How to Use Your Phone as a TV Remote (Samsung, LG, Google TV, Roku, Fire TV)
Control your smart TV from an Android phone over Wi-Fi: navigate, change the volume, open streaming apps and search by typing or voice. Step-by-step setup for each TV brand, plus fixes for the most common problems.
Most smart TVs made in the last ten years have a remote service built in: they listen on your home Wi-Fi for remote control commands. That means an Android phone can be a full TV remote with nothing installed on the TV, no infrared blaster and no account. This guide covers what it is useful for, how to set it up for each TV brand, and how to fix the problems people run into most.
What it is good for
- The remote is lost, broken or out of batteries. Your phone is always within reach.
- Typing searches. Entering a show title with the on-screen keyboard and arrow keys is slow; typing on your phone, or saying it, is much faster.
- Opening streaming apps on the TV in one tap.
- A second remote for the house, without buying one.
What you need
- An Android phone and a smart TV on the same Wi-Fi network.
- A TV remote app. We use our free app Remoto: Universal TV Remote in the steps below.
It works with Samsung (2016 and newer), LG webOS, Android TV and Google TV (Sony, TCL, Hisense, Philips and more), Roku players and Roku TVs, Fire TV, Vizio, Philips, Panasonic (2011–2023), and Toshiba, Hitachi, JVC and other Vestel-made TVs.
How to connect, step by step
- Turn the TV on and make sure your phone is on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open Remoto and tap Pair a new device. It looks for TVs on your network and lists the ones it finds.
- Tap your TV, then confirm on the TV:
- Samsung: choose Allow on the TV. Older models connect without asking.
- LG: accept the prompt that appears on the TV.
- Android TV and Google TV: the TV shows a code; enter it in Remoto.
- Roku: no code needed. If the buttons do nothing, turn on Settings › System › Advanced system settings › Control by mobile apps › Network access on the Roku.
- Fire TV: the TV shows a PIN; enter it in Remoto.
- Vizio, Philips and Panasonic: the TV shows a code; enter it in Remoto. Some older Philips and Panasonic sets connect without one.
- Toshiba, Hitachi and other Vestel-made TVs: turn on Virtual Remote in the TV’s settings first.
You only do this once. Next time you open Remoto, it reconnects to your last TV by itself.
What you can do once connected
- Navigate: the D-pad, OK, Back and Home work like the TV’s own remote.
- Volume and mute, plus channel up and down on TVs that have channels.
- Type and search: the keyboard and voice typing send text straight into the TV’s search box.
- Open streaming apps from a row of shortcuts.
- Make it yours: hide keys you don’t use, resize the D-pad, and pick a light or dark theme.
Fixing common problems
Your TV does not show up in the list
Check that the phone and the TV are on the same Wi-Fi network and that the TV is on, not in standby. Guest networks and some routers stop devices from seeing each other; switch the phone to your main network. If the TV is still missing, restart it.
It connected, but the buttons do nothing (Roku)
Roku OS 14.1 and newer block phone apps by default. On the Roku, open Settings › System › Advanced system settings › Control by mobile apps and set Network access to Enabled (or Default).
You missed the code or the prompt on the TV
Tap the TV again in Remoto to get a new one.
Why does typing or voice need Bluetooth on some TVs?
Some TVs only accept typing from a Bluetooth keyboard. For those, Remoto pairs with the TV over Bluetooth once, just for typing; the D-pad and volume keep working over Wi-Fi.
There is no keyboard or voice on Fire TV
Fire TV does not accept typing from phone apps, so Remoto shows the remote keys only.
It still does not work
Start fresh: in Remoto, long-press the TV and tap Remove. If the TV is also paired over Bluetooth, forget it in your phone’s Bluetooth settings too. Then add it again with Pair a new device.
Honest limits
- The app must be open on screen. Remoto controls the TV while it is open and reconnects when you open it again.
- Same Wi-Fi network. The phone and the TV have to be on the same network; it does not work over mobile data or from another house.
- Typing depends on the TV. Most TVs take typing over Wi-Fi, some need the one-time Bluetooth pairing, and Fire TV does not accept it.
- No account, nothing on the TV. Remoto talks to the TV’s built-in remote service, and it shows no ads.
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