By Klaus Jakobsen, developer of A Decent Remote 
You want to run your LG from your phone, but the router is dead, the Wi-Fi password changed, or the TV forgot the network and the remote went with it. Here is what a remote app can do with no Wi-Fi, and how to get the TV onto a network your phone can reach.
Why does an LG remote app need Wi-Fi at all?
A webOS LG takes commands from a phone over your local network. The app finds the TV there, asks it once for permission, and sends every key press across the same network. LG’s own ThinQ app works the same way, so it needs phone and TV on one network too.
An iPhone has no infrared hardware, so there is no second way in. That is the honest limit: no iPhone app controls an LG with zero network.
What the app does not need is the internet. A router with no internet plan works, and so does your phone’s own hotspot. If only the internet is down, the Wi-Fi still exists and the app keeps working. The general version of this question is answered for every brand.
How do I connect an LG TV to Wi-Fi without the remote?
Three ways, quickest first:
- Ethernet cable. Plug it from the TV’s LAN port into the router. No password to type.
- USB mouse or keyboard. Plug it into a USB port on the TV. LG lists wired and wireless (dongle) mice and keyboards as supported on smart models since 2012. A pointer appears and you click through Settings.
- The joystick. Most LGs have one under the logo on the bottom edge. With the TV on, one press opens a small menu with power, input and settings icons.
Then look for the Wi-Fi screen. The path depends on the year:
- 2021 and newer (webOS 6 and up): Settings > All Settings > General > Network > Internet Connection > Wi-Fi Connection
- 2020 (webOS 5): All Settings > Connection > Network Connection Settings > Wi-Fi Connection
- 2019: All Settings > Connection > Wi-Fi Connection
- 2018 and older: All Settings > Network > Wi-Fi Connection
On recent sets the quick menu behind the Settings button also has a Wi-Fi icon. The HDMI-CEC trick and the rest are in how to connect a TV to Wi-Fi without the remote.
How do I use an LG TV with no remote and no Wi-Fi?
Build the network yourself with your iPhone:
- Open Settings > Personal Hotspot, switch on Allow Others to Join and stay on that screen.
- On the TV, open the Wi-Fi screen above, pick your iPhone’s name and type the password shown on the hotspot screen.
- If the TV never lists the hotspot, switch on Maximize Compatibility on the same screen (iPhone 12 and newer). It moves the hotspot to the 2.4 GHz band.
- Open A Decent Remote on that iPhone and tap the LG. If nothing shows up, check that Settings > A Decent Remote > Local Network is on.
- A prompt appears on the TV. Accept it with the joystick or the mouse. That is the only time you need either.
LG’s own help pages suggest the same test: switch on your phone’s hotspot and see whether the TV can join it.
If the TV already knows your old Wi-Fi and the router is what changed, there is a shortcut. Rename the iPhone to the exact old network name (Settings > General > About > Name), give the hotspot the old password, and the TV rejoins by itself. It only works for a network that had a password, and anything the TV streams now uses your mobile data.
No way to tap the prompt? This page covers pairing with nothing in your hand.
Is there an LG remote app that works by infrared?
On an Android phone with an IR blaster, yes. Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO still build one into many models, and an IR app on those can send LG codes with no network at all. Samsung phones dropped the blaster years ago, and no iPhone ever had one. Check which phones have it.
A Decent Remote is a Wi-Fi app and does not use infrared on any phone. The Android version is in development: leave your email and you get one message the day it is on Google Play.
For an LG with no network and no IR phone, a universal infrared remote costs around $10, and an original Magic Remote $20 to $40.
Does the same trick work on a Sony or Philips TV?
Yes. Any TV that can join a Wi-Fi network can join a phone hotspot. Only the menus differ.
A Sony Bravia’s own button only opens volume and inputs, so the way into the Wi-Fi settings is a USB keyboard on an Android TV or Google TV model, or an Ethernet cable. Pairing shows a 4-digit PIN. See Sony without a remote.
A Philips has a joystick under the bezel. Sets from 2016 show a PIN, 2014 and 2015 sets need none. See Philips without a remote.
What if the app finds my LG but will not connect?
Three causes, in the order to check:
- Different networks. The phone is on the hotspot and the TV is still on the router, or the TV sits on a guest network. Both must be on the same one.
- Local Network is off for the app. Turn it on in iPhone Settings and search again.
- Phone control is off on the LG. The app then says so. Switch on LG Connect Apps under Settings > Network, or Mobile TV On or Mobile App under Settings > General on some models. You need the joystick or a mouse for that.