’s guide does not walk through renaming an input from the app, so check the app’s remote screen for the Star button and then follow the same steps.
Set name & icon is not in the list
Scroll through the entire list in both directions. Roku’s instruction is to scroll up or down to reach it. If it still is not there, your TV may be running older software. Open Settings > System > About to see the version, and look in the System menu for the update option. Choose a built-in name in the meantime.
The new name does not appear
Press Home again and check that you renamed the tile for the correct port. If the old name remains, restart the TV from the System menu in Settings. The 15.0 guide lists Settings > System > Restart the TV, and older software places a restart option under System > Power. Then repeat the rename.
Frequently asked questions
Does renaming an input change anything on the connected device?
No. Renaming an input on a Roku TV changes the name and icon on that TV’s Home screen tile. Nothing is sent to the game console, cable box or player on the other end of the cable, and you do not have to unplug or set up the device again.
Can I rename a streaming app the same way?
No. On a Roku TV, Rename input appears for TV inputs. For an app tile, the Star menu offers options such as moving or removing it, and Roku’s guide does not describe a way to rename one. If you want to tidy up apps instead, see our guide on how to delete a channel on a Roku TV.
Can I rename inputs on a Roku Streaming Stick or player?
No. A Roku streaming player connects to one of your television’s inputs and has none of its own. Roku says that with a player you switch inputs using the Input or Source button on your TV’s remote, so any input names come from your TV’s own menus and its manual.
Is renaming an input the same as renaming the Roku TV?
No. An input name labels one port on the Home screen. The device name identifies the whole TV in your Roku account, in the mobile app, and when you use AirPlay or screen mirroring. Roku explains how to change that in How to update the name and location of your Roku device.
Why did my Roku TV rename an input by itself?
Roku TVs identify HDMI devices when you connect them and turn them on. According to Roku’s user guide, the TV then renames the input automatically and changes its icon to suit the device. You can replace the automatic name at any time with Rename input.
Will a custom input name work with voice commands?
Not reliably. Roku’s user guide says voice commands might not switch to an input with a custom name, and that they typically work only with built-in names such as AV, Cable Box and DVR. Pick a built-in name for any input you plan to select by voice.
More Roku TV settings
Once your inputs are labeled, move the ones you use most to the top of the Home screen so they are the first tiles you see. These guides cover other settings you can change on the same TV:
- How to make your TV switch to a Roku automatically
- Change the brightness on a Roku TV
- Turn off the screensaver on a Roku TV
- Set a clock as the Roku screensaver
- Change the theme on a Roku
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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