Lost Your Samsung TV Remote? Control It From Your iPhone
A lost Samsung remote is very fixable: every Samsung smart TV since around 2016 accepts remote control from a phone over Wi-Fi. There is exactly one hurdle — the first time an app connects, the TV shows an “Allow this device?” popup that has to be accepted on the TV. Normally you’d press OK with the remote you no longer have. Here’s how to get past that, then never think about it again.
First: find the button Samsung hid on your TV
Almost every Samsung TV has a physical controller button — a small stick or button usually located behind the bottom-center of the panel, under the Samsung logo (some models put it on the back, bottom-right corner). A short press acts as select/OK, and nudging or repeated presses navigate. It exists precisely for lost-remote situations, and one press of “Allow” is all the pairing needs.
If the button is missing or unreachable, plug a USB mouse into the TV’s USB port. Tizen supports mice and keyboards natively — a cursor appears, and you can click “Allow” like it’s a desktop.
Pairing your iPhone
- Put your iPhone on the same Wi-Fi network as the TV.
- Open A Decent Remote — it discovers Samsung TVs on the network automatically.
- Tap the TV. The Allow prompt appears on the TV screen.
- Accept it with the controller button or USB mouse.
That approval happens once. The TV hands the app a token that gets stored, so every future connection is silent — including turning the TV back on from your phone, which works over the network even after the TV has been “off” (Samsung TVs keep listening in standby).
If the TV isn’t on Wi-Fi
Use the controller button to open the menu and walk to Settings → General → Network. It’s slow going with one button, but it’s a one-time job: once the TV is on the same network as your phone, everything above applies.
Other options, honestly
Samsung’s SmartThings app is the official route and works well for Samsung-only households. A replacement Samsung remote costs $10–$40 depending on whether you need the basic IR one or the Smart Remote. And if the house has a mix of brands, one universal app means this is the last time a lost remote is a research project — A Decent Remote also covers Roku, LG, Fire TV, Vizio, Apple TV and most other smart TVs.
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
Can I pair an iPhone to a Samsung TV without the original remote?
Yes, but you need some way to press "Allow" on the TV once. The two reliable options are the hidden controller button built into the TV itself, or a USB mouse plugged into the TV — Samsung TVs support both.
Which Samsung TVs work with iPhone remote apps?
Smart TVs from roughly 2016 onward (Tizen models). They expose a local-network remote API that phone apps connect to over Wi-Fi.
Do I have to approve the connection every time?
No. The TV issues a token on the first approval, and a well-built app stores it — after that it reconnects silently, and can even turn the TV back on over the network.
What about the SmartThings app?
Samsung's own SmartThings app also works as a remote for Samsung TVs. It's a fine choice if all your devices are Samsung; a universal remote app covers the other TV brands in the house too.