RemoWhy can't my iPhone find my TV? Wi‑Fi and local network fixes
A TV remote app on iPhone only finds TVs that are switched on and on the same local network. The usual causes are a different or guest Wi‑Fi network, Local Network permission turned off in Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network, a VPN, or a router that keeps devices apart. Fix those, restart the TV and router, and if the TV still doesn't appear, add it by its IP address.
How TV discovery works
Remote apps find TVs by listening for the announcements TVs send on your home network (Bonjour) and by quickly checking the addresses on your network. Remo does both. None of this goes over the internet, so anything that separates your iPhone from the TV on the local network will hide the TV.
Check these first
- The TV is on. Many TVs turn their Wi‑Fi off in standby. Switch the TV fully on.
- Same network. On the iPhone, open Settings › Wi‑Fi and compare the network name with the one in the TV's network settings. Mobile data doesn't count; Wi‑Fi must be on.
- Local Network permission. Open Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network and make sure the remote app is switched on. If you tapped Don't Allow earlier, this is the most common cause.
- No VPN. Turn off VPN apps and network-filtering apps while you connect.
Router and Wi‑Fi settings that hide devices
- Guest networks usually block devices from seeing each other. Put both on the main network.
- AP or client isolation does the same on some routers and public or dorm networks. Look for it in the router settings.
- Separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks with different names can behave like two networks on some routers. Try connecting the iPhone to the same one as the TV.
- Extenders and mesh systems occasionally put devices on different subnets. Temporarily connect the iPhone to the main router.
- A restart of the router and TV clears many discovery problems.
Add the TV by IP address
If the TV still doesn't appear, find its IP address in the TV's network or About settings (it looks like 192.168.1.23) and enter it in the app. In Remo, tap Add by IP address on the Find your TV screen. Giving the TV a reserved address in your router keeps the IP from changing.
Found, but it won't connect or respond
| TV | Check this |
|---|---|
| Samsung | Choose Allow on the TV. If it was denied, remove the app under Settings › General › External Device Manager › Device Connection Manager › Device List. |
| LG | Select Accept on the TV. If nothing appears, turn on LG Connect Apps in Settings › Connection. |
| Roku | Settings › System › Advanced system settings › Control by mobile apps › Network access: Default. |
| Sony Bravia (non-Android) | Settings › Network › Home network › IP control: set Authentication to Normal and turn on Remote start. |
| Google TV / Android TV | Type the 6‑character code shown on the TV. |
| Fire TV | Type the 4‑digit PIN. No PIN? Restart via Settings › My Fire TV › Restart. |
| Vizio, newer Philips | Type the PIN shown on the TV. |
Some TVs can't be controlled over the network at all: Hisense models that run only VIDAA, cable and operator boxes, and Panasonic models from about 2019 on that accept only encrypted commands. More fixes are on the support page.
Fix an iPhone that can't find the TV
- Wake the TV. Switch the TV fully on, not standby.
- Match the Wi‑Fi. Put the iPhone on the same Wi‑Fi network as the TV, not a guest network.
- Allow Local Network. Turn the app on in Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network.
- Turn off VPN. Disable VPN and network-filtering apps while connecting.
- Restart and retry. Restart the router and TV, then open the app again.
- Add by IP. If it still isn't listed, enter the TV's IP address from its network settings.
Questions and answers
Why does my TV remote app need Local Network access?
iOS requires permission before an app can talk to devices on your home network. Without it, the app can't find or control the TV.
The app isn't listed under Local Network settings. What now?
Open the app and let it search for TVs once; iOS then asks for permission and adds it to the list. If you denied it, turn it on in Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network.
Does a TV on Ethernet work with an iPhone on Wi‑Fi?
Yes, as long as both are connected to the same router and network.
Can I use a TV remote app on hotel or public Wi‑Fi?
Usually not. Those networks typically isolate devices so they can't see each other.
My TV was found before but not today. Why?
Its IP address may have changed, or it's in deep standby. Switch it on, restart the router, and reserve a fixed IP for the TV in your router settings.