Motion smoothing on Roku TV is called Action Smoothing. To turn it off, press the Star (*) button on your Roku remote while content is playing, navigate to Picture Settings > Expert Settings, and set Action Smoothing to Off.
That’s the short version. But a lot of Roku TV owners hit a wall — either the setting is buried under a menu path that varies by model, or it vanished completely after a software update. This guide covers the standard steps and every known workaround.
What Motion Smoothing Does (And Why It Ruins Movies)
Films are shot at 24 frames per second. That frame rate is part of what gives movies their cinematic feel — the natural motion weight, the slight softness during pans, the look you see in a theater.
Your Roku TV runs at 60Hz or 120Hz. That’s a significant gap. Action Smoothing bridges it by generating extra frames that never existed in the original footage. The result is a picture that looks hyper-smooth and artificial — exactly like a daytime soap opera filmed on a $400 camcorder.
It’s so widely disliked that Tom Cruise recorded a public video urging viewers to turn it off before watching Mission: Impossible — Fallout.
Action Smoothing isn’t a defect. It’s a setting. And once you know exactly where to find it, you can kill it in about 20 seconds.
How to Turn Off Action Smoothing on Roku TV
Method 1 — While Watching Content (Fastest Way)
This is the quickest method and works on the majority of Roku TV models.
- Start playing a movie or show.
- Press the Star (*) button on your Roku remote. Not sure which button that is? The Roku remote button explainer tool identifies every key by name and function.
- Select Picture Settings.
- Select Advanced Picture Settings or Customize Picture, then Expert Settings.
- Find Action Smoothing and set it to Off.
The change takes effect immediately. No restart required.
The menu label may look slightly different depending on your Roku TV’s brand. TCL follows the standard path. Hisense Roku TVs may label sections differently, but Action Smoothing is always under Picture Settings. If you have a TCL model and can’t reach the settings menu, accessing TCL TV settings without a remote walks through the alternate navigation method.
Method 2 — From the Home Screen
If nothing is playing, you can still reach the setting.
- Press the Home button on your Roku remote.
- Go to Settings > TV Picture Settings > Advanced Picture Settings.
- Select Expert Settings.
- Set Action Smoothing to Off.
This sets a global default. However, on some Roku TV models, picture settings are stored per-input. If the soap opera effect returns when you switch HDMI sources, repeat these steps while that input is active.
The 3 Roku Motion Settings and What Each One Does
Newer Roku TVs — specifically the Select 4K, Plus Series, and Pro Series — have three separate motion controls. They work differently and affect different content types.
Action Smoothing Controls frame interpolation. This is the setting causing the soap opera effect. Turn it Off for all movies and scripted TV.
Action Clarity Sharpens fast-moving objects without adding interpolated frames. Available on Roku Select 4K, Plus, and Pro Series TVs only. For sports, set this to Low or Medium. High settings cause ghosting around players.
LED Motion Clarity Reduces motion blur by inserting brief dark frames between images — a technique called backlight strobing. Only available on Roku Plus and Pro Series TVs. Effective for sports at low settings. Keep it Off for movies; it causes visible flicker at higher levels.
Not sure which picture mode works best with these settings for your viewing habits? The TV picture mode optimizer tool gives you a content-specific recommendation based on your TV type.
Can’t Find Action Smoothing? Here’s Why
Your TV Lacks Expert Settings
Action Smoothing only appears inside Expert Settings. Budget Roku TV models — particularly entry-level TCL and Hisense units — may not include this menu at all. If you go to Picture Settings and there’s no Advanced or Expert option listed, your TV simply doesn’t support manual motion control. There is no workaround for this hardware limitation.
Roku OS 13 Bug — Motion Smoothing Stuck On
In June 2024, Roku released Roku OS 13.0.0. This update introduced a feature called Roku Smart Picture, which automatically adjusts picture quality while you stream. For a significant number of owners — particularly those with TCL Roku TVs — the update silently enabled motion smoothing with no option to disable it.
Some users reported their TVs didn’t support motion smoothing at all before the update. After OS 13 installed, Action Smoothing was on and the Expert Settings controls were missing entirely.
Roku confirmed the issue on its community board. Later firmware updates through 2024 and into 2025 resolved it for most affected devices. If your TV is still stuck, the next section has every known workaround.
Workarounds When the Setting Is Missing or Greyed Out
Try these in order. Most users resolve the issue at step one or two.
Try Holding the Star Button
Rather than a single press, press and hold the Star (*) button for 2–3 seconds while content is playing. On some Roku TVs affected by the OS 13 bug, this opens a different version of the Advanced Picture Settings menu that includes the Action Smoothing toggle — one that a quick press doesn’t surface.
Switch to Filmmaker Mode
If your Roku TV supports Filmmaker Mode, select it as your active picture mode. Filmmaker Mode displays content as the director intended, with all motion processing — including Action Smoothing — disabled at the system level.
To check: go to Picture Settings and look for “Filmmaker” in the picture mode list. Not all Roku TVs include it; it’s more common on Plus and Pro Series models. Filmmaker Mode now also adjusts automatically based on your room lighting on TVs that support ambient light sensing.
Check for a Firmware Update
The Roku OS 13 motion smoothing bug was patched in later firmware releases. To check:
- Press Home on your remote.
- Go to Settings > System > System Update.
- Select Check Now.
Install any available update, then check if Action Smoothing is accessible in Expert Settings again.
Reset Picture Settings
If picture settings are behaving inconsistently or not saving:
- Go to Settings > TV Picture Settings.
- Look for Reset Picture Settings.
- Confirm the reset.
This returns all picture controls to factory defaults. You’ll need to re-tune any other adjustments you had active. For ONN Roku TV owners, the reset process works slightly differently — the full steps are covered in this guide on how to reset an ONN Roku TV.
Should You Ever Leave Motion Smoothing On?
Yes — for live sports.
Football, basketball, tennis, and similar fast-paced content genuinely benefit from higher frame interpolation. The generated frames reduce blur during rapid camera pans and player movement, making the action easier to follow.
The practical rule: Off for movies and scripted TV. Low or On for live sports.
If you watch sports regularly, consider adjusting per viewing session rather than setting a permanent global preference. Switching Action Smoothing to Low (rather than full Off) for sports gives you smoother motion without the extreme soap opera look that High produces.
Does a Roku Streaming Stick Have Motion Smoothing?
No. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K, Roku Express, and Roku Ultra do not have Action Smoothing. None of them do.
Motion smoothing is a display-level processing feature. It lives inside the TV’s panel hardware and image processor. A streaming stick sends a video signal — it has zero control over how the TV renders that signal.
If you’re seeing the soap opera effect while a Roku stick is plugged into a non-Roku TV, the motion smoothing setting belongs to that TV, not the stick. Look for it under that brand’s picture settings. Samsung calls it Auto Motion Plus. LG calls it TruMotion. Sony calls it Motionflow. The setting to disable is different for every manufacturer, but the location — Advanced or Expert picture settings — is always the same.
FAQs
Why does my Roku TV look like a soap opera? Action Smoothing is active. It generates extra frames to match your TV’s 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, which makes 24fps film content look unnaturally smooth and cheap. Disable it in Expert Settings using the Star button.
Action Smoothing is greyed out — what do I do? Either your TV model doesn’t include Expert Settings (a hardware limitation on budget models), or the Roku OS 13 update removed the control. Try holding the Star button, switch to Filmmaker Mode, or install the latest firmware update.
Does turning off Action Smoothing help with gaming? Yes. Motion smoothing adds processing delay — input lag — which worsens gaming response. Turning off Action Smoothing reduces that lag noticeably. For best results, also enable Game Mode if your Roku TV supports it.
Will the setting stay off after a restart? On most models, yes. Some Roku TVs store picture settings per input, so if you switch HDMI sources, the setting may revert. Set it to Off on each active input to make it stick. Also check whether Roku Smart Picture is enabled — it can override manual picture settings on OS 13 and later.