Remote apps
How phone remote apps, keyboards and infrared work, and how to choose.
Universal Remote vs Phone Remote App: Which One Should You Use?
For smart TVs on Wi-Fi, a phone remote app is usually better: no batteries, a real keyboard, app shortcuts and one app for every TV in the house. A physical universal remote wins for older TVs without Wi-Fi, for people who don’t want to use a phone, and as a backup that always works.
How to Type on Your TV Using Your Phone’s Keyboard
Pair a remote app on your phone and open its keyboard: whatever you type appears in the TV’s text field. It works on Samsung, LG, Roku and Google TV. For streaming logins, many apps also offer “sign in with your phone” through a QR code or activation code, which avoids typing on the TV altogether.
Phones With an IR Blaster: Can Your Phone Control Any TV?
An IR blaster is a small infrared emitter, usually on the top edge of the phone, that copies the signal of a physical remote. Today it is found mainly on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones and on some Huawei and Honor models. iPhones have never had one, and Samsung dropped it after the Galaxy S6. You only need IR for TVs without Wi-Fi; smart TVs can be controlled over Wi-Fi from any phone.