How to Change the Roku Account on a Roku TV

I've moved two of my TCL Roku TVs to a new account — a 5-Series (55S546) that went to my daughter, and a 4-Series (43S435) I sold. My honest take: there's no clean "sign out and switch" button on the TV, so a factory reset is the real answer, and it takes about five minutes. The one thing that tripped me up was assuming the TV showed the account email somewhere — it doesn't, so I had to check at my.roku.com.

First, get clear on what "change the account" means for you. Three different jobs hide behind that phrase: moving the TV to a completely different account, editing details on the account it's already on, or detaching it before you sell it. Each has a different fix, so the 30-second test below points you at the right one.

The 30-second test

Answer one question before you touch anything. The right method depends entirely on which of these you actually want.

1. 1Do you want a different Roku account on this TV (used TV, a family member's account, or you set it up wrong)? That needs a factory reset and a fresh sign-in — Method 1.
2. 2Do you just want to change the email, password, or payment on the same account? Don't reset anything — edit it online with Method 2, and the TV keeps every channel.
3. 3Are you selling or giving the TV away, or setting it up on the correct account from afar? Detach it from the old account with Method 3, then let the new owner activate it.

Method 1: Factory reset and sign in with the new account

This is the only way to move a Roku TV to a genuinely different account. Roku ties the TV to one account at setup and never exposes a "switch account" option, so you wipe the TV and re-activate it under the account you want. It's free, but it clears your channels, so keep the new login handy.

1. 1Have the new account's login ready. Get the email and password for the Roku account you want the TV on. If it doesn't exist yet, create it free at my.roku.com first. A Roku TV links to exactly one account, chosen during setup, so you'll sign in with this one after the reset.
2. 2Open the factory reset menu. On the TV, go to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset. Highlight “Factory reset everything,” enter the on-screen code, and confirm. If the menu won't load, press the recessed RESET pinhole on the back panel with a paperclip for about 15 seconds instead.
3. 3Let the TV wipe and reboot into setup. The TV erases every channel and setting, then restarts into the first-time setup wizard — the same screens you saw out of the box. This takes a couple of minutes. Don't unplug it while it resets.
4. 4Reconnect Wi-Fi and sign in with the new account. Step through setup, join your Wi-Fi, and at the activation step Roku shows a code and the address roku.com/link. Open that link on a phone or computer while signed into the new account, enter the code, and the TV links to that account.

Catch: a factory reset erases every channel, login, and setting — not just the account link. That's a lot to redo, so only reset when you truly need a different account. Roku's own reset steps are on its support site, and if the set won't reboot cleanly afterward, a cache clear or power cycle often settles it.

A reset means re-navigating the entire setup wizard and typing an email, a Wi-Fi password, and an activation code. That's tedious with a worn-out remote. Once the TV rejoins your Wi-Fi, install Smart TV Remote on your phone, join the same network, and use its full keyboard to type instead of pecking letters on an on-screen grid. It can't sign in for you, but it makes the re-setup far faster. Afterward you'll also re-add channels and re-select your HDMI inputs from the Home screen.

Method 2: Change your current account online, no reset

If you only want to change details — a new email, password, PIN, or card — you don't reset anything. You edit the account itself at my.roku.com, and the TV picks up the change over Wi-Fi. Your channels and settings all stay exactly as they are.

1. 1Go to my.roku.com and sign in with the account the TV already uses. Do this in a phone or computer browser, not on the TV.
2. 2Open Update Account (or Manage Account). From there you can change the email, password, PIN, and the payment method Roku bills for channel purchases.
3. 3Save. The change applies to the account, so every device on it — including this TV — uses the new details next time it checks in. No reset, no re-adding channels.

Catch: this edits the account the TV is already on — it does not move the TV to someone else's account. If your goal is a different account entirely, this won't do it; go back to Method 1.

Method 3: Remove the TV from an old account remotely

Sometimes you need to detach the TV from an account without controlling the TV — you already sold it, gave it away, or linked it to the wrong account by mistake. You can remove the device from your Roku account online, which frees it to be activated fresh.

1. 1Sign in at my.roku.com and open your list of linked devices — usually under “My linked devices” or Manage Account.
2. 2Find the TV by name and choose Remove or Unlink. Confirm it. This detaches the set from your account and any channel purchases tied to it.
3. 3Have the TV re-activated. Whoever has it now runs setup, gets a roku.com/link code, and links it to their own account — the TV is no longer on yours.

Catch: removing a device online doesn't wipe the TV. If you still have it, run a factory reset (Method 1) as well, so the next owner doesn't inherit your settings. If the remote won't cooperate for that, see our Roku TV remote not working guide.

Which method changes what

The three methods do different jobs. Match what you're actually trying to do to the one that changes the right thing — and see what each keeps, so you don't wipe more than you need to.

My advice: don't reset unless you genuinely need a different account on the TV. If you're only changing your own email or card, do it at my.roku.com and skip the whole reset. Save the factory reset for a used set or a real account switch, and pair it with an online device removal when you're handing the TV to someone else.

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