How to Use ScreenWarden for Roku

1. Install ScreenWarden on a Windows PC that is on the same network as your Roku devices. On first launch it scans your network and lists every Roku it finds.
2. Pick a device in the device selector at the top of the sidebar. Apps, Rules, Wake-Up Routines and Bedtime Mode apply to the device selected there.
3. If you are using ScreenWarden for parental controls, set a password under Password & Security.

The Monitoring indicator at the top of the sidebar shows what ScreenWarden is doing right now:

• Monitoring On: app rules and bedtime are both enforced.
• Rules Paused · Bedtime On: you are outside your monitoring hours, so only bedtime is enforced.
• Monitoring Off: rules and bedtime are off. Wake-up routines and scheduled launches still run.

ScreenWarden only works while it is running on a PC that is awake. Closing the window sends it to the system tray, where it keeps working.

Find and manage the Roku devices on your network.

• Scan Network finds your Roku devices and refreshes each one's list of apps and channels.
• Nickname Device gives a device a friendly name such as "Living Room".
• Remove Device removes one device and everything tied to it.
• Reset All Data wipes everything, including your password. It cannot be undone.

Each device shows a status: OK (fully controllable), ECP Limited (on the Roku, open Settings → System → Advanced system settings → Control by mobile apps and choose Enabled), or Offline.

ScreenWarden recognizes each device by its serial number, so its rules and schedules follow it if your router gives it a new address. A DHCP reservation in your router prevents address changes altogether.

See every Roku at a glance. Each card shows whether the device is online, what is playing now, and how many rules, wake-up routines, scheduled launches and bedtime schedules it has. Click a counter to jump to that screen.

• Remote Control opens a small remote with volume, mute, play/pause, stop and home.
• Refresh re-checks every device now.
• The power button shuts down every device at once after you confirm. Roku TVs power off; other Roku devices go to the home screen and are muted.

Every app and TV input on the selected device, shown as tiles. The app that is open right now has a green border. Selecting tiles here is how you choose the apps for rules, launches and schedules.

• Click selects a tile. Ctrl + click adds or removes one, and Shift + click selects a range.
• Right-click a tile to launch it, create rules or schedule a launch.
• Use the search box to filter by name.

Launch App, Schedule Launch and Wake-Up Routine use exactly one app. Rules can take several at once.

Open an app on one or more devices right now.

1. Select one app in Apps, or click Change App.
2. For YouTube, you can tick Play a specific video or live stream and paste its link.
3. Tick the devices to launch on, then click Launch Now.

Devices where the app is already open are skipped, so nothing playing is interrupted.

Open an app automatically at a set time on the days you choose, for example a news app every weekday morning.

1. Choose the App to Launch. YouTube can open a specific video, and Antenna TV can tune to a specific channel.
2. Set the Launch Time and Active Days.
3. Tick the Target Devices and click Save Schedule.

Saved schedules can be switched on or off or removed. To change a time, remove the schedule and save a new one.

Schedules run even when Monitoring is off. A launch is skipped on a device in bedtime mode, and ScreenWarden won't save a schedule that conflicts with a bedtime window or another schedule on the same device.

Turn a Roku TV into a morning alarm. At the time you choose, the TV powers on, opens your app and can set the volume.

1. Choose the App to Launch. Antenna TV can tune to a specific channel, and YouTube can play a specific video.
2. Set the Wake-Up Time and Active Days.
3. Optionally tick Set volume on wake-up and choose a level.
4. Click Save Schedule.

Always keep a backup alarm. A routine needs your PC awake, ScreenWarden running and the TV reachable on your network. It works best on Roku TVs; streaming sticks may not power the TV on. It is skipped if the TV is already on or the device is in bedtime mode.

Set a nightly screens-off window for each device. During bedtime, a Roku TV that is in use is switched off. Other Roku devices, such as streaming sticks, are sent to the home screen and muted. ScreenWarden checks every 30 seconds.

1. Pick the device in the sidebar.
2. Set the Start Time and End Time. Windows can cross midnight.
3. Choose the Active Days and click Save Schedule.

A device can have several bedtime schedules as long as they don't overlap. Untick a schedule to pause it without deleting it.

Bedtime beats rules, and it works only while Monitoring is on.

Rules watch for an app being used and act automatically. They are ScreenWarden's core parental-control feature.

1. Select one or more apps in Apps (or right-click an app and choose Create Rules).
2. Choose the Actions: stop the channel, launch a replacement app, or pause the media.
3. Optionally set Limit daily usage to a number of minutes. The rule then applies only after the app has been used that long today.
4. Click Create Rule. You get one rule per app.

• Allowed apps: tick Allow app access to allow only chosen apps on a device. Anything else that opens is closed.
• Add Screen Time gives an app extra minutes for today only.
• Edit Selected Rule changes a rule's actions and daily limit.
• Monitor Interval sets how often rules are checked (30 seconds to 10 minutes).

Daily usage counts while an app is on screen and not paused, and starts over at midnight. A streaming stick can't tell if its TV is off, so that time still counts.

• Start ScreenWarden when I sign in to Windows starts it quietly in the system tray after each sign-in.
• Always On checks rules all the time. Untick it to check rules only between the hours you choose.
• Start Monitoring / Stop Monitoring pauses or resumes enforcement without changing your schedule.

The monitoring hours affect rules only. Bedtime, wake-up routines and scheduled launches follow their own schedules.

Stop others from opening ScreenWarden or turning it off.

1. Tick Require password to access ScreenWarden.
2. Enter a password (at least 6 characters) twice and a 6-digit backup code.
3. Click Save Credentials.

With a password set, ScreenWarden starts in the system tray with protection already on. The password is needed to open the window, turn monitoring off or exit. After three wrong passwords it asks for the backup code, and a wrong code locks the app for one hour. Security Alerts lists failed attempts.

Keep your backup code somewhere safe. It is the only way back in if you forget your password.

Closing the window sends ScreenWarden to the system tray, where it keeps running. Double-click the tray icon to reopen it, or right-click for Open, Turn Monitoring On/Off, Help and Exit.

Nothing runs once ScreenWarden is fully closed with Exit or the sidebar's Close button.