# If your TV remote has preprogrammed buttons for streaming services, how many of them do you use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** netflix\ **Created:** [July 20, 2026, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820 "2026-07-20T22:51:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/21 "2026-07-21T12:14:42Z")
Here’s a question: I have an auxiliary sound system that turns on whenever I push the TV remote “on” button. If start the TV using, say, the Netflix button, will the sound system still start up as well? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/22 "2026-07-21T12:22:54Z")
Mine does. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/23 "2026-07-21T12:31:39Z")
I have a Samsung Q8F series and the preprogrammed buttons do NOT turn on the TV. (I also have a Yamaha receiver connected via eARC which does turn on and off, adjust volume, etc., through the TV.) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/24 "2026-07-21T12:34:45Z")
The Netflix button. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/25 "2026-07-21T12:51:34Z")
I use the Prime button on my Vizo remote. The other 5 preset buttons are ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/26 "2026-07-21T12:58:45Z")
I never use them, even for the services I actually use. If they were programmable I would probably do so for the services I’m using most at the time, but that changes periodically depending on content, as do my subscriptions. Pretty much the only one I use consistently is Netflix, because T-Mobile pays for it. I have never used Sling and never will. I have used YouTubeTV and Disney + but probably never will again. So that’s 3 out of 4 useless buttons. I see no need to adapt to a different procedure for watching Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/27 "2026-07-21T13:12:29Z")
My YES streamer remote has a button for its own streaming TV package, of course, as well as Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube. I use all of them. The actual TV remote, which I have hidden in a safe place for emergencies, has no streaming buttons. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/28 "2026-07-21T14:41:00Z")
Huh. Mine is a little physically challenging to use (it requires an unusual type of dexterity to highlight the right tile) it’s pretty intuitive. I guess you need to know that the big button in the center of the remote is the “click on the highlighted thing” button. But otherwise, it’s all pretty much WYSIWYG. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/29 "2026-07-21T15:04:41Z")
I sometimes use the Netflix, Disney and Vudu buttons. The issue is that I have three Roku TVs in the house, and maybe 4 remotes floating around - and they all have different buttons, so it’s not as convenient to check the buttons before clicking so I usually just default to hitting the home button. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/30 "2026-07-21T17:23:36Z")
My Roku remote has buttons for Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and… I think the fourth is Paramount+. I use the Netflix button regularly. I use the Apple button occasionally, when there’s something on that channel I want to watch. I assume I probably used the Paramount button back when I subscribed to that service, but I don’t anymore. I never used the Disney button because I never subscribed to that service, but I recently signed up for the Hulu / Disney / HBO Max bundle (I only really cared about Hulu and HBO, but the bundle only cost a dollar more per month than subscribing to those two services individually, so why not?) Since I have Disney+ now I’ll probably start watching Andor and the new season of Doctor Who soon, so I will probably start using that button. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/31 "2026-07-21T17:44:50Z")
I just found out that Crackle is now defunct so that button now goes to “Vizio Watch Free” which I use to watch “Top Gear”. I guess I’ll be using that button occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/32 "2026-07-21T18:04:41Z")
Roku has for quite some time asked you if you’re sure you want to switch channels so that’s nice, before that it was indeed annoying. If your device is older the firmware may not be updateable to this point. We have 3/4 remotes of various generations and tiers of Roku, they all have different buttons so use depends. I think Disney+, Netflix, and Prime are the only 3 we’d have much use for, and they’re all not on all remotes. As for myself, I hardly use Netflix anymore. It’s by far the buggiest app and doesn’t have much I care for. Maybe the TV remote itself has some too, I can’t remember, but we do not use the TV itself as a smart TV. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/33 "2026-07-21T18:10:29Z")
None. We have a Roku, but I prefer to make my choice from the home screen which has stuff not on the remotes. My DVD/Bluray remote has a Netflix button also. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/34 "2026-07-21T20:05:25Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > None. We have a Roku, but I prefer to make my choice from the home screen which has stuff not on the remotes. I don’t get this. In order to launch Netflix from the home screen (assuming I’ve just powered on my TV and Roku) I have to press the down arrow several times, and possibly the right arrow, then enter. If I already know the show I want to watch is on Netflix why would I do all that when I could just press press the Netflix button? Sure, there is stuff on the home screen that’s not on the remote, so if the show I want to watch is on Hulu or HBO Max then I have no choice but to go through the home screen, but if the button is there why not use it? ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/35 "2026-07-21T20:13:46Z")
In my case, my Roku remotes have buttons that are all different servicesi > [@WildaBeast](#): > > If I already know the show I want to watch is on Netflix why would I do all that when I could just press press the Netflix button? In my case, one reason is that I have a variety of TVs with Roku remotes and they all have different buttons. Netflix is pretty much always in the first position, but the others are a variety of different services. Another reason is that I have many services that aren’t on Roku buttons. Frequently, I can’t remember off the top of my head which show is on which service. Seeing all the tiles on the screen can help jog my memory that the show I want is on Apple or whatever. And even if I pre-remember that the show is on Apple, chances are the remote I’m holding isn’t the one with the Apple button. Since I watch a jumble of content across a variety of services, it’s easier for me to bring up the home screen with all the tiles and pick from that. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/36 "2026-07-22T00:39:13Z")
Okay, here’s some weirdness. The last two days, whenever I hit the power button for my TV and click on my provider (comcast), the TV defaults to PBS instead of to the last channel watched, which is normally NBC. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/37 "2026-07-22T00:45:16Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > Mine has Netflix and Amazon buttons. I don’t subscribe to either right now. I don’t know why the buttons can’t be changed to work for another service. > > I assume because they are paid to advertise those channels. Yep…and it’s very easy to program the 1-9 keys to be something else. My remote only has Netflix and Prime which I use and one that says “MOVIES” that doesn’t do anything. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/38 "2026-07-22T12:07:23Z")
My TV remote has buttons for I think two services, but since I got a Firestick, I only use it to switch the HDMI input, usually to play games, so those buttons are not used at all. The Firestick remote has 4 buttons, Prime, Netflix, Peacock and Direct TV, which I have mostly ignored, but the Peacock button got some use lately because of the World Cup, since they were showing the Telemundo feed and the easiest way was to push the button and it would turn on the tv and launch Peacock directly. The tv remote has a function that you can program the number buttons so that you could hold down, for example, the number 1 and after a few seconds it would launch a given app, and before I had the firestick I used that function to launch some of the apps installed on the tv. Now on the Firestick remote they have a “recently used apps” button I use frequently instead of using the menu with the ads and what not. It is possible to reprogram those preset buttons on at least the Firestick remote to launch a separate app, and I managed to do it once a while back, but it was not straightforward. `//i\\` ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/39 "2026-07-22T15:19:24Z")
Yeah, our remote has several, a few of which we do watch regularly. And we never use the buttons- it’s always the UI on the TV itself that we use to navigate to the services we want to watch. We also have a LG TV, and the multicolored buttons are also unused. I think you can program them perhaps, but I have never bothered because I’m never in such a hurry to watch streaming video that getting peak efficiency out of the workflow isn’t something that has ever crossed my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820/40 "2026-07-22T19:24:15Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I don’t get this. In order to launch Netflix from the home screen (assuming I’ve just powered on my TV and Roku) I have to press the down arrow several times, and possibly the right arrow, then enter. If I already know the show I want to watch is on Netflix why would I do all that when I could just press press the Netflix button? Sure, there is stuff on the home screen that’s not on the remote, so if the show I want to watch is on Hulu or HBO Max then I have no choice but to go through the home screen, but if the button is there why not use it? Because I seldom turn on my tv to watch Netflix. I’ll check it out if the Antiques Roadshow on live streaming is one I’ve seen before. We also often come to streaming after checking out the weather on the satellite. I have used the button some times - but not often. I didn’t even realize there was a YouTube button on my remote until I looked at it to see what was on it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-tv-remote-has-preprogrammed-buttons-for-streaming-services-how-many-of-them-do-you-use/1031820.md?page=3)