Lost the remote again? Your iPhone is the remote now.
SmartCtrl controls the Roku, Samsung, LG, Fire TV or Google TV in your living room over your own Wi-Fi. Open it, tap your TV, and you have every button, a touchpad, your phone's keyboard and the TV's apps.
- Roku players & Roku TV
- Samsung Tizen 2016+
- LG webOS 2014+
- Fire TV Stick, Cube, TVs
- Android TV Sony, TCL, Philips
- Google TV Chromecast
- Hisense VIDAA v2.1
- Vizio v2.1
Movie night
No more digging between the sofa cushions
Your phone is already in your hand. Switch on Auto-connect in Settings and SmartCtrl joins the TV you used last time as soon as it opens, so pausing for popcorn or turning the volume down takes a second.
- Direction pad, OK, back, home, volume, mute and channels
- Number pad, inputs and colour keys on the TVs that have them
- Haptic feedback and a soft click under your thumb
- Several TVs in the house? Each one is in the same list
A closer look
Three things a plastic remote cannot do
A touchpad for your TV
Swipe through menus instead of pressing arrows. On LG, it moves the Magic Remote pointer.
Type with your keyboard
Searches, passwords and e-mail addresses in seconds, not one letter at a time on the on-screen grid.
Launch the TV's apps
Every app installed on the TV, with its real icon. One tap and it opens on the big screen.
First connection
A code the first time. Never again after that.
Every TV asks once whether it can trust your phone. SmartCtrl handles each brand's way of asking, then keeps the key in your iPhone's keychain.
- Roku: nothing to do, it connects at once
- Samsung and LG: press Allow on the TV
- Fire TV: type the 4-digit code shown on screen
- Android TV and Google TV: type the 6-character code
Will it work with my TV?
One app instead of one app per brand
TV makers each publish a remote app for their own sets. SmartCtrl works with all of these platforms, so a mixed household needs a single app.
| Your TV | SmartCtrl | Works with |
|---|---|---|
| Roku | ✓ Supported | Roku players and Roku TVs (TCL, Hisense, Sharp, Philips) |
| Samsung | ✓ Supported | Tizen smart TVs from 2016 |
| LG | ✓ Supported | webOS smart TVs from 2014, with the Magic Remote pointer |
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ Supported | Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, Fire TV built-in TVs |
| Android TV · Google TV | ✓ Supported | Sony Bravia, TCL, Philips, Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield |
| Hisense VIDAA | Version 2.1 | Hisense VIDAA, and Toshiba and Sharp sets running VIDAA |
| Vizio | Version 2.1 | Vizio SmartCast TVs |
| TV with no network | ✕ Not possible | iPhone has no infrared emitter; the TV must be on Wi-Fi |
Under the hood
Straight from your iPhone to the TV
No server of ours sits in between. SmartCtrl speaks to each TV in the protocol it already uses for its maker's own remote. Pick a platform to see how:
Make it yours
Five remotes to choose from
Classic comes with the app. SmartCtrl Pro adds four more looks and 3D relief keys.
Privacy
What happens on your network stays there
No account
No sign-up, e-mail or password. Open the app and pick your TV.
Local Wi-Fi only
Commands go from your iPhone to the TV over your home network. No cloud service relays them.
Keys on your phone
TV addresses and pairing keys are kept on your iPhone, the keys in the system keychain.
Honest about ads
The free version shows a Google AdMob banner, which uses device identifiers and diagnostics for advertising. Pro removes it.
Free and Pro
Every button is free
Free
No account, no time limit
- All supported TV platforms
- Every key, touchpad and keyboard
- The TV's apps and your favourites
- Classic theme, with a small banner ad
SmartCtrl Pro
A one-time Lifetime purchase, or a weekly plan with a 3-day free trial, or a monthly plan. Prices are shown in the App Store for your country.
- No ads
- Aurora, Carbon, Studio and Liquid Glass
- 3D relief keys
FAQ
Good to know before you download
Will SmartCtrl work with my TV?
If your TV is a Roku TV or has a Roku player, a Samsung Tizen TV from 2016 or later, an LG webOS TV from 2014 or later, a Fire TV device, or runs Android TV or Google TV (Sony Bravia, TCL, Philips, Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield), yes. Hisense VIDAA and Vizio SmartCast come with version 2.1.
Do my iPhone and TV need to be on the same Wi-Fi?
Yes. SmartCtrl talks to the TV over your local network. A guest network or a VPN on the iPhone can keep the two apart.
Can it control a TV without internet, by infrared?
No. iPhone has no infrared emitter, so SmartCtrl needs a smart TV or streaming player connected to your Wi-Fi.
My TV does not show up. What should I try?
Turn the TV on, check it is on the same Wi-Fi as your iPhone, and make sure SmartCtrl is allowed under Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network. Then search again, or add the TV by its IP address, which the TV shows in its network settings.
Do I need to create an account?
No. There is no account at all. TV addresses and pairing keys are kept on your iPhone.
Is SmartCtrl really free?
Yes. Every button for every supported platform is free, with a small banner ad. SmartCtrl Pro removes the ads and adds four themes and 3D relief keys.
How do I cancel a Pro subscription?
On your iPhone, open Settings › your name › Subscriptions, choose SmartCtrl and tap Cancel Subscription. The Lifetime purchase is paid once and never renews.
Is SmartCtrl made by Samsung, LG or Roku?
No. SmartCtrl is an independent app. It is not made by, endorsed by or affiliated with any TV maker or streaming platform.
Your next remote is already in your pocket
SmartCtrl is free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, iOS 16 or later.
