It’s possible to control your TV from your smartphone. You just need one of these TV remote apps on your iPhone or Android.
Remote control apps for TVs may not work on all televisions. You can still use your remote control app to control your TV, set-top boxes and smart home devices.
This article will show you the best TV remote apps for your smartphone.
1. Android TV Remote Control
Official Google product, the Android TV Remote Control App. It can be used to control any Android TV device connected to the same Wi-Fi network that your smartphone.
An Android TV box that supports Bluetooth can connect to your Android TV via a wired Ethernet connection. This is recommended for smoother video playback.
Remote app supports touchpad and D-pad controls. If your Android TV box supports voice searches, you can search using your voice.
Android TV Remote Control works with any Android TV box, regardless of manufacturer.
2. Amazon Fire TV Remote
The official app is the best option if you are looking for a remote app to control your Amazon Fire TV.
It can be used to control the Android TV remote app using both touchpad and voice controls. It also has a text entry tool that will help you save time typing every URL or YouTube query on the Fire TV’s keyboard.
For quick launch, the Amazon Fire TV Remote app lists all Fire TV apps in one list.
Don’t panic if you have multiple Fire TV units in your home. You can easily switch between different Fire TV devices using the remote app.
3. Universal Remote For RCA
Both of the TV remote control apps that we’ve reviewed so far focus on controlling one device. What if you need a remote control that can control multiple devices? A universal remote app is required.
The Universal Remote For RCA Android is a good choice. It can be used with any TV, Blu-Ray player, Bluray player and many streaming devices.
Warning: The setup process can be slow and you might need to go through several RCA TV models before you find the one that works.
4. Roku
Roku offers a mobile version for its TV remote, just like other streaming companies. It’s available on both Android as well as iOS for free.
The remote app has the same features as its physical counterpart. On-screen buttons are available for Netflix, The Roku Channel and other Roku apps. You can also listen via headphones and voice search is available. The mobile app allows you to cast content from any Android or iOS device.
5. Samsung TV Remote Control
Some readers might not be overly surprised to learn that many TV manufacturers’ official remote apps are less-than-impressive. They receive poor reviews from all users.
There is help. Developers have created IR-based apps for third-party developers. One example is the TV Remote Control for Samsung app.
It doesn’t have fancy graphics or silly tricks. The creator took the design of a physical Samsung remote, and made it touch-friendly. All reviews have been positive.
The app is not available for iPhone owners.
6. Universal Remote TV Smart
Next, we recommend an iOS-only app called Universal Remote TV Smart. It can be used to control all major manufacturers of TVs including Samsung, LG and Sony as well as Philips, Panasonic and Hitachi.
It is easy to set up the app. It will detect TVs connected to the same Wi Fi network as your TV as long as it is installed on the same Wi Fi network.
Universal Remote TV Smart can be used to adjust the volume, change channels, play/pause videos, power off/on, and access other settings menus.
7. Remote Control for Hisense Smart TV
This Android app will work with your Hisense smart TV. It has the same design as the original remote, but it is digitalized.
This means that you have access to the red and green, yellow and blue buttons as well as hot buttons such as YouTube and Netflix, on-screen menus and input choices.
Although the app is free, it is ad-supported. You can remove ads by making a single purchase from the app. You will be able to remove all ads from your device for the rest of your life.
Unfortunately, the Hisense remote can only be used on Android. There is no iOS equivalent. Your Hisense TV must be compatible with IR connectivity, and your phone must include an IR blaster.
8. Lean Remote
Lean Remote is one the most popular and reliable universal remote apps for Android. Although the app was once available for iOS, support has been discontinued.
Lean Remote’s best feature is its flexibility. You can use the Lean Remote app to control your TV and Roku boxes as well as other smart gadgets in your home, such as soundbars, soundbars, DVD players, air conditioner units, soundbars, soundbars, and other Android TV boxes.
It can be used with both Wi-Fi or IR devices.
The app is ad-supported, and unlike the Remote Control for Hisense Smart TV previously discussed, there is no way of removing the ads.
9. Yatse
Yatse was designed to be a remote control for Kodi. However, it can also work with Plex and Emby as well as your local hard drive files. It is currently only available for Android devices.
The remote can be used to stream content directly from your app to UPnP or AirPlay, FireTV, Roku and Smart TV devices.
You can also use the Android Wear gadgets, offline media and audiobooks.
The internal audio player can playback without gaps and supports multiple codecs. You can also program custom commands and voice commands and other themes.
10. Official Kodi Remote
Our final app is the official Kodi remote iOS. This app can be used to control playback or interact with the on-screen menus if Kodi is installed on your set-top box or smart TV.
The app has many standout features, including volume controls, the ability connect to multiple Kodi installation on different devices, playlist management, artwork displays and the ability to flick between saved media as well as any TV channels that you run through Kodi.
All-in-One Universal TV Remotes
Handy TV remote control apps can be useful. These apps can help you out of trouble if the remote is lost or the batteries are low. Even the most powerful TV remote apps don’t have the same functionality as the best universal TV remotes.
