Firefox is a great chromium-based browser that comes with many meaningful features like better privacy, pop-up blocking, download manager, live bookmarks, and more.
So it makes sense that people will want to use it on whatever device they are using, including Roku devices. But given that Roku devices don’t have a full-fledged browser by default, can you use Firefox on Roku devices? If so, how to use Firefox on Roku?
How to use Firefox on Roku?
There are 2 ways you can use Firefox on your Roku devices: Cast your Firefox video to the Roku device and cast your Android or Windows devices’ screen to the Roku device, then use Firefox on those devices.
Cast Firefox video to your Roku devices
With Firefox for Android, you can play a video on your browser and cast it to your Roku devices to display the video on the TV.
After getting the video, you can even continue browsing on your Android device without the video being interrupted.
Sound promising, so here are the steps:
- Step 1: Set up Firefox on your Roku device by adding the Firefox channel to your channel list using this instruction
This step needs to be done only once. The next time you want to cast a video from Firefox to your Roku device, just skip to step 2.
- Step 2: Make sure that both your Android device and your Roku device are connected to the same network
- Step 3: Open Firefox on your Android device, then go to the website with the video you want to cast.
Remember that the video format should be the one that Roku supports. If you have Adobe Flash Player, try to uninstall or disable it.
- Step 4: Tap to play your desired video
- Step 5: Look for the “Send to” icon either on the address bar on the top or from the video (after ads videos stop playing), then tap it
- Step 6: The”Cast to device” menu will appear with the list of available devices. Find and tap Roku Streaming Device.
- Step 7: Wait for a moment so that your Android device can make the connection. After some load time, the video should play on your Roku device.
From your Android device, you can pause, play, etc. with the bottom control, and it will stay there while the video is playing on your Roku device, you can now continue browsing from other white and still enjoy the video on your TV.
Alternatively, you can also control the video playback using the Roku remote when your Android device is turned off.
Related: Does Roku have a web browser?
Casting a Windows or Android device’s screen to your Roku TV
If you somehow can’t cast a video from the Firefox browser to your Roku device, or your favorite video has an unsupported format by Roku, you can instead cast your device’s screen to the Roku device, and use Firefox browser from your device.
Using an Android device
Most Android devices with new versions of Android will have the option to cast its screen to external screens. Each brand will have a different name for this function. If your device doesn’t have one, there are tons to cost from on the Play Store.
On Samsung Galaxy devices, it’s called “Smart View”, and here are the steps to cast a Samsung device’ screen and use Firefox.
- Step 1: Make sure you downloaded the Firefox app from the Play Store, then launch it on your Samsung device.
- Step 2: Swipe down from the status bar on the top of the screen to bring down the Quick Setting menu.
- Step 3: Find and tap the Smart View icon. If it isn’t there, tap the 3-icon near the top right corner, then tap “Button Order”
At the top will be the row of toggles that haven’t been added to the Quick Setting menu, scroll horizontally and find “Smart View”, and then drag it to the below menu.
- Step 4: Wait for your Android device to scan for available devices and show them in the list. Keep in mind that your Samsung device and your Roku device need to connect to the same network.
- Step 5: After your Roku device name shows up, tap on its name, and then tap “Start Now”.
- Step 6: Now your Android device’s screen is casted on your Roku device. You can change your screen orientation to horizontal to fit the TV screen more.
Using a Windows PC
If you don’t have an Android device at hand, you can instead try with your Windows PC. Cast your PC screen to your Roku device, then use Firefox from your PC.
Here are the steps:
- Step 1: On your Windows PC, head to the notification icon at the right of the bottom taskbar.
- Step 2: Click the “Project”, it will show 4 options, choose your preferred one.
- Step 3: Click “Connect to a wireless display” to reveal the available devices.
Make sure your Windows PC and your Roku device are connected to the same network.
- Step 4: Once you see your Roku device’s name on the list, click to connect.
- Step 5: Now your PC screen is faster than your Roku device, open Firefox from your PC screen and enjoy your favorite content on your TV.
To disconnect the PC screen, just go back to your PC screen. You will see the connection stairs on the top of the screen. Then, just simply hit “Disconnect”. Now you can use your Roku device like normal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ORe8kipr9I
Final thoughts
So, how to use firefox on Roku? Roku doesn’t have a native Firefox browser, so there are 2 things you can do:
- If you need to play video only from your Android device, you can use Firefox for Android and cast it to the Roku device.
- Cast an Android or a Windows PC screen to your Roku device and use Firefox from the casting device.
