By Klaus Jakobsen, developer of A Decent Remote The Frame is a normal Samsung smart TV for most purposes, so a phone can run it the same way it runs any other Samsung. The difference is Art Mode, which changes what the power key does and catches out nearly everyone the first time. That is the part this page is really about.
How do I connect my phone to The Frame?
- Join the same Wi-Fi as the TV. A guest network will not work.
- Open A Decent Remote and tap the TV. It is on iPhone today, and the Android version is in testing.
- Look at the TV and choose Allow when it asks.
You only do this once, because the approval is stored on the TV. The app is free for your first 50 button presses, and after that it is paid. There are no ads.
Samsung’s SmartThings app is free and does this too, and it is the one to use for art. It needs a Samsung account, and the remote sits a few taps inside a smart home app. Choose a separate remote app if you want no account, or if you run other TVs from the same phone.
Why does the power key go to Art Mode?
On most TVs, power means off. On The Frame, a short press means “swap between TV and art”, because showing art is what the set is for when you are not watching it. A phone remote sends that same short press, so it does the same thing.
That catches people in two ways:
- You press power to turn the TV off, and art appears. Nothing has gone wrong. The TV is in Art Mode, and it will go dark by itself according to its Art Mode settings.
- You press power again. You go back to the TV, not to off.
To switch it off fully, hold power on the Samsung remote, or use the button on the TV.
What if I cannot press Allow?
If the remote is missing, you still need one press on the TV. The Frame has a small controller button on the set itself, and a USB mouse in a USB port also works. The lost remote guide shows how to find the button and move around with it. You only need this once, and the phone takes over from then on.
Which Frame models have we seen working?
| Year | Model letter | Seen working in the app |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | LS03T | QE55LS03T |
| 2021 | LS03A | QE50LS03A |
| 2025 | LS03F | QA65LS03F |
Each has had a press reach the TV through A Decent Remote since June 2026. The list is short because The Frame is a small share of TVs, not because other years fail. The Frames from 2022 to 2024 use the same connection as the sets either side of them.
What can the phone not do on The Frame?
It cannot manage art. Uploading photos, choosing mats and setting the Art Mode timer all live in SmartThings or on the TV. A remote app only sends button presses.
Turning a sleeping Frame back on is not guaranteed. It depends on the TV keeping its network connection alive. If the app cannot reach it, the button on the TV still works, and this checklist covers the network causes.
