RemoLost your Samsung TV remote? Control it from your iPhone
If your Samsung smart TV is already on your home Wi‑Fi, your iPhone can replace the remote: join the same network, open a remote app such as Remo or Samsung's SmartThings, select the TV and choose Allow when the TV asks. If you accidentally chose Deny, remove the app from the TV's Device Connection Manager list and try again. If the TV isn't on your network yet, use the control button on the TV or an Ethernet cable first.
Before you start: is the TV on your network?
An iPhone controls a Samsung TV over Wi‑Fi, not infrared, so the TV has to be connected to your home network. If it has been online before (for streaming apps, for example), it usually reconnects on its own when you switch it on.
If it has never been connected, or you changed your Wi‑Fi password, you need to reach the TV's network settings without the remote:
- Use the TV's control button. Most Samsung TVs have a small control button or joystick on the underside of the frame or on the back. Pressing it opens a basic on-screen menu for power, volume, channels and source; some models also give access to Settings.
- Plug in an Ethernet cable. Connecting the TV to your router with a cable usually gets it online automatically, with no menus needed.
- Use a USB keyboard or mouse, which many Samsung smart TVs accept for navigating menus.
Connect your iPhone to the Samsung TV
- Turn the TV on and make sure your iPhone is on the same Wi‑Fi network.
- Open Remo and allow Local Network access when iOS asks.
- Tap your Samsung TV in the list of TVs found.
- On the TV, a message asks whether to allow the new device. Choose Allow.
That's it. Remo remembers the TV and reconnects on its own next time. Remo works with Samsung Tizen smart TVs and many older Samsung smart TVs from before Tizen.
Pressed Deny by mistake?
The TV remembers your answer, so the prompt won't appear again. On the TV open Settings › General › External Device Manager › Device Connection Manager › Device List, remove the entry for the app, then connect again from your iPhone and choose Allow.
What you can do from the iPhone
- Volume, mute, channels, the arrow pad and OK, back, home, source and power off.
- A touchpad to swipe through menus quickly.
- Typing with the iPhone keyboard on Tizen models: open the search box in YouTube or Netflix on the TV, then type.
- The number pad for jumping straight to a channel.
- Widgets on the Home Screen, Lock Screen and in Control Center, so you can mute or turn off the TV without opening the app.
Turning the Samsung TV back on
A phone can always turn a Samsung TV off, but turning it back on over Wi‑Fi depends on whether the TV keeps its network active in standby, and many don't. Keep the TV's own control button in mind for switching on, or pick up a replacement remote for that job.
SmartThings or a universal remote app?
Samsung's free SmartThings app includes a remote for Samsung TVs and is a good choice if all your TVs are Samsung. A universal app like Remo is simpler when you also have an LG, Roku, Fire TV or Google TV at home, since it controls all of them from one screen.
Control a Samsung TV without the remote
- Get the TV online. Switch the TV on with its control button. If it isn't on your network yet, connect it with an Ethernet cable or through the TV's network settings.
- Join the same Wi‑Fi. Connect your iPhone to the same Wi‑Fi network as the TV.
- Open a remote app. Open Remo and allow Local Network access so it can find the TV.
- Choose Allow on the TV. Select your Samsung TV in the app, then choose Allow when the TV asks.
Questions and answers
Can I control a Samsung TV with my iPhone without Wi‑Fi?
No. iPhone has no infrared transmitter, so it controls Samsung TVs over the home network. Both must be on the same Wi‑Fi network (or the TV on Ethernet to the same router).
Where is the power button on a Samsung TV?
Most Samsung TVs have a small control button or joystick on the underside of the frame, often near the center or a corner, or on the back. Press it to switch the TV on or open the control menu.
Why doesn't my Samsung TV show the Allow message?
It may have been denied earlier. Remove the app from Settings › General › External Device Manager › Device Connection Manager › Device List on the TV, then connect again.
Can I type on my Samsung TV from my iPhone?
Yes, on Samsung Tizen smart TVs. Open a search or text field on the TV, then type with the iPhone keyboard.
Does this work on older Samsung smart TVs?
Remo supports Samsung Tizen TVs and many older Samsung smart TVs. Very old TVs without a network connection can't be controlled from a phone.