To control your TV using your smartphone, all you need is one of these TV remote apps for your Android or iPhone.

Did you know that it's possible to control your TV using your smartphone? All you need is one of these TV remote apps for your Android or iPhone.

TV remote apps will not necessarily work with all televisions. However, as long as you choose the best remote control app for your needs, you'll be able to operate your TV, smart home devices, set-top boxes, and more.

In this article, you'll discover the best TV remote app for your smartphone.

The Android TV Remote Control app is an official Google product. You can use it to control any Android TV device that's on the same Wi-Fi network as your smartphone.

If your Android TV device uses a wired ethernet connection (which is often recommended for smoother video playback), you can also connect using Bluetooth if your Android TV box supports it.

The remote app offers both D-pad and touchpad controls. You can search with your voice by tapping on the microphone icon (again, assuming your Android TV box supports voice search).

The Android TV Remote Control app works with all Android TV boxes, regardless of the manufacturer.

Download: Android TV Remote Control for Android | iOS (Free)

If you only want a remote app for your Amazon Fire TV device, you should check out the official app.

Like the Android TV remote app, it can control the device using a combination of touchpad and voice controls. Additionally, there's a handy text entry tool; it will save you from painstakingly typing every web address or YouTube search query using the Fire TV's on-screen keyboard.

The Amazon Fire TV Remote app displays all your Fire TV apps in a single list for quick launching.

If you have multiple Fire TV devices in your household, don't worry. The remote app makes it easy to jump between the different units.

Download: Amazon Fire TV Remote for Android | iOS

The two TV remote apps we have looked at so far both focus on controlling a specific device. But what if you want a remote control app that can manage multiple devices? You need a universal remote app.

In that case, you should check out the Universal Remote For RCA on Android. It will work with your TV, DVD player, Blu-Ray player, and several streaming devices.

Be warned that the setup process can take some time; you may need to cycle through many different RCA TV types before you find one that works.

Download: RCA Universal Remote for Android (Free)

Related: Android Apps That Act as a Remote Control for Your PC

Like the other big players in the streaming sector, Roku makes a mobile version of its physical TV remote. It is available for free on both Android and iOS.

The remote app is as full-featured as its physical cousin. There are on-screen buttons for Netflix, The Roku Channel, and your other Roku apps. Plus you can listen privately via headphones, and voice search is supported. You can also cast content directly from your Android or iOS device using the mobile app.

Download: Roku for Android | iOS (Free)

Some readers might not be overly surprised to learn that many TV manufacturers' official remote apps are less-than-impressive. They have universally poor review scores from other users.

But help is at hand. Some developers have taken it into their own hands and produced IR-based third-party apps. The TV Remote Control for Samsung app is one such example.

There are no fancy graphics or silly gimmicks. The creator has mirrored the image of a physical Samsung remote and turned it into a touch-friendly version. The reviews are unanimously positive.

Unfortunately for iPhone owners, the app is only available on Android.

Download: TV Remote Control for Samsung for Android (Free)

Our next recommendation is an iOS-only app: Universal Remote TV Smart. You can use it to control TV models from all the leading manufacturers, including Samsung, LG, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, and Hitachi.

The app is very straightforward to set up. As long as the remote app is on the same Wi-Fi network as your TV, it will automatically detect any TVs on your network.

You can use Universal Remote TV Smart to change the volume of your TV, change the channels, play/pause video, power on/off, and access settings menus and other on-screen elements.

Download: Universal Remote TV Smart for iOS (Free)

If you have a Hisense smart TV, this Android app is the digital remote you need. It uses the same aesthetics as the physical remote but transforms it into a digital form.

That means you get access to the red, green, yellow, and blue buttons, as well as hot buttons for Netflix and YouTube, on-screen menus, and input selections.

The app is free to use but is ad-supported. If you want to remove the ads, make a one-time purchase within the app. The purchase will remove ads for your lifetime.

Sadly, this Hisense remote is only available on Android; there is no iOS equivalent. You Hisense TV must support IR connectivity and your phone must have an IR blaster.

Download: Remote Control for Hisense Smart TV for Android(Free, in-app purchases available)

Lean Remote is one of the most used and most reliable universal remote apps on Android. The app used to be available on iOS as well, but support has since been withdrawn.

The best part of the Lean Remote app is the flexibility. In addition to your TV, you can also use it to control Android TV boxes, Roku boxes, air conditioning units, soundbars, DVD players, and other smart gadgets around your home.

It supports both Wi-Fi and IR devices.

The app is ad-supported and unlike the previously-discussed Remote Control for Hisense Smart TV, there is no way to remove the ads.

Download: Lean Remote for Android (Free)

Yatse is designed as a remote control app for Kodi, but it also works with Plex, Emby, Jellyfin, and your local hard drive files. Once again, it is only available on Android devices.

You can use the remote to stream content from your app of choice directly to UPnP, AirPlay, Chromecast, FireTV, Roku, and Smart TV devices.

There is also support for Android Wear gadgets, offline media, and audiobooks.

Features include an internal audio player with gapless playback and support for multiple codecs, a way to program custom commands, voice commands, and various themes.

Download: Yatse for Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

The final app on our list is the official Kodi remote for iOS. If you have Kodi installed on your smart TV or set-top box, you can use this app to control playback and interact with the various on-screen menus.

Some of the app's standout features include volume controls, the ability to connect to multiple Kodi installations on different devices, easy playlist management, artwork displays, a way to flick between saved media and any TV channels you run through Kodi, and support for Kodi's DVR/PVR feature.

TV remote control apps are handy. They can get you out of a bind if you misplace the physical device or the batteries run out. However, even the best TV remote apps aren't close in functionality to the best all-in-one universal TV remotes.

Dan joined MakeUseOf in 2014 and has been Partnerships Director since July 2020. Reach out to him for inquires about sponsored content, affiliate agreements, promotions, and any other forms of partnership. You can also find him roaming the show floor at CES in Las Vegas every year, say hi if you're going. Prior to his writing career, he was a Financial Consultant.

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