By Klaus Jakobsen, developer of A Decent Remote There are two kinds of Android box, and they need different apps. That is why so many people install a remote app, see nothing, and assume their box is broken. Working out which kind you have takes about a minute.
Which kind of box do I have?
Certified Android TV or Google TV boxes have the Google TV interface and the Google Play Store for TV. Examples are the Mi Box, Chromecast with Google TV and many boxes from TV providers. They pair with a code on the screen, and the Android TV guide covers them.
Generic Android boxes run ordinary Android with a launcher on top. They are sold under names such as X96 and TX6, and they usually look more like a phone’s home screen with big icons. Google’s app cannot see these, and this page is for them.
How do I connect a generic box to my phone?
- Join the same Wi-Fi as the box.
- Open A Decent Remote. It is on iPhone today, and the Android version is in testing.
- Tap the box when it appears. If it does not appear, switch debugging on using the steps below.
- Look at the TV. A prompt called “Allow USB debugging?” appears. Tick the option to always allow it, then select OK.
The name sounds alarming, but it is how Android approves a new controller. You do it once, and your phone keeps a permanent key. The app is free for your first 50 button presses, and after that it is paid, with no ads.
How do I switch on debugging if the box does not appear?
Many generic boxes have it on already, which is why they appear straight away. If yours does not:
- Open Settings on the box and find About.
- Select the build number seven times. A message says you are now a developer.
- Go back, open Developer options, and switch on USB debugging.
- If there is a separate option for network debugging or ADB over network, switch that on too.
Menus differ between boxes, so the names may not match exactly. Search the settings for “debugging” if your box has a search box.
How do I accept the prompt if I lost the box’s remote?
Plug a USB mouse into a USB port on the box. A pointer appears, and you can tick the box and click OK. Almost every generic box has a USB port, so this is usually a five minute fix with a mouse from another computer. A keyboard works too, using the arrow keys and Enter.
Which boxes have we seen working?
Each of these has had a button press reach the box through A Decent Remote since June 2026, and the list comes from iPhones so far.
| Type | Seen working |
|---|---|
| X96 family | X96Q, X96 Mini, X98 Plus |
| TX family | TX6 Plus |
| Amlogic S905X3 boxes | Boxes reporting AmlogicS905X3 |
| Others | H109, 8S, MeeGoo TV |
| Provider boxes on Android TV | Claro TV Box 4K, MEO TV Box 4K |
Lots of generic boxes report only a vague name such as Smart TV or TV Box, so the real list is longer than this.
What can a generic box not do?
Waking from off is unreliable. Most generic boxes drop off the network when they sleep. If the app cannot reach the box, press its power button or unplug it for a moment.
Some apps ignore typed text. The phone’s keyboard works in most search boxes, but apps with their own on-screen keyboard can refuse it, as Netflix does on every remote app.
Volume is the box’s volume. A generic box usually changes its own volume, not the TV’s, unless HDMI-CEC is doing the work.
