Pause, rewind, and resume live TV on Roku with flexible buffering and simple controls
When watching live streaming channels on a Roku device (like live Premium Subscriptions or free ad-supported live shows and sports), you can pause for up to twice the length of the show or live event.
No USB drive is required.
Press OK to show the playback bar, then press
Pause to pause live TV.
Press
Rewind or
Fast forward to move backward or forward within the paused buffer.
Use the Directional Pad to highlight Jump to live to go to the current live broadcast point.
Your Roku TV keeps a rolling 30-minute buffer.
This means:
When you’re watching an eligible premium live channels (like Peacock), you can rewind the action or fast forward to the action.
Press OK to show the playback bar.
Use
Rewind and
Fast forward to move backward or forward within the paused program.
Note: This feature may not be available for certain shows or events based on provider rights.
If you use an antenna (or cable without a set-top box), you can pause live TV on your Roku TV for up to 90 minutes.
Note:
Follow on-screen steps to format it.
Press Home
Highlight Live TV
Press Star
Select Set up Live TV Pause
Follow instructions
To turn it off, unplug the USB drive.
You will lose your paused spot if you:
Note: You will miss part of what originally aired after pausing for more than 30 minutes.
Last updated at 3/30/2026 9:48:01 PM
