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onn remote app for iPhone: which app works with your onn TV or streaming box

Nefarius Apps12 min read

You can use your iPhone as the remote for an onn streaming box or an onn TV. The right app depends on the system inside the device. Walmart sells onn devices with three different systems: Google TV, Roku TV and VIZIO OS. For an onn Google TV box or stick, use Google's Google TV app or a universal remote app such as Tivi. For an onn Roku TV, use the Roku app. For an onn TV powered by VIZIO, use the VIZIO mobile app. The apps called "onn remote" in the App Store come from other developers, not from Walmart.

Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

Which iPhone app works with which onn device?

The onn name is a Walmart store brand, and it is on devices with different systems. The system decides the app, not the brand. Google TV and Android TV use the same remote service, so one app controls both.

onn deviceiPhone appWhat it needs
Google TV streaming box or stickThe Google TV app, or TiviThe same Wi-Fi network, and a code from the TV screen
TV with Google TVThe Google TV app, or TiviThe same Wi-Fi network, and a code from the TV screen
Roku TVThe Roku appA sign-in to the app, and the same Wi-Fi network for some features
TV powered by VIZIOThe VIZIO mobile appThe app is part of the TV's first setup, with a Walmart account log-in
TV powered by VIZIO, added to Apple HomeThe remote in Control Centre, which should work through AirPlay 2The TV added to the Home app
The iPhone apps that control an onn device, by the system that the device runs.

Google and Tivi need the iPhone and the device on the same Wi-Fi network, and Roku needs it for some features. No app can make an iPhone work as an infrared remote, because an iPhone has no infrared emitter.

How do you tell which system your onn device runs?

The product name usually tells you. The onn TV support site calls one model the "1080P FHD Tabletop Roku TV". It calls a newer model the "1080p FHD Powered by Vizio TV". Look for "Roku TV", "Powered by Vizio" or "Google TV" on the box, on the receipt or on the product page.

The current onn streaming boxes and sticks run Google TV. PCWorld's review of the onn 4K Pro says that it "runs Google TV, which is based on Android". AndroidPCTV's review of the onn Full HD Streaming Device, a small stick, says that it runs Google TV. If your onn streaming device shows the Roku home screen, use the Roku app.

Older onn boxes ran Android TV: PCWorld's 2023 review describes the switch "from Android TV to Google TV". For a remote app, the two are almost the same. The difference between Android TV and Google TV explains how to tell them apart.

The onn TVs changed system recently. In November 2025, The Desk reported a new onn TV with VIZIO's system that "apparently replaces the Onn TV powered by Roku". In July 2026, Cord Cutters News reported that Walmart's website showed no 4K onn Roku TVs. It also said that Walmart "has begun introducing Onn televisions that run Google TV". So an older onn TV can be a Roku TV, and a newer one can run VIZIO OS or Google TV.

The home screen is a second check. A Roku TV shows the Roku home screen, and a Google TV device shows the Google TV home screen. The onn product page for the VIZIO models calls its start screen the VIZIO Home Screen.

Is there an official onn remote app?

Not from Walmart. In October 2026, a search for "onn remote" in the US App Store showed no app from Walmart. The top results were apps from other developers. They were ONN TV Remote by Ihsan Ullah, ONN TV REMOTE CONTROL by Apps Venture Inc., and TV Remote ONN by Codematics Services.

Two of these listings say directly that they are not official. The ONN TV Remote listing says: "This app is not affiliated with ONN TV." It also sells weekly, monthly and yearly subscriptions. The TV Remote ONN listing says that the app "is not an official product".

The official apps for onn devices come from the companies that make the systems:

The onn documents point to the same apps. The onn Roku TV page recommends the Roku app, and the manual for the VIZIO models tells you to install the VIZIO mobile app. Roku also has a warning about other apps. Roku says that third-party apps can control a Roku device, but that it strongly advises against them for security reasons.

An onn Google TV box or stick: the Google TV app

Google's Google TV app for iPhone includes a remote. Google says that you can use the app "to control your Google TV or Android TV". The current onn streaming boxes and sticks run Google TV, so the app controls them. On Reddit, owners of onn boxes report that the Google TV app "works exactly like the default remote".

Do these steps from Google's instructions:

  1. Connect the iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network as the onn box.
  2. Open the Google TV app.
  3. Near the bottom right, tap TVs nearby.
  4. Select your onn device.
  5. Enter the code that the TV shows, and tap Pair.

You enter the code on the iPhone, so you do not need the onn remote for the first connection. Google lists these functions for the remote: control playback, turn the TV on or off, and change the volume. You can also start Google Assistant and enter text with the iPhone keyboard. The same steps work for an onn TV with Google TV. Controlling an Android TV or Google TV from an iPhone gives more detail about the code and the buttons.

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An onn Roku TV: the Roku app

The onn Roku TVs use Roku's system. The product page for an onn Roku TV recommends the Roku app. It says: "use the free Roku mobile app for voice controls, private listening, or as a handy remote". Roku says that the free app controls a "Roku streaming player or Roku TV system".

  1. Install Roku Remote (Official) from the App Store.
  2. Connect the iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network as the TV.
  3. Open the app and sign in.
  4. Connect the app to your onn Roku TV.

The remote in the app has volume and mute, power, a keyboard, voice search, private listening and more. Roku says that some controls are not available on all devices.

A Roku TV also has a setting that limits control from phones. Go to Settings, System, Advanced system settings, Control by mobile apps. It has three levels:

  • Limited: apps can only enter text, open apps and show your activity in the app, and only from your Wi-Fi network.
  • Enabled: apps can always control the TV, but the TV accepts commands only from devices on the same local network.
  • Permissive: any device, inside or outside your network, can send all commands to the TV.

If the app finds the TV but the remote buttons do nothing, check this setting first.

An onn TV powered by VIZIO: the VIZIO mobile app

The newer onn TVs run VIZIO OS. The onn manual for these TVs names one app: the VIZIO mobile app. It says that VIZIO OS comes with "the VIZIO mobile app to control your experience". It also lists "Control your TV with your smartphone" as a feature.

The app is part of the first setup. The manual tells you to have your smartphone ready. It also says: "To set up your Smart TV, you'll need a Walmart account to log in." You scan a QR code on the TV, install the VIZIO mobile app, and log in.

The app can also change the input of the TV. The manual gives these steps:

  1. Open the VIZIO mobile app.
  2. Tap the Device list, and select your TV.
  3. Tap INPUT, and select the input that you want.

The remote in Control Centre is a second option. The manual lists Apple AirPlay 2, and The Desk reports that the onn TV powered by VIZIO works with Apple Home. Apple says that the Control Centre remote works with "AirPlay-compatible smart TVs". First, you add the TV to the Home app and assign it to a room. So the Control Centre remote should also work with these onn TVs.

To add the remote, open Control Centre, tap the Add Controls button, tap Add a Control, and select Remote. On iOS 17 or earlier, go to Settings, Control Centre, and add Apple TV Remote.

If you lost the onn remote

A phone app is a good temporary remote, but first try to find the physical remote. The onn 4K Pro has a remote finder. PCWorld says: "Press a button on the box's front edge, and the remote will chime for 30 seconds or until you interact with it."

For an onn TV powered by VIZIO, any VIZIO remote can do the basic tasks. The onn support site says that all VIZIO remotes work with all VIZIO TVs for basic functions. These include power, volume and changing inputs.

A phone app can only find a device that is on and connected to your network. Roku says that its app cannot find a device that is not connected to the internet. This can happen after a reset or during the first setup. What to do when a TV remote is lost gives the other options, such as the buttons on the TV and HDMI-CEC.

One app for an onn Google TV box and other brands

Each app above controls one system. For example, your home can have an onn Google TV box in one room and a Samsung or LG TV in another room. Then you need a different app for each device.

Tivi is a universal TV remote app for iPhone from Nefarius Apps. It controls Samsung, LG, Android TV and Google TV sets and streamers from one app. It finds the devices on your Wi-Fi network automatically, and you do not need an account. Tivi connects to an onn Google TV box through the remote service that the Google TV app also uses.

  1. Make sure that the onn box and the TV are on, and that the iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network.
  2. Open Tivi and tap your onn device in the list.
  3. Read the six-character code on the TV screen.
  4. Enter the code in Tivi.

After the first connection, Tivi saves the device, and the next connection takes one tap. The remote has the arrow pad and OK, volume and mute, and channel up and down. It also has play and pause, previous and next, home, back, menu and power. The free version gives you the full remote on one device. Tivi Pro adds unlimited devices and the button that turns the TV off.

Tivi does not control onn Roku TVs, onn TVs powered by VIZIO or Apple TV. It cannot change the input, and it cannot turn on a Google TV device.

When the iPhone can't find the onn device

If the app does not show your onn device, or the connection fails, do these checks in sequence:

  1. Make sure that the onn device is on and connected to Wi-Fi.
  2. Make sure that the iPhone and the device are on the same Wi-Fi network. Google and Tivi require this, and Roku requires it for some features. A guest network or a router setting can separate the two devices, as the network problems that hide behind one Wi-Fi name explains.
  3. Make sure that the app has Local Network access in the iPhone settings. Without this permission, the app cannot see devices on your network.
  4. On an onn Roku TV, look at the Control by mobile apps setting.
  5. Restart the device. For the Google TV remote, Google says to disconnect the power cord, wait 10 seconds, connect it again, and set up the remote again.

The checklist for a TV that doesn't show up gives more causes, in order.

The short version

As of October 2026, the App Store has no onn remote app from Walmart, and the onn-named apps there come from other developers. Find the system of your onn device first, and then select the app. An onn Google TV box, stick or TV works with the Google TV app or a universal app such as Tivi. An onn Roku TV works with the Roku app, and an onn TV powered by VIZIO works with the VIZIO mobile app. The Google TV app and Tivi need the iPhone and the device on the same Wi-Fi network. The Roku app needs it for some features.

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Common questions

Is there a free onn remote app for iPhone?

Yes. As of October 2026, the Google TV app, Roku Remote (Official) and the VIZIO app are free to download from the US App Store. Tivi is free to download too. Some onn-named apps from other developers are free to download but sell subscriptions. The system of your onn device decides which app works, not the price.

Can I use an onn remote app without Wi-Fi?

Not with the Google TV app or Tivi: both need the iPhone and the device on the same Wi-Fi network. Roku says that some features of its app need the same network too. An iPhone also cannot work as an infrared remote, because it has no infrared emitter. Why an iPhone cannot use infrared explains the alternatives.

Can my iPhone turn on an onn device?

Sometimes. Google lists "turn the TV on or off" as a function of the Google TV app. The Roku app has a power button, but Roku says that some controls are not available on all devices. Tivi cannot turn on a Google TV or Android TV device.

Do I need an account to control an onn device from my iPhone?

It depends on the app. Google's steps for the Google TV app ask only for the code on the TV screen. Roku's steps include a sign-in to the Roku app. The first setup of an onn TV powered by VIZIO asks you to log in with a Walmart account through the VIZIO mobile app. Tivi needs no account.

Sources

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