This hidden Roku characteristic is ruining film evening and there isn’t any technique to flip it off

One in every of my favourite issues to do across the holidays is host family and friends at my dwelling for film nights. And whereas typically we’ll choose a movie to observe that everybody is accustomed to, as a rule, I wish to take these impromptu film nights as a chance to share a hidden gem that almost all of my company have not seen.

Nevertheless, I not too long ago discovered {that a} Roku characteristic that rolled out manner again in 2021 was hampering my capability to start out films I had already watched, limiting my capability to leap in proper from the start throughout film nights. The characteristic is known as Prompt Resume and whereas it may be useful in loads of cases, it may also be a little bit of a nuisance on shared units or accounts. And whereas most options are capable of be toggled on or off, that is one choice that apparently Roku doesn’t need customers to have management over.

What’s Roku Prompt Resume?

Serving to you retain your house when you could have different issues to do.

Do not get me flawed, Roku’s Prompt Resume characteristic is pretty helpful for those who’re the one one utilizing your TV and primarily watch issues solo. I not too long ago watched Defunctland’s four hour deep-dive on Disney parks’ so-called living characters on YouTube, and regardless that I in all probability would have loved having the ability to watch all the 4-hour video straight by way of, life obtained in the way in which it took me a number of periods to truly make it by way of all the video. Happily, due to Roku’s Prompt Resume characteristic, my place was held each single time, and I might leap again into the video each time I needed to select up the place I left off.

Nevertheless, when sharing a tool (or making an attempt to indicate a brand new film to pals) this characteristic turns into cumbersome as, relying on what app you are utilizing, you both must exit out of the video after which discover the restart button, or press the rewind button on the Roku distant till you get to the start of the video, doubtlessly exposing your company to spoilers in the event that they take a look at the TV on the flawed time.

I assumed there might need been a straightforward technique to merely flip off this characteristic, however curiously, regardless of what number of menus you look by way of, it merely would not seem. Nevertheless, there’s a technique to drive Roku to neglect what you’ve got been watching.

A small workaround

Use the Roku’s drive shut perform to eliminate your watching knowledge

Although it is not an ideal workaround, if you understand that you do not need to use Roku’s Prompt Resume characteristic, you’ll be able to clear your watch knowledge by drive closing no matter app you need the information faraway from. As a way to do that, as a substitute of urgent the Residence button, you’ll need to press and maintain the again button in your Roku distant till the Roku system prompts affirmation to shut the app fully. While you relaunch the app, all your viewing knowledge and saved spots will probably be gone, and film evening will probably be saved!

Be aware, regardless that Roku may not save your knowledge, in case you are utilizing a logged-in account on an app like YouTube or Netflix, your house nonetheless is perhaps saved on the account degree, which might supersede the Roku Prompt Resume workaround talked about above.

If you would like to study extra about this characteristic, you’ll be able to try extra on Roku’s developer’s information here.