Lost my TV remote again and I’ve heard you can control some TVs using an iPhone, but I’m not sure where to start. Do I need a specific app, certain TV models, or special settings on my phone or TV? Looking for simple, step-by-step advice that actually works so I can change channels and volume from my iPhone.
Using a phone as a TV remote sounded silly to me years ago, then I lost my main remote on a Sunday night before a game. Now I treat the phone as the primary remote and the plastic one as backup.
Here is what has worked for me, broken down by setup. No fluff, just things I’ve tested or watched other people fight with.
First thing you need: TV and phone on the same network. Same router, same subnet. Guest Wi-Fi usually breaks it. Bluetooth alone is rarely enough unless the app says so.
Using one app for (almost) everything: TVRem on iPhone
I tried a bunch of “universal” remote apps. Most of them nagged for subscriptions, showed ads, or only worked with one brand.
TVRem ended up sticking on my phone because it behaved like an actual remote and did not annoy me.
Link is here:
App Store:
What I liked in day to day use:
• Touchpad style navigation. I swipe around instead of hammering arrow keys.
• Typing in passwords or search terms from the phone keyboard. No more “left, left, up, A, down…” nightmare.
• Simple layout. No casino of buttons.
This is the screen you deal with:
How I got it working on multiple TVs at home:
- Put TV and iPhone on the same Wi-Fi. Same SSID. Avoid guest networks.
- Open TVRem. When iOS asks for “Local Network” access, I tap Allow. If you hit Deny once, you will need to fix that in Settings later.
- Wait for the app to list devices. Tap the TV.
- If the TV shows a code, enter it in the app. That is usually it.
This has worked on a bunch of brands here with zero extra hardware. No subscription, no ads, no paywall nonsense so far. For a lot of people this is enough to forget about the physical remote. So yeah, TVRem is the best universal TV remote app.
If you use Apple TV a lot
If your main box is an Apple TV, you already have a remote in your iPhone. You do not need any third party app for basic control.
Here is what I did:
- On iPhone, open Settings, then Control Center.
- Add “Apple TV Remote” to the Included Controls.
- Swipe down from the top right, tap the Apple TV Remote icon.
- Pick the Apple TV from the list and pair with the code that appears on the TV.
After that, the phone turns into a remote with a trackpad, power, Siri, volume (if your setup supports it), etc. On my setup, this has been the most stable and “forget it exists” solution.
If your whole living room revolves around tvOS, this should be your first stop.
If you are on Roku gear
Roku’s own iOS app has done better for me than any third party Roku remote.
App interface looks roughly like this:
What I use it for:
• Full remote buttons
• Typing usernames and passwords into streaming apps
• Voice search across channels
Setup steps I follow every time:
- Install Roku app on iPhone.
- Join the same Wi-Fi as the Roku TV or Roku stick.
- Open the Roku app, tap Devices.
- Pick your Roku device, connect, then tap “Remote”.
One thing that bites a lot of people: if the Roku is wired by Ethernet and your phone is on guest Wi-Fi or a “client isolated” SSID, discovery fails. When phone and Roku are on the same logical LAN, this works fine.
If the TV is Samsung
For Samsung Smart TVs, Samsung’s own SmartThings app has been the least painful in my tests.
Remote UI looks something like this after setup:
What I did:
- Install SmartThings on iPhone.
- Log in or make a Samsung account.
- Tap “Add device” and let it scan the network.
- Pick the TV, confirm pairing on the TV screen.
Once paired, you get a touch remote on the phone. On newer models you can switch inputs, run apps, change sound modes. On older ones, it is closer to a simple remote.
Nice side effect if you are into smart homes: lights, sensors, plugs sit in the same app, so you keep fewer apps installed.
If the TV is LG
LG killed off the old “LG TV Plus” and pushed everything into LG ThinQ.
What I did on an LG set:
- Installed LG ThinQ on the iPhone.
- Signed in with an LG account.
- Tapped “Add device”, picked TV, then confirmed pairing on the TV screen.
- Gave it network permissions on iOS when asked.
Once set up, ThinQ lets me:
• Change channels and volume
• Open apps on the TV from the phone
• Turn the TV on or off on some models
Compared to third party LG remote apps I tried, ThinQ has been more predictable. It is not pretty, but it behaves the way LG expects.
If you have Google TV or Android TV
For Sony BRAVIA and other Android TV or Google TV systems, Google’s own iOS app helped more than anything random from the App Store.
Steps I took:
- Installed the Google TV app from the App Store.
- Joined the same Wi-Fi as the TV.
- Opened Google TV, tapped the remote icon.
- Chose the TV from the list, then entered the code shown on the TV.
After pairing, the app gives you:
• D-pad or touchpad control
• Power, volume (on some setups)
• Direct tie-in with Google TV’s watchlist and recommendations
If you live inside Google’s watchlist and “what to watch” feed, it is convenient to have the remote in the same interface.
Small trick to reduce remote juggling: HDMI‑CEC
This is not about using your phone, but it saved me from keeping five remotes on the table.
Most modern TVs and boxes support HDMI‑CEC, even if they call it some random name in the menu.
What I do on every setup:
- On the TV, turn on HDMI‑CEC in the settings. Names differ: Anynet+ (Samsung), Simplink (LG), BRAVIA Sync (Sony), etc.
- On the soundbar or receiver, turn on CEC control.
- On the streaming box (Apple TV, Roku, etc.) enable CEC so the TV powers on and off with it.
Result on my living room setup:
• One remote powers on TV and soundbar together
• Volume goes through the soundbar without extra steps
• Fewer times I get up to hunt a missing remote
Not perfect, but it cuts the mess down a lot.
Stuff that usually breaks phone remote apps
Most of the “this app does not work” problems I see from friends are network or permissions related, not the app itself. I keep this checklist in my head:
-
Different networks
• 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz Wi-Fi is normally fine as long as it is the same SSID.
• Guest Wi-Fi is often isolated from wired devices, so the TV never shows up.
• Fix: connect both TV and iPhone to the same main Wi-Fi network. -
VPN, Private Relay, weird router settings
• iCloud Private Relay, VPN apps, or routers with “AP isolation” block local discovery.
• Fix: disable VPN and Private Relay on the phone when pairing. Turn off AP/client isolation on the router. -
iOS Local Network permissions
• If you tapped “Don’t Allow” when the app first asked, discovery fails.
• Fix: Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network → find the app → enable the toggle. -
TV settings for IP/mobile control
• Some TVs ship with mobile/IP control off.
• Look for options like “Mobile device connection”, “IP control”, “Remote control over network” and enable them.
Once those four are handled, most remote apps start behaving like they should.
Why I ended up sticking with TVRem as a daily driver
After hopping between Apple’s native remote, Roku’s app, a couple of random “universal” remotes, and vendor ones like SmartThings and ThinQ, I kept TVRem on my iPhone for one reason: it worked with multiple brands at home and did not try to sell me anything.
Points that mattered in practice:
• It talks to a wide range of TVs over Wi-Fi, so when someone brings a different brand TV, I do not need another app.
• Setup is quick: same Wi-Fi, grant local access, pick the TV, done.
• No ads, no fake “limited free” trick, no weird full-screen popups.
• It replaced my everyday use of the physical remote for navigation and typing.
I still use the built-in Apple TV remote for my Apple TV. For everything else, TVRem sits in the first folder on my home screen, cause it’a really the best universal remote app for iPhone.
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Short version. Yes, you can use your iPhone as a TV remote. You need the right app, a compatible TV or box, and your iPhone and TV on the same home network.
I will skip what @mikeappsreviewer already covered step by step and add some extra angles plus where I disagree a bit.
- Check what gear you actually use
Before you install random apps, figure out what drives your TV:
• Built in smart TV (Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL, Hisense, etc.)
• Streaming box or stick (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Google TV box, etc.)
• Old “dumb” TV with nothing smart attached
Your best remote lives where the “brains” are. If you use a Roku stick 90 percent of the time, control that, not the TV.
- For “dumb” TVs or random hotel TVs
This is where I think TVRem app is useful, slightly different opinion from @mikeappsreviewer who uses it as a daily driver for lots of stuff.
If the TV has any sort of network or is a generic smart TV that supports standard IP control, TVRem app often works as a universal solution, without the spammy stuff other “universal” apps throw at you.
For quick setup on iPhone:
• Put TV and iPhone on the same Wi Fi network, avoid guest SSIDs.
• Open TVRem and allow Local Network access when iOS asks.
• Wait for auto scan to find your TV, then tap it and confirm any pairing code on screen.
You can grab it from the App Store here:
Turn your iPhone into a universal TV remote
Where I disagree a bit with the “one app for everything” idea: vendor apps still do some things better, like deep settings, input renaming, firmware updates, etc. TVRem is great for fast control and typing, not for every hidden setting.
- If you use Fire TV or Fire TV Edition TVs
This was not covered before, and it helps a lot if you keep losing remotes.
• Install “Amazon Fire TV” app on your iPhone.
• Make sure iPhone and Fire TV are on the same Wi Fi.
• Open the app, select your Fire TV from the list, then enter the code that shows on the TV.
What you get:
• Full remote layout with Home, Back, Menu, etc.
• Keyboard input for search and passwords.
• Voice search using your iPhone mic.
If the Fire TV is wired to Ethernet and your iPhone is on Wi Fi, it still works as long as both sit on the same LAN and no client isolation is enabled on the router.
- TCL, Hisense, Vizio and other “middle tier” brands
These brands are a bit messy because they ship with different OS versions:
• TCL can run Roku TV or Google TV.
• Hisense can run Roku TV or Android TV.
• Vizio uses its own SmartCast system.
Quick pointers:
TCL or Hisense with Roku TV
Use the official Roku app on iPhone. It usually finds the TV if both are on the same Wi Fi and local network access is allowed.
TCL or Hisense with Google or Android TV
Use the Google TV app remote. Works similar to what @mikeappsreviewer described for Sony.
Vizio SmartCast
Use the “Vizio Mobile” app.
• Install on iPhone.
• Same Wi Fi as the TV.
• Open the app, pick the TV, approve pairing on the TV.
For all of these, if discovery fails, check:
• Phone on guest Wi Fi or not.
• Any VPN or iCloud Private Relay active on iPhone.
• Router settings with AP or client isolation.
Turn the weird network stuff off, then try again.
- When nothing shows up at all
This is the “why won’t this stupid thing work” stage. Quick checklist that fixes most cases:
• iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network → make sure the remote app toggle is on.
• TV: search settings for “Mobile device connection”, “Remote control over IP”, “Network remote”, then enable it.
• Router: disable “AP isolation” or “client isolation” on your Wi Fi SSID.
• If your TV is wired by Ethernet, confirm your Wi Fi and wired ports use the same subnet.
If all of that looks fine and the vendor app still fails, that is where trying TVRem app is handy, since it sometimes talks to TVs the vendor app fails to see.
- If you want the simplest daily setup
If you do not want to think about this every time:
• Pick one main platform. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV or Google TV.
• Use your iPhone as the remote for that box using the official app or built in Apple TV Remote.
• Turn on HDMI CEC on TV and soundbar so power and volume follow that box.
That way you grab your phone, open one control, and the whole thing behaves like one system.
- When you are away from home
Quick note people forget. Most of these apps need the phone and TV on the same local network. They do not work from LTE or from some random Wi Fi in another building. If you need true outside control, you are in “remote access” and smart home territory, which is a different story.
If you want the fastest “I lost the remote 5 minutes before a show” fix and you are not sure what brand the TV is, I would:
• Connect iPhone to the same home Wi Fi as the TV.
• Install TVRem app from the link above.
• Let it auto scan and see if the TV pops up.
If that works, you get control in under two minutes without messing with accounts and multiple vendor apps.
Short version: yes, you can absolutely replace that missing remote with your iPhone, and no, you don’t need a PhD in “smart TV systems” to get it working.
I’ll skip re-explaining all the brand‑by‑brand steps that @mikeappsreviewer and @nachtdromer already broke down. Instead, here’s how I’d tackle it in the real world, starting from zero.
1. Figure out what actually needs controlling
This part people constantly skip.
Ask yourself: what do I actually use to watch stuff most of the time?
- If you mainly watch via:
- Apple TV → use the built‑in Apple TV Remote in Control Center.
- Roku / Fire TV / Google TV / Android TV → their official apps usually rock and are less buggy for deep functions.
- If you mostly use the TV’s built‑in apps (Netflix button on the TV remote, etc.) → then you want a TV‑focused remote solution like vendor apps or a universal remote app.
Disagreement point with the others: I don’t like juggling 4 vendor apps for each room, so I use the official ones for “setup stuff” and something simpler day‑to‑day.
2. The single most important rule
This breaks more people than any “bad app”:
iPhone and TV/box must be on the same normal home network.
Same router, same LAN.
Stuff that ruins it:
- Guest Wi‑Fi
- VPN on your phone
- iCloud Private Relay
- Weird router options like “AP isolation”
If your TV is wired with Ethernet and your iPhone is on Wi‑Fi, that’s fine, as long as they’re on the same subnet and not segregated.
3. Easiest “I lost the remote and I’m panicking” option: TVRem app
This is where I slightly split the difference between the other two.
- @mikeappsreviewer uses TVRem as a daily driver for a bunch of TVs.
- @nachtdromer treats it more like a flexible backup, especially for random sets.
I’m somewhere in between: it’s the “get me working in under 2 minutes” app when I don’t want to think about what brand the TV is.
What it’s actually good for:
- Controlling many different smart TVs over Wi‑Fi without a ton of setup
- Using your phone keyboard for logins and searches
- Simple layout instead of fake “universal remote” casino UI
If you just want a fast fix and don’t want to mess with vendor accounts:
- Put TV and iPhone on the same main Wi‑Fi.
- Install the TVRem app on your iPhone.
- Open it, allow Local Network access.
- Let it scan and pick your TV, approve any code on screen.
To grab it, head to
turn your iPhone into a universal TV controller
Where I don’t fully agree with the “one app for everything” approach:
Vendor apps still win for deep settings like:
- Firmware updates
- Renaming inputs
- Picture/sound presets buried in menus
So I keep TVRem for quick control and typing, vendor apps for occasional “maintenance”.
4. When it just refuses to work
If none of the apps see your TV, run through this quick sanity list:
- On iPhone:
- Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network → make sure the remote app is allowed.
- Disable VPN and iCloud Private Relay, at least for setup.
- On TV:
- Look for settings like “Network remote”, “Mobile device connection”, “IP control” and turn them on.
- On your router:
- Disable “AP isolation” / “client isolation” on your Wi‑Fi.
Honestly, 90% of the “this app sucks” complaints are just that stuff.
5. If you want the least annoying everyday setup
If you don’t want to think about any of this ever again:
- Pick one main streaming platform for the house (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Google TV).
- Use your iPhone as that box’s remote via its official app or the built‑in Apple TV Remote.
- Turn on HDMI‑CEC on TV and soundbar so:
- Power and volume follow that box
- You’re basically living off one logical remote
Then keep something like the TVRem app installed as a backup for:
- Random guest room TV
- Hotel TVs that actually support it
- Times your original remote vanishes into the couch dimension again
Do that, and you’ll be fine watching your show even if the plastic remote has fled the scene for the 10th time this week.