Setup & pairing
"Best TV remote app for iPhone: which one fits your TV"
Nefarius Apps8 min read
No single app is best for every TV. The system inside the TV decides which iPhone app works. Samsung sets answer SmartThings, and LG sets answer ThinQ. Android TV and Google TV sets answer the Google TV app, and Roku sets answer the Roku app. An Apple TV answers only Apple's own remote. If the house has two different brands, one universal remote app replaces two brand apps. Every option below needs the iPhone and the TV on the same Wi-Fi.
How an iPhone talks to a TV
An iPhone controls a TV over the home network, not with infrared. No iPhone has an infrared transmitter, so a remote app sends commands through Wi-Fi to a service the TV runs for phone remotes. The phone and the TV must sit on the same network, and the TV must be switched fully on for the first connection. Why a remote app needs Wi-Fi and not infrared explains the transports in full.
Each TV maker speaks its own protocol, so the first connection looks different per brand. A Samsung shows an accept prompt on the TV screen and remembers the approval. An LG shows an 8-digit PIN to type into the app. An Android TV or Google TV set shows a 6-character code. Roku pairs inside its own app, and Fire TV sets work through Amazon's own app. An Apple TV pairs with a four-digit code in Control Centre. How an iPhone drives a TV over Wi-Fi walks through the mechanism once, brand by brand.
Two practical points follow from this. First, an app that speaks Samsung cannot speak LG, because the protocols differ. Second, anything that breaks the local path breaks every app equally. A guest network, a VPN on the phone, or a denied Local Network permission stops discovery before brands matter.
If you have one TV, use its own app
The maker of the TV's system ships the remote app that fits it best. It is free. Pick the row that matches the TV.
| TV system | App | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung (Tizen, 2016 and later) | SmartThings | Samsung account, internet connection, same network |
| LG (webOS) | LG ThinQ | LG account, same Wi-Fi, TV switched on |
| Android TV or Google TV (Sony, TCL, Philips, Shield, Chromecast) | Google TV app | Same wireless network, on-TV pair code |
| Roku TV or Roku player | Roku mobile app | Sign-in, same network, Roku online |
| Fire TV set or stick | Amazon Fire TV app | Same setup as the other brand apps |
| Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible smart TV | Apple TV Remote in Control Centre | Same Wi-Fi; smart TV added to the Home app |
Samsung's remote lives inside SmartThings, which is a whole-home app, not a plain remote. It needs a Samsung account and an internet connection before it sends a single button press. That is fine when the TV is one of several Samsung devices, and heavy when the remote is all you want. Control a Samsung TV from an iPhone covers the prompt on the screen and the buttons that work.
LG's remote lives inside ThinQ, which also needs an account in the app. The phone and the TV must share the same Wi-Fi. Keep mobile data off during setup. The app registers the TV with a PIN from the screen. Control an LG TV from an iPhone covers the PIN flow and why LG sets appear slower than Samsung ones.
Google's TV app drives Android TV and Google TV alike. Google TV is the interface on top of Android TV, and a remote treats the two identically. Open the app, pick the nearby device, and type the code the TV shows. The same flow works on Sony, TCL and Philips sets that run Android TV, on the Nvidia Shield, and on Chromecast with Google TV. Control an Android TV or Google TV from an iPhone covers the code and the buttons.
Roku's own mobile app is free and covers remote, keyboard, voice search and private listening. It needs a sign-in and a connection to the device, and it cannot find a Roku that is offline or on another network. Amazon's Fire TV app plays the same role for Fire TV sets and sticks. Apple's remote is already on the iPhone: open Control Centre, add the Remote control, pick the Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible set, and enter the code. A smart TV must first join the Home app in a room.
If you have two brands, use one universal app
Brand apps stop helping when the lounge has a Samsung and the bedroom has an LG. Two apps mean two accounts, two sign-ins, and two interfaces to learn. A universal remote app speaks several protocols from one screen, so one app drives both sets.
Judge a universal app on three points before installing it. First, the systems it covers: the label "universal" is not regulated, and some apps skip whole brands. Second, the price model, covered in the next section. Third, check how it behaves on a normal home network. It should find TVs on the same network, say clearly when Local Network access is off, and reconnect a saved device without pairing again.
Tivi, a universal TV remote app for iPhone from Nefarius Apps, drives Samsung, LG, and Android TV and Google TV sets end to end. It works over the local network, with no account and no cloud service in the middle. Its honest limits matter as much as its coverage. Roku and DLNA sets appear in its list, but it cannot drive them yet. Apple TV is blocked by Apple policy for every third-party app. The remote switches a TV off, but it has no number pad, no input switching, and no typing on Samsung sets. A set that is off the network stays unreachable until its own buttons switch it on.
Read the price lines before you install
Most universal remote apps are free to download and charge to use. The common model is a weekly or annual subscription. It unlocks the buttons after a short trial. One 2026 roundup of nine universal apps lists tiers starting near $3 a week and rising near $7 a week, with only basic controls free. As of October 2026 that range still describes the category, but individual prices move often, so check the listing, not the roundup.
The App Store listing shows the model before you install. Open the app's page and read the In-App Purchases lines under the price. Look for words like weekly, subscription, or pro. A listing full of weekly plans is not a free app with extras; it is a subscription app with a free icon. iPhone owners complain about exactly this pattern: apps that present as free and ask for payment at the first button press. The brand apps in the table above stay free. Apply the check above to third-party universal apps.
Which app should you install
Three cases cover most houses.
- One Samsung, LG, or Android TV set. Install the maker's app: SmartThings, ThinQ, or the Google TV app. It fits best, it is free, and it keeps working through firmware updates.
- Two or more brands that include Samsung, LG, or Android TV sets. Install one universal app such as Tivi and keep the brand apps off the phone. One screen, no accounts, same buttons everywhere.
- Only Roku, Fire TV, or Apple TV sets. Install the official Roku or Fire TV app, or use the built-in Control Centre remote for Apple TV. A universal app adds nothing here unless it names these systems as supported.
When nothing finds the TV, the cause is rarely the choice of app. Work through the permission first, then the network. Start with what the Local Network permission gates and continue with the ordered checklist for a TV that will not appear. The two resolve most cases in minutes.
Common questions
Can I use my iPhone as a remote for any TV?
No. The TV's system decides. Samsung, LG, Android TV, Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV each need their own app or protocol. Apple TV answers only Apple's own remote. Check the system first, then pick the app from the table above.
Do I need Wi-Fi to use a TV remote app?
Yes. The iPhone and the TV must share the same Wi-Fi network, because the app reaches the TV over the local network. No iPhone has an infrared transmitter, so no app works like a plastic remote without a network.
Is there a free universal TV remote app for iPhone?
The brand apps are free: SmartThings, ThinQ, the Google TV app, and the Roku app cost nothing beyond their sign-ins. Third-party universal apps are usually free to download. They sell the remote itself as a weekly or annual subscription, so read the In-App Purchases lines first.
Why does the remote app ask for Local Network access?
iOS hides every device on the Wi-Fi until you grant it, so without the permission the app scans an empty network and finds nothing. Grant it once in Settings, privacy and security, Local Network, and the TV list fills on the next scan.
Can I control the TV from another room?
Yes, anywhere on the same Wi-Fi, because commands travel over the network rather than by line of sight. Walls do not matter and pointing the phone at the TV does nothing. Control from outside the house does not work, since the connection runs directly to the TV with no server between.
What if my TV is a Roku or a Fire TV?
Use the official Roku app or the Fire TV app, which are built for exactly those systems. Most universal apps, including Tivi, do not drive these systems today, so check the supported-systems list before installing anything else.