How to Use Your Android Phone as a TV Remote

Your TV remote is somewhere inside the sofa, its batteries are dead, or it needs a keyboard to type a long movie title one letter at a time. Meanwhile your phone is already in your hand — and with the right app it becomes a full TV remote: power, volume, channel and navigation buttons, a touchpad, and a proper keyboard for searching. This guide shows every current way to use your android phone as tv remote, step by step, for Android TV and Google TV, Samsung TVs, Fire TV, and older TVs that need an infrared blaster.

There are two families of remote apps, and which one works for you depends on your TV and your phone. Wi-Fi remote apps (Google TV, Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Fire TV) send commands over your home network, so your phone and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network. IR blaster apps (like Mi Remote on Xiaomi phones) beam real infrared signals just like a plastic remote — no network needed — but only phones with an IR blaster can do this, and most modern phones, including current Pixel and Samsung Galaxy models, do not have one. We start with the Wi-Fi methods because they work on almost any modern phone.

What You Need Before You Start

Sixty seconds of preparation makes every method below work the first time:

1. Connect your TV to Wi-Fi. On most smart TVs this is Settings > Network > Network connection (wording varies). If your TV is wired by ethernet to the same router, that also counts — it just needs to be on the same home network as your phone.
2. Connect your phone to the same Wi-Fi network as the TV. If your router broadcasts separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz names, either band works as long as both devices reach the same router; if discovery fails later, put both on the same band and try again.
3. Turn the TV on. Most remote apps can wake a TV from standby, but the first-time pairing only works while the TV is on and showing its home screen.
4. Update your apps. Grab the latest Google TV app from the Play Store, or SmartThings if you have a Samsung TV. Old versions are the top cause of “TV not found” errors.
5. Check whether your phone has an IR blaster. Look for a tiny dark window on the top edge of the phone (classic Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO hardware). Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and OnePlus phones have no IR blaster — skip straight to the Wi-Fi methods.

One honest warning: phone remotes need the TV’s network connection alive. If your TV’s Wi-Fi is switched off entirely, most models cannot be woken by an app. Plug the TV into your router with an ethernet cable, or enable the TV’s “turn on with mobile device / network standby” setting (Samsung: Settings > General > Network > Expert Settings > Power On with Mobile), and app wake-up starts working.

Method 1: Google TV App Virtual Remote (Android TV & Google TV)

If your TV or streaming stick runs Android TV or Google TV — Sony, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield, and many others — the Google TV app is the official remote and the easiest setup in this guide. Your phone shows a virtual remote with a D-pad or swipe pad, volume keys, and one-tap access to voice search and the keyboard.

Pair Your Phone with the TV

1. Open the Google TV app on your phone (install it free from the Play Store if it isn’t there; on Pixel phones it usually is).
2. Tap your profile picture (top right) to make sure you’re signed in with the same Google account used on the TV. The app works best — and finds TVs instantly — when both share one account.
3. At the bottom of the Google TV home tab, tap the TV remote icon (a small remote symbol), or tap Connect TV if it appears.
4. The app searches your Wi-Fi network. Tap your TV’s name in the list.
5. A 6-digit pairing code appears on your TV screen. Type that code into your phone and tap Pair.
6. The virtual remote opens: a D-pad or swipe control in the middle, power and volume buttons, back, home, and a keyboard/voice icon.

The pairing sticks. Next time you open the remote, it reconnects in a couple of seconds with no code.

Use the Virtual Remote Day to Day

• Navigate: swipe on the pad or tap the D-pad (switch style in the remote’s ⋮ menu > D-pad control / Swipe control).
• Type fast: tap the keyboard icon (or start typing in any search box on the TV) — your phone keyboard appears, so passwords and movie titles take seconds instead of minutes.
• Voice search: press the microphone button and speak; Google Assistant searches across your streaming apps.
• Volume and power: the on-screen buttons work, and on many phones your physical volume keys also control the TV while the remote screen is open.

Add the Remote to Quick Settings (Pixel & Stock Android)

On Android 12 and later you can skip opening the app entirely:

1. Swipe down twice to open Quick Settings, tap the pencil/edit icon, and find the TV remote tile.
2. Drag the tile into your active tiles and tap Done.
3. Tap the tile any time to jump straight to the virtual remote — ideal when the TV is already on.

If the tile doesn’t appear, connect to the TV once through the Google TV app first; the tile shows up after the first pairing.

Method 2: Samsung SmartThings (Samsung TVs)

Samsung TV owners should use SmartThings, Samsung’s own app. It controls Samsung smart TVs from 2016 onward, and as a bonus it manages other Samsung smart-home gear from the same screen.

Set Up SmartThings Remote Control

1. Install or open SmartThings (preinstalled on Galaxy phones; free in the Play Store for other brands).
2. Sign in with your Samsung account. Using the same account on the TV (Settings > General > System Manager > Samsung Account) makes discovery one-tap, but it isn’t mandatory.
3. Tap the + button > Add device, or open the Devices tab and tap Add.
4. Choose TV, then Samsung, and let the app scan. Tap your TV when it appears.
5. A PIN shows on the TV. Enter it in the app to confirm this is really your TV.
6. Open your TV in the Devices list and tap the remote icon — you get a touchpad, channel and volume rockers, 123 numeric pad, home/back/menu buttons, and playback controls.

Galaxy-specific perks: add the SmartThings device panel to your Quick Settings (Quick panel > edit > Device control > SmartThings) for one-swipe access, and on many Galaxy phones SmartThings can power the TV on over Wi-Fi once “Power On with Mobile” is enabled on the TV.

Method 3: Fire TV and Other Streaming Sticks

• Amazon Fire TV: install the free Amazon Fire TV app (Play Store), sign in with the same Amazon account as the stick, tap your Fire TV’s name, and enter the 4-digit code shown on the TV. You get a touchpad, voice button, keyboard, and app shortcuts — and it works on Fire TV Sticks and Fire TV Edition televisions.
• Roku: the Roku app offers a full remote, private listening through headphones, and voice search; same Wi-Fi rule applies.
• Chromecast (non-Google TV models): there’s no full remote, but the Google Home app gives basic media controls (play/pause, volume, stop casting) for whatever is casting. For real navigation, these sticks expect their own remote or the Google TV app once paired.

The pattern never changes: same Wi-Fi network, pick the device, type the code that’s on the big screen. If you’ve paired one, you’ve paired them all.

Method 4: IR Blaster Apps (Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO & Other IR Phones)

If your phone has an IR blaster — most Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO models, some older Honor and Huawei phones — it can control almost any TV that takes a normal infrared remote, including old non-smart TVs, set-top boxes, and air conditioners. No Wi-Fi, no pairing, no network.

Use Mi Remote on Xiaomi Phones

1. Open Mi Remote (preinstalled on most Xiaomi phones; also free in the Play Store).
2. Tap + (Add remote) and choose TV.
3. Pick your TV brand from the list (hundreds are supported).
4. Point the phone’s top edge at the TV and tap the power button on screen. If the TV responds, confirm; if not, tap No response and the app tries the next code set automatically.
5. Repeat for volume and menu/channel until the app confirms the remote works, give it a name, and save.

After setup you get a full on-screen remote. Because it’s real infrared, you must point the phone at the TV and keep a clear line of sight, exactly like a plastic remote — cases that cover the top edge can block the signal. Mi Remote also handles set-top boxes, AC units, fans, and projectors, making an IR phone a genuine universal remote. On non-Xiaomi phones with IR hardware, apps like SURE or your manufacturer’s bundled remote app follow the same brand-and-test flow.

IR Dongles for Phones Without a Blaster

If your phone lacks IR, USB-C infrared dongles exist that plug into the charging port and work with their matching app. They do turn any phone into an IR remote, but be picky: read recent reviews, prefer dongles that need no battery and no sketchy permissions, and accept that a Wi-Fi method (above) is simpler for any smart TV. A dongle only earns its keep for an old, non-smart TV in the spare room.

Method 5: General Wi-Fi Universals and Casting Shortcuts

A few extra tools round out a lost-remote survival kit:

• Brand apps: LG (LG ThinQ), Sony (via Google TV), TCL and Hisense (via Google TV or their own apps) all offer Wi-Fi remotes for their smart TVs. Rule of thumb: Android TV / Google TV models → Google TV app; Samsung → SmartThings; anything else → check the TV maker’s app.
• Cast instead of controlling: from YouTube, Netflix, and most streaming apps, tap the Cast icon and pick your TV. Your phone becomes the controller (play, pause, seek, volume) without any remote setup — perfect for guests.
• Google Home media controls: while anything plays on a Chromecast or Google TV, the Google Home app and even your phone’s lock-screen media notification give play/pause and volume without opening the remote.

Troubleshooting

The app says “No TV found”

• Confirm phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network (same router; try the same 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band), the TV is on, and you’re nearby — discovery uses your local network, so VPN apps on the phone block it. Turn the VPN off and rescan.
• Restart the app, then the TV (unplug for 30 seconds), then your router if needed — in that order; the first two fix most cases.

The pairing code never appears (or pairing fails)

• On the TV, go to Settings > Apps > See all apps > Android TV Remote Service (Google TV models) and clear cache, then try again. Make sure both devices share the same Google/Samsung account, and accept any “allow remote control” prompt on the TV.

It worked yesterday, now it won’t connect

• TVs that fully cut network power in standby drop off the network. Enable network standby / Power On with Mobile or wire the TV by ethernet. Also check your phone didn’t hop to a different Wi-Fi (guest network, extender) since pairing.

Volume or power buttons do nothing

• On Google TV, volume often routes through HDMI-CEC; enable CEC on the TV (names vary: Bravia Sync, Anynet+, Simplink) and in Settings > Display & Sound. If only power fails, your TV may not support app wake-up — everything else should still work once it’s on.

Mi Remote / IR doesn’t control the TV

• Remove thick cases, point the top edge straight at the TV from under 5 metres, and re-run the brand test, trying every code set. Wrong-brand profiles are the usual culprit — pick the exact brand, not a similar one.

Fire TV app can’t find the stick

• The phone and stick must use the same Amazon account and network. Sign out and back in on the app, restart the stick (Settings > My Fire TV > Restart), and re-enter the 4-digit code promptly — codes expire after a few minutes.

Safety and Privacy Notes

A phone remote is a small thing, but it talks to your TV and your accounts, so a little care goes a long way:

• Download remote apps from the Play Store only — the official Google TV, SmartThings, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Mi Remote apps. Third-party “universal remote” clones are a classic adware bundle; avoid any that demand accessibility access, SMS, or contacts permission — a remote needs none of those.
• Pairing codes are the lock. Only enter a code when you can see it on your TV screen. Never type a code shown on someone else’s screen, and ignore any pop-up asking you to pair when you aren’t setting up.
• Same-account sign-ins matter. Google TV and Fire TV remotes tie to your Google/Amazon account; anyone signed into that account on your Wi-Fi can control the TV. Sign out of shared phones, and remove old paired devices from the app after selling a phone.
• Guest Wi-Fi breaks discovery on purpose — it’s isolated from your TV. That’s a feature, not a bug: keep the TV on your main network and your phone with it when you want control.
• IR apps need no account and no network — for pure privacy with an old TV, an IR blaster phone is the zero-data option.

Wrap-Up

Losing the plastic remote doesn’t have to stop movie night. For Android TV and Google TV, the Google TV app’s virtual remote — same Wi-Fi, tap your TV, enter the 6-digit code — gives you navigation, a real keyboard, and voice search in two minutes, and a Quick Settings tile puts it one swipe away. Samsung owners pair SmartThings with the on-screen PIN and gain a full touchpad remote; Fire TV and Roku sticks use their own free apps with the same code-on-the-TV routine; and if you own a Xiaomi or another IR-equipped phone, Mi Remote turns it into a true universal remote for smart and dumb TVs alike, no network required. Set it up once while the TV is on and both devices share your home Wi-Fi, and your next lost remote is a five-second problem, not a ruined evening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my Android phone as a TV remote without Wi-Fi? Yes, but only if your phone has an IR blaster (most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO phones do) — apps like Mi Remote then send real infrared signals to any TV. Phones without IR (Pixel, Galaxy, OnePlus) must use Wi-Fi remote apps, which need phone and TV on the same network.

How do I use my phone as a remote for Android TV? Install the Google TV app, sign in with the same Google account as the TV, tap the TV remote icon, select your TV, and enter the 6-digit code shown on the TV. You get a D-pad/swipe pad, volume, power, keyboard, and voice search.

My phone doesn’t have an IR blaster. Can I still control my TV? Absolutely — that’s what the Wi-Fi apps are for. Google TV (Android TV/Google TV sets), SmartThings (Samsung), and the Fire TV app all control smart TVs over your home network on any phone, no IR hardware needed.

Why won’t the Google TV app find my TV? Almost always networking: phone and TV on different Wi-Fi networks or bands, a VPN active on the phone, the TV fully asleep with network standby off, or an outdated Google TV app. Put both on the same network, disable the VPN, wake the TV, update the app, and rescan.

Does the phone remote work when the TV is off? Usually yes from standby, if network standby is enabled (Samsung: “Power On with Mobile”). If the TV cuts network power completely when off, apps can’t wake it — wire it with ethernet or enable that setting. IR blasters can always power a TV on, since they mimic the original remote’s signal.

Can I type passwords and search with my phone? Yes — that’s the best part. Tap the keyboard icon in Google TV, SmartThings, or the Fire TV app and type on your phone keyboard instead of arrow-keying letter by letter on the TV.

Is it safe to use third-party universal remote apps? Stick to official apps from the Play Store. A remote app needs Wi-Fi or IR access and nothing more — treat requests for accessibility, SMS, or contacts permissions as a red flag and uninstall.

Can two phones control the same TV? Yes. Each phone pairs separately (same accounts and same Wi-Fi), and several phones can be paired to one TV at once — handy in shared living rooms.