Roku finally expands its live TV channel guide to users outside the US

Roku is introducing its easy-to-use TV guide in Canada.

What you need to know

• Roku is expanding its live TV guide to users in Canada.
• The guide introduces a collection of live TV channels in one place, including from sources like HBO, SHOWTIME®, STARZ, Cinemax, and Epix.
• Roku is launching more than 35 new live TV channels to Canadian viewers, with more coming soon.

Last year, Roku launched a live TV channel guide as an easy-to-use way to browse live programs, including premium channels from HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, and Epix. That also includes local live TV listings for users with antennas, and the guide allows users to view up to 12 hours of upcoming programming with the new guide. While Roku users in the U.S. have had access to the guide since last June, Roku is announcing that the feature is now available for users in Canada starting today.

The feature should appear as a new “Live TV” tile on their home screen when launching the Roku TV Channel. Users already viewing live TV can also access the guide by clicking the left button on their remote while in the middle of a program. The guide can even show a preview of what’s playing to help you make your selection.

Roku is also announcing more than 35 new live TV channels for the platform, including The Asylum, Funny or Die, Crimetime, Game Show Central, and more.

Canadian residents with some of the best Roku devices can now access the new live TV guide. Roku devices automatically check for updates, but you can manually check for an update if you’re not yet noticing the new feature. Press the “Home” button on your remote and navigate to “Settings.” Select “System” followed by “System update,” and you should be able to see when the device was last updated. To manually check for an update, select “Check Now.” Note that it may take some time for the update to reach your device.

For now, it appears to only support Roku devices in Canada. Last year, the Roku Channel was expanded in the U.S. to devices like the Amazon Fire TV Stick and TV Stick Lite, although it’s unclear if or when Canadian Fire TV owners will get the same support. It’s also unclear when the Live TV guide will expand to other countries.