iPhone applications that act as a TV remote control are not uncommon in the AppStore. All TV remote control applications are available for download in the official Apple store.
Emulators of universal remote controls for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch appear in the digital App Store with enviable regularity. Third-party developers offer to instantly expand the functionality of smartphones and tablets with the iOS operating system and turn the equipment into a remote control that is always at hand, easily customizable visually, and technically copes with any task (even helps access third-party services, such as Smart TV or special streaming subscriptions).
And most importantly, delving into the parameters and options is not at all necessary: at the start, just figure out the pairing (turn on the TV and press the search button), and then start experimenting. And, although in words the process looks simple and easy, in reality the main problem is related to searching for software in the App Store; among the colossal number of offers there are fewer truly working tools than we would like:
How to turn your iPhone into a remote control
In most cases, to use an iPhone app that turns it into a TV remote, all you need to do is install the program, give it the necessary permissions, and set up Wi-Fi.
Advice:
Before downloading, do not forget to check compatibility - the software must support your TV model.
It is not necessary to be constantly near the TV - many programs from the developers can work while located at a considerable distance from the TV.
If you lose your Apple TV remote control
- If your Apple TV is turned off, you can turn it on without the remote control. Simply unplug your Apple TV and then plug it back in.
- If you have a new Apple TV that hasn't yet been set up, connect your Apple TV to your Wi-Fi router using an Ethernet cable.
Then follow these steps to set up the Apple TV Remote feature in Control Center.
- Apple TV app: what is it and which devices support it?
You can also buy a new Siri Remote or Apple Remote for your Apple TV from the Apple Online Store, Apple Store, or other retailer.
SURE Universal Smart TV Remote
Download QR Code
SURE Universal Smart TV Remote
Developer: Sure Universal Ltd
Price: Free
A program in English that supports the basic functions of the control panel, including IR control. The main difference from other applications is the ability to stream using Wi-Fi.
It has a simple and intuitive interface, but there are fewer features than in other applications. Completely free and does not require any purchases/subscriptions.
Works with all smart TVs, requiring only a Wi-Fi connection to work. There is a version for Android - according to users, the search for TV devices is carried out automatically, while on the iPhone you need to select it manually.
Universal remote
A tool from Yohan Teixeira that can handle Samsung, LG, SONY, Philips and even Hitachi and Panasonic, but not without limitations. The main problem is the need to configure Wi-Fi on the TV and smartphone (the same), and then start pairing.
Such a non-standard approach to organizing interaction is not accidental - all because of the lack of an infrared port on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Hence the non-standard setting, but the result is impressive.
Within 2-3 minutes you will be able to switch channels, adjust the sound, control the video stream (standard pause, “Stop” and “Play” buttons), call up menus and additional services. This way is distributed free of charge, no additional paid functionality is provided, but, as practice suggests, the developers came up with a subscription better.
Due to advertisements appearing literally at every step, it’s impossible to even figure out the settings. And if you want to switch channels without restrictions, you can immediately look for offers from competitors. Promotional videos, banners and other wonders of the advertising industry never disappear here.
Get help
If you can't set up Apple TV Remote in Control Center, try the following steps.
- Make sure your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV. On your iOS or iPadOS device, go to Settings > Wi-Fi. On Apple TV, go to Settings > Network.
- Make sure your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS, and your Apple TV is updated to the latest version of tvOS.
- Restart your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV. Also try restarting your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
- If you still can't set up your Apple TV Remote, contact Apple Support.
Publication date: December 12, 2022
Introduction.
Technological progress reaches all spheres of life and everyday life at lightning speed, and today “smart” systems in the office and at home no longer surprise us. Using our devices and special programs and equipment, we can remotely turn on and off the lights, start a washing machine or multicooker, and control the TV.
TV models that can be controlled from iPhone
- Your TV is modern (not older than 2010-2011)
- The TV is equipped with a Wi-Fi module and the Wake-On-LAN function
- A special application is installed on the iPhone
Important: before installing a special application and setting up controls, you must make sure that the TV is connected to the Internet - via a wireless connection or via cable. This is necessary for subsequent synchronization of the TV with the iPhone. If the condition is successfully met, we can proceed directly to the applications.
What apps are there to control TV?
The choice of application that we need to download to the iPhone from the AppStore will mainly depend on the model of your TV. We present a small list of TVs compatible with iPhones from popular manufacturers, and links to free applications:
- Samsung. TVs equipped with All Share technology. Application - Samsung Remote for iOS.
- Philips. TVs that support Net TV, application - “Philips TVRemote”
- Sony. TVs equipped with Wi-Fi, “Smart Tv Remote for Sony” application
- Panasonic. TVs with Vierra Connect function, Panasonic TV Remote 2 application.
- LG. Smart TVs, application - “LG TV Remote”
The process of using an iPhone as a remote control: instructions
Method 1 . If we haven’t downloaded a special application for your iPhone model, but just want to synchronize the TV with the iPhone and display the entire screen of the device on the TV screen:
- Connect your iPhone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network
Figure 1. Smart TV and iPhone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
On the TV, in the “Applications” section, you need to download AirPlay.
Figure 2. Download AirPlay on TV
On the main screen of the iPhone, pull up the lower curtain, the lower menu comes out - there we press the “Screen repeat” function. After that, everything that we have on the iPhone screen is displayed on the TV. You can select any video from the website or YouTube and watch it on TV.
- Setting up Apple TV (3rd generation)
Figure 3. Select “Screen repeat” Figure 4. iPhone screen duplicated on TV
Method 2 . If we downloaded one of the applications listed in the last chapter from the AppStore, then the process is extremely simple - follow the instructions of the application.
Launch the application on the iPhone and follow the initial instructions. Often, apps for synchronizing TV and iPhone require you to enter a code that is displayed on the TV screen (you need to enter it on your iPhone).
Method 3. If we want to broadcast videos from YouTube on iPhone through a special YouTube application on TV:
- Let's make sure that the iPhone and TV are connected to a common Wi-Fi network.
- Select a video to watch. At the top right above the video we find the TV icon
- Click on the icon. Now you can select our TV (if there are several devices for broadcasting video, a list will appear). Click, select our TV - and the broadcast from iPhone to TV starts
Figure 6. Select your TV from the list for broadcasting
In addition to the methods listed above, you can connect your iPhone to your TV using an HDMI cable or USB cable. To do this, you need to insert one connector through the lightening on the iPhone, the second into the port on the back or side of the TV (depending on the model). After this, you need to go to TV settings and select an HDMI cable or USB cable as the main signal source.
conclusions
Enjoy watching!
Modern TV technology has almost caught up with personal computers in its capabilities. Now, instead of an ordinary remote control, you can safely use any smartphone, including devices on the iOS platform. But to control a TV from an iPhone, TV equipment must meet certain technical requirements, plus the devices must be properly configured. Many people have serious problems with this last point.
other methods
One of the most common alternative methods is to use a Chromecast. It looks like an unusually shaped flash drive that needs to be inserted into the HDMI connector.
This device provides high-quality wireless communication with the iPhone. In this way, you can broadcast the image from the phone screen to the television receiver. To use this method, the user needs to do the following:
- You need to download and install Google Home on your iPhone.
- The Chromecast is connected to the desired connector.
- You need to check that this device and your smartphone are connected to the same wireless network.
- You need to launch Google Home.
- You must authorize the application.
- You need to select a connection method from Bluetooth and WiFi.
- In the first case, the setup will happen automatically. In the second, the phone needs to be connected to a wireless network created by the device, which can be easily found by its name.
- Click on “Start Broadcast”.
This method can be used to broadcast what is happening in a Chrome browser tab. This way you can find videos, play them on your iPhone, and watch them on your TV.
How to control an old TV using a smartphone
Control from a smartphone has become possible even for those TVs that do not have the Smart TV function. It is enough to have an infrared port, which is available in all TV panels, since they work with remote controls. The user only needs to have a smartphone with an infrared port. There are no difficult moments or peculiarities in connection. An application is downloaded to the mobile device, which will be adapted to the existing operating system. Then you need to select the TV model and connection method and get to work. It is advisable to download the official application developed for a specific brand of TV panel. In this case, there will be fewer glitches, system braking and slower TV response. The functionality in such applications is so advanced compared to standard programs that you will enjoy controlling your TV. You can also control the TV via a tablet.
How to download a TV remote control to your phone?
As we already wrote, you need an application - a TV remote control, with which the smartphone will transmit commands. It is required for the phone to correctly select the frequency and type of access to TV. Each TV manufacturer may have a different input method. Similar software is available in the official Google Play store. The user only needs to determine which application he needs to control the TV and download it. The installation process is standard (below are links to pages for installing utilities).
Features of TV control for various phone models
Some phone models have differences when used to control TVs. For example, Xiaomi phones have an infrared port. As mentioned above, this allows you to control your TV without using a Wi-Fi connection and connect even older models. This port is also available in some Huawei and Lenovo models.
In your Huawei Honor mobile phone, the Virtual Remote application is installed by default. A similar application is also found on other devices with an infrared port.
How to control your TV using Alice
But a smart TV is good because it allows you to control it not only from an application, but also by voice. For example, I connected my TV to Alice and now I can simply ask the voice assistant to turn it on or off, pause or resume playback. In general, very cool and convenient. It works no less simply:
- Download the Yandex application on your smartphone;
- Go to the section with smart devices;
To control your TV with your voice, you need to add it to the Yandex application
- Select “Device Management” - “+”;
- Find Samsung SmartThings in the list, log in with your SmartThings account and confirm the connection - all available devices will contact Alice automatically.
Connect via HDMI
The use of such a connector is intended to obtain maximum broadcast quality. If you expect to watch a movie in Full HD, then watching via HDMI is better than using USB.
It will be difficult to connect using a standard iPhone cable, since it is unlikely to have an appropriate connector. To apply the method in question, you will need to use an adapter. A possible use case is Lightning to HDMI “MiraScreen” for newer models than the fourth.
An important advantage of this method is that for iPhone models older than the fourth one, it is possible to obtain an image from the smartphone screen. There is no need to connect additional programs to use HDMI. If you have the required adapter, the connection steps are performed as follows:
- A cable with an adapter is connected to the iPhone.
- An HDMI cable is connected to the desired connector of the adapter. The other end is connected to a set-top box or TV. This connector is available on almost all modern models.
- After turning on the TV, you need to go to its settings. They open a page where you need to determine the source of the signal. The user must indicate that this is an HDMI connector. If there are two or three such connectors, then you will need to select one of them.
- Next, the synchronization procedure will automatically start. You need to wait for it to finish.
Once the synchronization is complete, you can see the iPhone screen on your TV screen.
Why connect your iPhone to your TV?
One of the most well-known is the use of a software remote control, which is implemented as an application on the phone. To implement this and other features, you must provide a connection to the TV. There are several ways to do this.
Of course, these functions can be implemented using specialized equipment. But it should be noted that it will cost more and the implementation will not always be of better quality.
You also need to take into account that in fact modern iPhones are full-fledged computers. For example, you can watch movies and TV series on them, but it’s much more convenient to do this on a big screen. Thus, connecting to a television receiver will help you more comfortably use some of the iPhone’s capabilities, including, for example, surfing the Internet, listening to music tracks or reading e-books.
iPhone use is largely personal. If there are plans, for example, to watch movies together, it is better to organize this by watching it on a TV, transmitting a signal from a smartphone. A similar situation can arise if several people are playing a video game.
Another reason for the convenience of using the connection in question is the use of a television receiver for video communication. There are publicly available software for this, but if you broadcast the image on a large screen, the communication will be more impressive.
