Lost Your Hisense Remote? First, Find Out Which Hisense You Have
Hisense is the brand where “how do I control it from my phone” has four different answers, because Hisense ships TVs running four different operating systems: their own VIDAA, plus Roku TV, Google TV / Android TV, and Fire TV editions. The lost-remote fix is easy in every case — but it’s a different fix per system, and most remote-app frustration with Hisense comes from following instructions for the wrong one.
Step 1: identify the system (10 seconds)
- VIDAA — Hisense’s own OS: VIDAA logo at boot, app row along the bottom.
- Roku TV — unmistakable purple Roku home screen; model numbers usually contain “R”. → Follow the Roku guide; everything there applies, including the no-pairing-at-all part.
- Google TV / Android TV — Google search bar on the home screen. → Follow the Android TV guide; PIN on screen, one minute.
- Fire TV edition — Fire TV home screen. → Follow the Fire TV guide, including the HDMI-CEC approval trick.
Step 2 (VIDAA sets): pair the iPhone
VIDAA pairs the friendly way — PIN on screen, no remote needed:
- iPhone on the same Wi-Fi as the TV.
- Open A Decent Remote; VIDAA TVs on the network appear automatically.
- Tap the TV, read the PIN off the screen, type it in the app.
After that: navigation, volume, inputs, app launching, keyboard input, and power. One power-saving caveat: VIDAA’s deeper eco modes can cut the network radio in standby — if power-on from the phone stops working, check the TV’s power-saving setting and prefer the normal/networked standby option.
If the TV isn’t on Wi-Fi
VIDAA sets follow the same catch-22 as everything else — no network, no app. If the TV was on a network that no longer exists, the hotspot trick from the Roku guide works identically here: recreate the old network’s name and password as an iPhone hotspot, let the TV rejoin, pair, then move it to the real network.
Other options, honestly
Hisense’s official RemoteNOW / VIDAA app covers VIDAA sets. Replacement Hisense IR remotes are among the cheapest anywhere — $8–$12 — and work on every edition. The universal-app argument is strongest precisely for Hisense owners: whichever of the four systems this TV runs, and whatever brand the next TV is, it’s the same app — A Decent Remote handles all four Hisense flavors plus Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Apple TV and the rest.
Get A Decent Remote on the App Store One iPhone remote for Roku, Samsung, LG, Sony, Fire TV, Apple TV, Vizio, Hisense, Philips, Panasonic, Toshiba, Chromecast and Android/Google TVFrequently asked questions
How do I tell which system my Hisense TV runs?
Look at the home screen. A sidebar or row layout with a VIDAA logo at boot means VIDAA. A purple-toned grid of channels means Roku TV. A Google search bar up top means Google TV / Android TV. Fire TV editions say Fire TV on the home screen. The model sticker also helps: "R" series are Roku, "F" often Fire TV.
Do I need the original remote to pair on a VIDAA Hisense?
No. When a remote app connects, the TV displays a PIN on screen — you type it on the phone. Roku and Google TV editions likewise pair without the original remote.
Can the app turn the TV back on?
On VIDAA sets, network standby generally keeps the TV reachable so power-on works; if the TV has an "enhanced" power-saving mode enabled, it may fully sleep and need a physical press the first time.
Do all Hisense models work with remote apps?
Smart models from roughly 2016 onward, yes — via whichever of the four systems they run. Older non-smart Hisense sets have no network interface and need an IR replacement remote.