Frequently Asked Questions

What is Roux?

Roux is a voice-based cooking assistant that is always within reach. You load a recipe, start cooking, and Roux guides you through it hands-free, answering questions, keeping track of where you are, and adapting to your cooking style and experience. Think of it as having a knowledgeable friend in the kitchen with you.

Do I need to create an account?

Yes. Roux requires a free account so your recipes, meal plans, and shopping lists stay safe and can sync across devices. You can sign up with your existing Apple or Google account in just a few seconds.

Is Roux free?

There's a free tier that lets you get started right away. Paid plans (Premium and Family) unlock more assisted cooking sessions, conversations with Roux, and other features. You can see what's included on the pricing page.

What devices does Roux run on?

Roux is an iPhone and iPad app (iOS). Android is not currently supported.

How do I add a recipe from a website?

Tap the + button on the Recipes screen, choose "Link," and paste the link. Roux will pull the recipe text, ingredients, and photo automatically. Most major recipe sites work great.

Can I add a recipe from a photo?

Yes! Choose "Photo" and take a picture of a recipe card, cookbook page, or anything with printed recipe text. Roux uses AI to read and structure it for you.

Can I type a recipe in manually?

Absolutely. Choose "Text" and paste or type your recipe. Roux will parse the ingredients and steps automatically.

Can I edit a recipe after importing it?

Yes. On the recipe detail screen, tap the pencil icon to edit the full recipe text. You can also long-press any individual ingredient or step to jump straight to that line in the editor.

How does the cooking session work?

Open a recipe and tap Start Cooking. Roux can walk you through the steps. Just talk naturally — ask questions like "How long should I sear this?" or say "Next step" to move forward. You can also show Roux what's happening with your camera.

Does Roux work without internet?

The cooking session uses AI to answer your questions, so an internet connection is needed. However, Roux can read out steps even when your connection is spotty — only the AI responses require connectivity.

Roux isn't hearing me. What should I do?

Make sure you've granted microphone permission to Roux in your iPhone's Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone. If permission is granted and Roux still isn't responding, try closing and reopening the app, or tap the mic button to restart listening.

Can I use Roux without speaking?

The cooking session is designed for voice, but you can always tap through steps manually using the on-screen controls.

What is "Ask Roux?"

Ask Roux (the sparkle tab at the bottom) is a food discovery assistant. Tell it what you're in the mood for, what's in your fridge, or any dietary needs and it'll find recipes that fit. It's great when you don't know what to cook.

Does Ask Roux remember my preferences?

Yes. Roux learns from your taste profile (set in Settings) and your cooking history. The more you use it, the better its suggestions get.

How do I generate a shopping list?

Go to the Meal Plan tab, fill in the meals you want to cook that week, and tap Generate Shopping List. Roux will consolidate all the ingredients across your recipes, combine duplicates, and organize them by aisle.

Can I add items manually?

Yes! Tap "+ Add Item" next to any category in the shopping list to add something by hand. You can also tap "+ Add Category" at the bottom to create a custom section.

Can I share my shopping list?

Tap the share icon in the top right of the Grocery tab to export your list as text — easy to paste into a message or notes app.

Can my household share one shopping list?

Yes. If you're on a Family plan, everyone in your household shares the same shopping list in real time.

How does the meal planner work?

The Meal Plan tab shows a weekly grid. Tap any slot to assign a recipe to that meal. Roux will suggest recipes based on your taste profile, what you haven't cooked recently, and your household size.

Can Roux suggest what to cook?

Yes — tap the sparkle (✦) button on a slot for a suggestion, or use "Plan with Roux" to get multiple days worth of personalized recommendations.

How do I invite someone to my household?

Go to Settings → Household and tap Invite Member. Enter their email address and they'll receive an invite link. Household sharing is available on the Family plan.

What does household sharing include?

Household members share recipes, meal plans, and the shopping list. Changes sync in real time across all devices.

How do I leave a household?

Go to Settings → Household and tap Leave Household at the bottom. A copy of all the recipes and your personal information will remain on your own account.

Why is the voice download so large?

Roux's voices run entirely on your device — no audio is ever sent to the cloud. That privacy comes with a larger one-time download. You only need to download it once.

How do I remove a downloaded voice to free up space?

Go to Settings → Voice and tap Remove next to whichever voice you want to delete.

What's included in the free plan?

The free plan includes a limited number of cook sessions, Ask Roux conversations, and recipe imports per month — enough to try everything out.

What does Premium include?

Premium unlocks more cook sessions, Ask Roux conversations, and other features each month. It's designed for solo cooks who use Roux regularly.

What does Family include?

Family includes everything in Premium, plus household sharing — up to the full family plan limit. Perfect for households that cook together.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Subscriptions are managed through the App Store. Go to iPhone Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions, find Roux, and tap Cancel.

The app feels slow or unresponsive.

Try closing Roux fully and reopening it. If you're on a weak connection, some AI features may take longer to respond.

My recipes or shopping list disappeared.

This can happen when switching devices before syncing. Go to Settings → Account → Upload my data to the cloud to push your latest data to Roux's servers, then sign in on your other device.

I found a bug or something doesn't look right.

We'd love to hear about it. Contact us at support@cookwithroux.com. Screenshots are always helpful!