How to add private channels to a Roku streaming device, and the best channels to add

• Roku lets you add private channels in addition to the regularly available streaming channels.
• To install a private channel, you need to enter a code on the Roku website.
• The content in private channels is not reviewed or certified by Roku, so proceed at your own risk.

Are the thousands of streaming apps in the Roku Channel store not enough for you? Like the secret menu at a trendy burger restaurant, Roku also hosts so-called private channels — streaming channels that anyone can install as long as you know where to look for them.

Some of these streaming channels are in beta testing and not ready for a general audience, while others are focused on a more exclusive audience. Others are filled with adult content. Regardless of what private channel you want to watch, you can add it to your Roku device from the Roku website. Here are a handful of the best options to explore Roku’s private channels.

How to add private channels to Roku

Roku’s private channels — also sometimes called hidden channels — can’t be found in the Roku Channel Store. Instead, you can add a private channel to your Roku device via the Roku website. All you need is the channel’s code. This means you can generally only install private channels by invitation from the channel’s owner, or from someone else who has already discovered it.

1. In a web browser, open your account page on the Roku website and log into your account, if needed.

2. In the Manage account section, click Add channel with a code.

3. Enter the code for the private channel and click I’m not a robot. Click Add channel.

4. You’ll see a warning that the channel is non-certified, which means Roku has not reviewed the content in this channel for appropriateness. Click OK.

5. Click Yes, add channel.

6. The channel will be added to your account and will now appear with all the other installed channels on your Roku home screen.

Quick tip: Take Roku’s warning seriously. If you add a private channel that violates Roku’s content policies, Roku may remove the channel, but also might block you from adding other private channels in the future.

The best private channels to add to Roku

You’ll find most of the best content for your Roku right in the Roku Channel Store. If you want to explore what Roku’s private channels have to offer, though, here are some of the best options you can try.

Area 52

This is a mostly goofy collection of vintage science fiction TV shows and movies, like the 1994 Roger Corman version of “Fantastic Four” or the pilot episode of the 1979 Andy Griffith TV show “Salvage” (about a junkyard rocket that can go to space). Get this channel with access code KCB.

Area 53

If you enjoyed the private channel Area 52, this sequel channel includes an assortment of more campy films from the 1970s and 1980s, including “Starcrash,” “Star Odyssey,” and “Jason of Star Command.” Get this channel with access code KCB2.

Free2View

This is a surprisingly robust collection of free legal streams of live TV with content from such recognizable names in cable television as Cozi TV, Grit, and Defy TV. Get this channel with access code 9QDC5JN.

Home Movies

Thanks to the Prelinger Archives, a large collection of vintage home movies, educational films, and ads have been preserved digitally and can be viewed online at the Internet Archive. This channel has a small collection of samples from the archives, including home movies dating back to the 1920s. Get this channel with access code HomeMovies.

Psychics Live TV

This channel includes live streaming video of psychic readings and weekly audio horoscope readings. Get this channel with access code psychics.

Weather Radar

Get weather updates from around the country and around the globe. Get this channel with access code radar.