Setup & pairing
How to change the TV volume without a remote
Nefarius Apps11 min read
You can change the TV volume without a remote in three ways. Use the control button on the TV, a phone app, or the remote of another device. The button on the TV needs no Wi-Fi, but not every button type controls the volume. A phone app works only when the TV is on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the phone. The remote of a streaming device works after you set it up to control the TV.
Which method fits your situation?
Start with what you have in the room. The table gives a method for each situation.
| What you have | What to use | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| A Samsung TV, or an LG TV with a four-way button | The button on the TV | Nothing else |
| A smart TV that is on and connected to your Wi-Fi | A phone app | The phone on the same Wi-Fi network |
| A streaming device with its own remote | That remote, or the phone app of the device | A short set-up on the streaming device |
| None of these | A replacement remote or a universal remote | The brand or the model code of the TV |
A phone cannot replace the remote on a TV that is not on your network. An iPhone has no infrared emitter, the part that a remote uses to send its signal. The article on why an iPhone can't send infrared explains the alternatives.
Change the volume with the button on the TV
Samsung and LG put a control button on the TV. It is small, and many owners do not know that it is there. Samsung gives three positions for it:
- under the front panel, in the middle
- under the bottom edge, on the right-hand side as you face the TV
- on the back of the TV, in the bottom right corner
Samsung also says that the button is generally where the red light of the TV appears. Use your fingers to find it, because the button is hard to see.
Samsung TVs
According to Samsung's support page for the Philippines, all Samsung TVs have a control button. Samsung says that this button can turn the TV on and change the volume and the source input. The shape of the button depends on the model. Samsung describes these types:
- A control stick. Samsung describes it as a little joystick on the rear or bottom right side of the TV. Move the stick towards the volume icons on the screen to increase or decrease the volume.
- A single button. Press the button one time to show the menu on the screen. Press it again to move along the menu. Press and hold the button to select an item.
Samsung does not list the items of the single-button menu, and they depend on the model. If the menu shows volume items, select them with a long press.
Samsung's Australian support page, updated in October 2026, adds two limits. The function is not available on some TV models. The button also cannot open some features and settings, which need a remote.
LG TVs
LG calls its control the jog button. LG's help library shows two types. The first type only presses. The second type presses and also moves up, down, left and right.
On the second type, move the button left or right to change the volume. Move it up or down to change the channel.
The first type cannot move left or right. For the button menu, LG lists four items: power off, close, change external input and settings. Volume is not one of them. If your LG TV has the press-only button, use a phone app or another remote for the volume.
Other brands
On a TV from another maker, look for a control along the bottom edge, the sides and the back of the TV, near the standby light. Then read the manual for your model to see what the button does. If the button controls the power only, use one of the other methods.
| TV and button type | How to change the volume |
|---|---|
| Samsung, control stick | Move the stick towards the volume icons on the screen |
| Samsung, single button | Press to show the menu, press to move, press and hold to select |
| LG, four-way jog button | Move the button left or right |
| LG, press-only jog button | Not in the button menu that LG lists; use a phone app or another remote |
Change the volume from your phone
A phone app can replace the volume buttons of the remote, if the TV is a smart TV. Two conditions apply. The TV must be on and connected to your home network. The phone must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Roku states both conditions for its app, and they apply to the other apps too.
| App | Works with | How the volume changes | What it needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartThings | Samsung TVs | The volume up and down buttons of the phone | A Samsung account, and the TV added to the app |
| LG ThinQ | LG TVs | The remote in the app | An LG account, and the same 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network |
| Google TV | Google TV and Android TV | The remote in the app | A code from the TV screen, typed into the app |
| The Roku app | Roku TVs and Roku players | Volume Up, Volume Down and Mute buttons | The Roku on and connected to Wi-Fi |
| Tivi | Samsung, LG, Android TV and Google TV | Volume down, mute and volume up buttons | No account; the same Wi-Fi network |
On a Samsung TV, open SmartThings, tap your TV, then tap Remote. Samsung says that you then adjust the TV volume with the volume up and down buttons of your phone. The app needs a Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account, and the TV must be connected to the app first.
On an LG TV, the LG ThinQ app has controls that LG compares to its Magic Remote. They can change the volume, change the channel and select the TV input. LG asks you to log in with an LG account for the initial set-up.
On a Google TV or an Android TV, the Google TV app lists a volume control among its remote functions. For a Chromecast with Google TV or a Google TV Streamer, the Google Home app has a remote too.
The Roku app has one limit. With a Roku streaming player, the app controls the player, not the TV. To change the TV volume through the player, switch on HDMI-CEC on the TV. Roku describes HDMI-CEC as a function that lets the player control basic TV functions, such as power and volume. Then, on the Roku, go to Settings, System, Control other devices, and turn on 1-Touch Play, TV power and TV volume.
Apple's remote in Control Centre is not a general answer. Apple says that it works only with Apple TV and with AirPlay-compatible smart TVs that you added to the Home app. Apple describes its volume buttons only for an Apple TV that uses a HomePod, a soundbar or AirPlay-compatible speakers.
The apps from Samsung and LG each control one brand, and each asks for an account. Tivi is a universal TV remote app for iPhone from Nefarius Apps. It finds the TVs on your Wi-Fi and controls Samsung, LG, Android TV and Google TV sets without an account. Its remote has volume down, mute and volume up buttons. It does not control Roku devices or Apple TV.
For the full set-up, read how to use your iPhone as a TV remote. If the TV does not appear in the app, go through the checklist for a TV that doesn't show up.
Connect for the first time without a remote
The first connection between a remote app and a TV needs a confirmation. On two platforms, you give the confirmation on the phone, so you do not need the remote:
- When Tivi connects to an LG TV, the TV shows a PIN on the screen, and you type the PIN into the app. The LG pairing PIN article gives the details.
- An Android TV or a Google TV shows a code, and you type it into the Google TV app or into Tivi. See controlling an Android TV or Google TV from an iPhone.
A Samsung TV is different. When an app such as Tivi connects for the first time, the TV shows a prompt that asks if it can allow the device. You must answer on the TV. Without the remote, try the control button on the TV. Samsung's pages do not say if the button can answer the prompt. Samsung's allow-device prompt explains what the prompt does.
Use the remote of a streaming device
A streaming device that is connected to the TV can have a remote with volume buttons. That remote can change the TV volume after a short set-up on the streaming device.
- Google. On a Chromecast with Google TV or a Google TV Streamer, go to All settings, Remotes & Accessories, Set up remote buttons, then Volume. Google says that you must point the remote at the device for the volume buttons to work. Google also says that the remote cannot control the volume on some models.
- Roku. On a Roku player with a Roku Voice Remote, go to Settings, Devices, Remotes, and complete the Control TV set-up. Roku says that the remote then controls the TV directly. The Roku app can do the same through the player, with HDMI-CEC, as the section about phone apps explains.
The Google set-up lets you select a TV, a receiver or a soundbar as the device for the volume buttons. If the sound comes from a soundbar or a receiver, you can also change the volume on that device. A soundbar usually has its own volume buttons or its own remote.
When none of these methods works
Some TVs have a button that does not control the volume, and some TVs are not on a network. If no streaming device is connected either, you need a remote. Get a universal infrared remote, or a replacement remote for your model. The guide on what to do when the TV remote is lost shows how to find the model code and where to get a replacement.
If the sound is too loud now, use the button on the TV to turn the TV off. On a Samsung TV with a control stick, press and hold the stick. On an LG TV, press and hold the jog button.
The short version
First, find the control button on the TV. A Samsung control stick and an LG four-way jog button change the volume directly. LG's page shows no volume control for the press-only button.
If the TV is a smart TV on your Wi-Fi, use a phone app. SmartThings, LG ThinQ, the Google TV app, the Roku app and Tivi all change the volume. The phone and the TV must be on the same network.
If a streaming device is connected to the TV, set up its remote to control the TV volume. If none of these methods works, get a replacement remote or a universal remote.
Common questions
Do all TVs have a volume button?
No. Samsung says that all its TVs have a control button that changes the volume, but the shape of the button depends on the model. On LG TVs, only the jog button that moves in four directions changes the volume. For other brands, the manual for your model says what the button on the TV does.
Can I change the TV volume with my iPhone?
Yes, if the TV is a smart TV that is on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the iPhone. Use SmartThings for a Samsung TV and LG ThinQ for an LG TV. Use the Google TV app for a Google TV or an Android TV, and the Roku app for a Roku. Tivi changes the volume on Samsung, LG, Android TV and Google TV sets without an account. An iPhone cannot control a TV that is not on the network, because an iPhone has no infrared emitter.
How do I turn the TV volume down without a remote or Wi-Fi?
Use the control button on the TV. On a Samsung TV with a control stick, move the stick towards the volume down icon. On an LG TV with a four-way jog button, move the button left or right. If the button on your TV does not control the volume, use the remote of a connected streaming device or a universal remote. Phone apps do not work without a network.
How do I mute a TV without a remote?
Use a phone app that has a mute button, such as the Roku app or Tivi. The button menus that Samsung and LG describe have no mute item. On those TVs, decrease the volume with the control stick or the four-way jog button instead.
Sources
- Samsung (2026). How to Control a Samsung TV without a Remote.
- Samsung (2023). How to control a Samsung TV without a Remote.
- Samsung (2020). What is Jog Controller in Samsung TV's?
- LG (2025). How to Use the Jog Button.
- LG (2024). LG TV - How to Set Up the LG ThinQ App on Your LG Smart TV.
- Google. Cast, connect and control your TV with the Google TV app.
- Google. Use your phone as the remote for your Chromecast or Google TV Streamer.
- Google. Set up volume, power and input control on your Chromecast or Google TV Streamer Voice Remote.
- Roku (2026). What to do when you have lost your Roku remote.
- Roku (2026). How to use the Roku remote app to control your Roku streaming device without a remote.
- Roku (2026). How to use the 'TV Off' shortcut and control your TV with a Roku streaming player.
- Apple (2026). Set up the Apple TV Remote on your iPhone or iPad.