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.
Typing “MyP4ssw0rd!” with the arrow keys on a TV remote is nobody’s idea of fun. Your phone has a perfectly good keyboard, and there are several ways to use it on the TV.
Option 1: A remote app with a keyboard
Most smart TV platforms accept text sent over the network:
- Google TV / Android TV: when a text field is active, the Google TV app and universal apps can send text directly.
- Roku: the Roku app and universal apps send keystrokes to search and sign-in screens.
- Samsung: text can be sent to the TV’s input fields over the network.
- LG webOS: text is inserted in the active field.
How to do it:
- Pair the app with your TV (one time).
- On the TV, select the search or password field.
- Open the app’s keyboard, type and send.
In RemotApp, the keyboard works on Samsung, LG, Roku and Google TV and has a paste button, so you can copy a password from your password manager and send it in one tap. It’s part of the Pro plan; the basic remote stays free.
Option 2: Sign in with your phone
Many streaming apps avoid TV typing entirely:
- The TV shows a QR code or a short code.
- You open the link on your phone, where you are already signed in, and confirm.
- The TV signs in by itself.
Look for options like “Sign in with phone”, “Use mobile device” or “Activate” on the sign-in screen. It is the safest method because your password never passes through the TV.
Option 3: A USB or Bluetooth keyboard
Google TV, Android TV, LG and many Samsung models accept USB keyboards, and most accept Bluetooth ones too. It is a good choice if you type on the TV often, for example when using a browser. Roku TVs generally don’t support keyboards.
Option 4: Voice search
For searches (not passwords), the microphone button on Google TV, Roku voice and Samsung or LG remotes is the quickest option. Some remote apps also offer voice input through the phone’s dictation.
Tips
- If the app’s keyboard doesn’t seem to do anything, make sure a text field is selected on the TV first.
- Some TV apps use their own on-screen keyboard and ignore network text. Use “sign in with phone” in those.
- Typing a Wi-Fi password? See how to connect a TV to Wi-Fi without a remote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I paste a password from my phone into the TV?
Yes, with a remote app that has a keyboard: copy the password from your password manager, paste it into the app’s text field and send it to the TV.
Why doesn’t the keyboard work in some TV apps?
A few TV apps draw their own on-screen keyboard instead of the system one, so remote apps can’t send text to them. In that case use the arrow keys, or that service’s “sign in with phone” option.
Does the phone keyboard work on Apple TV?
Apple TV is controlled by the Apple TV Remote built into the iPhone’s Control Center, which also offers a keyboard. RemotApp focuses on TVs and doesn’t control Apple TV.
The team behind RemotApp, a universal TV remote app for iPhone and Android. We test every fix on real Samsung, LG, Roku and Google TV sets before publishing. About us
