Roku has been making streaming devices for nearly two decades, and in that time, it’s become one of the largest streaming platforms on the planet. And it’s not hard to see why. Roku’s devices are affordable and, most importantly, reliable. All you have to do is plug one into your TV’s HDMI port, and it instantly transforms any TV, new or old, into a streaming powerhouse that’s easy for anyone to use.

I bought my first Roku over a decade ago, the Roku Premiere, and to this day, it still works like a charm. It’s no longer my main streaming device, since I’ve upgraded to a Roku Ultra, but my Premiere is still going strong on the TV in my spare bedroom, doing exactly what I need it to: basic 4K streaming. And to my amazement, even 8 years later, Roku is still updating it. When I bought it back in 2018, I never imagined I’d still be using it for so long. Looking back, though, it’s been a great investment.

However, because Roku has been in the streaming market since 2008, not every device it’s made is still receiving support. Plenty of Roku devices have effectively reached their expiration date. Not because they’ve stopped working entirely, but because Roku no longer supports them, meaning their app availability, performance, and overall reliability may not be what they once were.

If you have an older Roku, it might have already reached that point. Here’s how Roku’s software support works and how to tell if your Roku’s time is up.

Roku doesn’t support its devices forever

Older Rokus that aren’t supported anymore are considered “Legacy” devices

Roku doesn’t guarantee an exact support timeline for its devices or provide a specific date for when they may become “legacy,” meaning they’re no longer supported. However, on average, most Roku devices receive around 7 to 10 years of support.

That said, while Roku doesn’t provide a definitive support timeline, it does organize its devices into three categories, making it easy to see where each one stands: Current, Updatable, and Legacy.

Current means Roku is still actively manufacturing the device and fully supporting it with the latest Roku OS software updates. In other words, these are the devices in Roku’s current lineup, such as the Roku Streaming Stick HD (2025), Roku Streaming Stick Plus (2025), Roku Streaming Stick 4K (2021), and Roku Ultra (2024).

Updatable devices are no longer manufactured by Roku, but they can still receive the latest Roku OS updates. So, while they’ve been discontinued, they’re not obsolete just yet.

Then there’s Legacy. These devices have been fully discontinued and no longer receive Roku OS updates. Simply put, they’ve reached their expiration date.

Currently, Roku considers 20 devices Legacy, consisting mainly of its much older streaming sticks and set-top boxes (via Roku support). Here are all of them:

Quiz

8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

Roku streaming devices
Trivia challenge

From its humble beginnings to your living room — how well do you really know Roku?

HistoryHardwareFeaturesStreamingFounders

Begin

In what year was Roku founded?

A2005B2008C2002D2010

Correct! Roku was founded in 2008 by Anthony Wood, who had previously founded ReplayTV. The company launched its first streaming player the same year it was founded, making it a pivotal moment in streaming history.

Not quite. Roku was founded in 2008 by Anthony Wood. It launched its very first streaming device that same year, just months after the company was formed, which was remarkably fast for a hardware startup.

Continue

Who is the founder and CEO of Roku?

AReed HastingsBAndy JassyCAnthony WoodDTony Fadell

Correct! Anthony Wood founded Roku in 2008 and has served as its CEO ever since. Before Roku, he founded ReplayTV, one of the first digital video recorder companies, giving him deep roots in home entertainment technology.

Not quite. The answer is Anthony Wood. He founded Roku in 2008 after previously founding ReplayTV. Reed Hastings is associated with Netflix, while Tony Fadell is known as a key figure behind the iPod and Nest.

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Roku was originally spun off from which major streaming company?

AHuluBAmazonCNetflixDHBO

Correct! Roku started as an internal project at Netflix, which invested in the company and helped shape its early direction. Netflix ultimately decided to spin it off as a separate company to avoid competing with other device manufacturers who might not want to carry a Netflix-branded box.

Not quite. Roku was actually spun off from Netflix. Netflix funded and incubated the project before deciding it was better to keep the streaming device market open and neutral rather than launch a Netflix-branded player that might alienate other hardware partners.

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What was the name of Roku’s very first streaming device, launched in 2008?

ARoku HD PlayerBRoku DVP N1000CRoku Streaming StickDRoku XR

Correct! The Roku DVP N1000, also known as the Roku Digital Video Player, was the company’s debut product. It launched in May 2008 at a price of $99 and could stream Netflix content directly to your TV — a genuinely groundbreaking feature at the time.

Not quite. The first Roku device was the Roku DVP N1000, launched in May 2008. Priced at $99, it was primarily designed to stream Netflix and helped pioneer the idea of a dedicated, affordable streaming box for the living room.

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What is the name of Roku’s free, ad-supported streaming channel built directly into its platform?

ARoku NowBRoku FreeviewCThe Roku ChannelDRoku Live

Correct! The Roku Channel launched in 2017 and offers thousands of free, ad-supported movies and TV shows. It has since become one of the most-watched channels on the Roku platform and is also available on other devices and the web.

Not quite. The correct answer is The Roku Channel, which launched in 2017. It provides free, ad-supported content and has grown into a major part of Roku’s business strategy, helping the company earn revenue beyond just hardware sales.

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Roku’s business model relies heavily on which of the following revenue streams?

AMonthly subscription fees from usersBPlatform advertising and content partnershipsCSelling user data to third partiesDHardware sales only

Correct! While Roku does sell hardware, its primary revenue engine is its platform business, which includes advertising, revenue sharing with streaming partners, and The Roku Channel. This platform-first approach is what makes Roku more than just a device maker.

Not quite. Roku makes the majority of its money from its platform business, which includes advertising and revenue-sharing arrangements with streaming services. Hardware sales are actually sold at low margins, with the real profit coming from keeping users engaged on the platform.

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Which of the following form factors did Roku introduce to make streaming even more portable and discreet?

AA Blu-ray add-on moduleBA plug-in HDMI streaming stickCA router with built-in streamingDA soundbar with integrated apps

Correct! Roku introduced the Roku Streaming Stick, a compact dongle that plugs directly into a TV’s HDMI port. It was a game-changer for portability, making it easy to turn any modern TV into a smart TV without a bulky box sitting on your shelf.

Not quite. Roku launched the Roku Streaming Stick, a small dongle that plugs straight into an HDMI port. This compact form factor made Roku devices far more discreet and portable, competing directly with Amazon’s Fire TV Stick.

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In which year did Roku go public on the Nasdaq stock exchange?

A2015B2019C2017D2021

Correct! Roku went public on September 28, 2017, trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ROKU. Its IPO was considered a major success, and the stock surged significantly in the months that followed, reflecting strong investor confidence in the streaming market.

Not quite. Roku held its IPO on September 28, 2017, listing on the Nasdaq under the ticker ROKU. The offering was well-received by investors and marked a major milestone in the company’s journey from a Netflix spin-off to a publicly traded streaming powerhouse.

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How to find out if your Roku is expired

If it’s been a while since you bought your Roku, and you’re not quite sure what its device name or model number is, fortunately, there’s an easy way to find out right in your device’s Settings menu. Here’s how:

1. From the Roku homepage, go to Settings.

2. Navigate to System > About.

3. Look for Model, which lists your device’s model number and name.

Once you’ve found your device’s model number and name, you can cross-reference it with the table above. If your Roku is one of the devices listed as Legacy, Roku has stopped updating it. This means it no longer receives new features, some apps may no longer work, and its overall performance may not be as good as it used to be.

If your Roku’s model number doesn’t match any of the ones listed as Legacy, that means it’s classified as either Updatable or Current. In both cases, Roku is still supporting your device with the latest versions of Roku OS, meaning you’re still getting new features, up-to-date app support, and performance improvements.

Chances are, if you bought your Roku within the past year or two, it’s classified as Current, meaning your device should continue receiving Roku OS updates for a long time still. On the other hand, if you bought it a few years ago, Roku may have since stopped manufacturing it, meaning it’s now classified as Updatable, and its software support could be limited to just a few more years, or possibly less. If you’re curious about which category your Roku falls into, you can check out the full list of Current and Updatable devices on Roku’s support page.

All things considered, Roku does a pretty good job of supporting its devices with new software updates for quite a while. For the most part, it’s really only devices released more than a decade ago that have stopped receiving support altogether. That said, once your Roku is classified as Legacy, it’ll still work, but your overall streaming experience likely won’t be what it once was. And that’s when it’s time to start considering an upgrade.