Google TV and Android TV
Google TV remote app for iPhone
Yes. Simple TV Remote controls Google TV and Android TV sets from your iPhone over Wi-Fi. Check yours free, then pay $5.99 once.
- Brands
- 16
- Model lines
- 25
- Model codes
- 1,489
- Versions listed
- 11
Lost the remote down the couch, or tired of the tiny one that came with your TV? If your TV or streamer runs Google TV or Android TV, your iPhone can be the remote. Simple TV Remote works over your home Wi-Fi with Sony, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Sharp and other Google TV and Android TV sets, plus Chromecast with Google TV and the Google TV Streamer. Try it free on your own TV first. If you like it, unlock it once for $5.99.
What works
Google TV and Android TV are the same operating system, Android TV OS. Google TV is the newer home screen Google introduced in 2020 with Chromecast with Google TV. Older sets show the plain Android TV home screen.
- Navigation and OK
- Volume and mute
- KeyboardSome apps, like YouTube, use their own keyboard and ignore typed text.
- Open apps
- Turn off
- Turn on from standbyWorks only from standby, never after the TV is unplugged. The TV must keep its network on in standby; the setting name depends on the TV maker.
Tested on a real Sony BRAVIA XR-65A95K.
TVs that run Google TV
Bush, Element, Google, Hisense, Hitachi, JVC, Nokia, NVIDIA, onn., Panasonic, Philips, Sharp, Sony, TCL, Toshiba, Xiaomi
Set up
Pairing takes about a minute, once per TV. Each model line’s page has the exact TV menus.
Connect your iPhone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network
Guest networks and Wi-Fi with device isolation block local control.
Open Simple TV Remote and pick your TV
Type the code shown on your TV
The TV shows a short code the first time you connect. After that, the app reconnects without a code.
Let the TV turn on from standby
Look for your TV maker's network standby setting (for example Sony "Remote start" or TCL "Screenless service"). Your TV's page lists the exact menu path.
Can’t find your TV? Add it by IP address
If your TV doesn’t show up in the app, tap “Can’t find it?” and type the TV’s IP address. Here’s where the TV shows it.
Find the TV's IP address (older Android TV menus)
Google documents this menu for Android TV; newer Google TV menus may differ.
Google TV versions by model year
The version a TV shipped with. Many TVs get later updates.
| Version | Model years | Home screen | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android TV 14 | 2024–2026 | Google TV | Added energy modes that change what stays on in standby, which can affect wake. Google TV Streamer shipped on it; Chromecast with Google TV got it later. Source |
| Android TV 12 | 2022–2024 | Google TV or Android TV Home | Added 4K interface support and refresh-rate switching. Chromecast with Google TV (HD) shipped on it. Source |
| Android TV 13 | 2022–2023 | — | Developer release only. Google did not deliver it to consumer TVs. Source |
| Android TV 11 | 2021–2023 | Android TV Home or Google TV | NVIDIA SHIELD TV's latest version (SHIELD Experience 9.x). |
| Android TV 10 | 2020–2021 | Android TV Home or Google TV | Chromecast with Google TV (2020) and the first Google TV TVs (2021) shipped on Android TV 10. |
| Google TV | 2020–2026 | Google TV | Google's home screen on Android TV OS 10 and later. Every Google TV device includes Android TV Remote Service. Source |
| Android TV 9 (Pie) | 2019–2020 | Android TV Home | |
| Android TV 8 (Oreo) | 2018 | Android TV Home | Introduced the channels-based Android TV Home screen. Source |
| Android TV 7 (Nougat) | 2017 | Android TV | Minimum version for the current Android TV Remote Service. Uses the older Android TV Launcher home screen. Source |
| Android TV 6 (Marshmallow) | 2016 | Android TV | Below the Android 7 minimum of the current Android TV Remote Service. Many 2015–2016 sets were later updated to Android 7; check Settings > About. |
| Android TV 5 (Lollipop) | 2014–2015 | Android TV | First Android TV release (Nexus Player in 2014, first TVs in 2015). The current Android TV Remote Service needs Android 7 or later, so we do not expect these devices to work. |
Troubleshooting
The TV doesn't appear in the app
- Make sure your iPhone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network, not a guest network.
- Allow Local Network access for Simple TV Remote in iPhone Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network.
- Restart the TV: unplug it, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in.
- Check that the TV is a Google TV or Android TV. TVs with only Chromecast built-in can't be controlled this way.
No pairing code shows on the TV
- Turn the TV on and leave it on the home screen; the code only shows while the screen is on.
- On the TV, update Android TV Remote Service: open Google Play on the TV, search for "Android TV Remote Service" and choose Update.
- If it still fails, go to Settings > Apps > Show system apps > Android TV Remote Service and choose Force stop, then Clear storage. Then pair again.
The app asks to pair again every time
- Clear the storage of Android TV Remote Service on the TV (Settings > Apps > Show system apps > Android TV Remote Service > Clear storage), restart the TV and pair once more.
- Give the TV a fixed address in your router so it doesn't change after a power cut.
The TV won't turn on from the app
- Wake works only from standby. A TV that was unplugged or switched off at the wall can't be woken over Wi-Fi.
- Turn on your TV maker's network standby setting. See your TV's page for the exact menu path.
- On Android TV 14 sets, a low-power energy mode may turn the network off in standby. Choose a mode that keeps the network on.
- If the TV uses Ethernet, try Wi-Fi, or the other way round. Some TVs only wake on one of them.
Volume doesn't change on a Chromecast, Google TV Streamer or SHIELD
- Turn on HDMI-CEC on your TV and on any soundbar or receiver in between.
- On the streamer, set Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Set up remote buttons > Volume control to "Auto (CEC)".
How to use your iPhone as a Google TV remote
- Join the same Wi-FiConnect your iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV or streamer. Guest networks often keep devices apart, so avoid them.
- Open the app and pick your TVOpen Simple TV Remote. Your Google TV or Android TV shows up in the list. Tap it.
- Type the code from the TVThe TV shows a short code the first time. Type it on your iPhone. You only do this once.
- Let the TV turn on from your phone (optional)To turn the TV on from standby, turn on your TV maker's network standby setting, such as Remote start on Sony or Network Standby on newer TCL sets. Your TV's page on this site gives the exact menu.
Questions
Is there a Google TV remote app for iPhone?
Yes. Simple TV Remote is a Google TV remote app for iPhone that works with Google TV and Android TV sets running Google TV and Android TV. It pairs over your home Wi-Fi and sends real commands in a free check, so you know it works on your exact TV before you pay $5.99, once.
Does an Android TV remote app work on Google TV, and the other way round?
Yes. Google TV is a newer home screen on the same Android TV system, so a remote app that works on one works on the other. Simple TV Remote treats Google TV and Android TV sets the same way.
What can I do with Simple TV Remote on a Google TV?
You get the arrows and OK, volume and mute, a keyboard for typing searches, opening apps, and turning the TV off. It can also turn the TV on from standby once the TV's network standby setting is on. Some apps, like YouTube, use their own on-screen keyboard and ignore typed text.
How do I connect my iPhone to my Google TV?
Put your iPhone and TV on the same Wi-Fi network, open the app and pick your TV. The TV shows a short code the first time, and you type it on your iPhone. After that, the app reconnects on its own.
Can I turn on my Google TV without the remote?
Yes, from standby, if your TV keeps its network on while it's off. The setting name depends on the TV maker, for example Remote start on Sony or Network Standby on newer TCL sets. Nothing can turn on a TV that's unplugged, so press the button on the TV in that case.
My Google TV remote stopped working. How do I pair it again?
On a Chromecast with Google TV or Google TV Streamer, hold Back and Home for 3 seconds until the light on the remote pulses. On a TV with Google TV built in, go to Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Pair remote or accessory and follow the TV maker's steps. A phone remote is handy here, because you can reach that menu without a working remote.
How do I find a lost Google TV Streamer remote?
Briefly press the button on the back of the Google TV Streamer, and a paired remote plays a sound for 30 seconds. Don't hold the button down. Press any button on the remote to stop the sound.
My TV has Chromecast built-in. Will a remote app work?
Not always. Chromecast built-in only lets apps send video to the TV. Remote control needs a TV that runs Google TV or Android TV, or a Google TV streamer plugged into the TV. The free check in the app tells you for sure.
Do I need a Google account or a subscription?
No. Simple TV Remote has no account, no subscription and no ads. The check on your own TV is free, and the full remote is $5.99 once, for every TV you pair.
Is Google TV the same as Android TV?
Yes, underneath. Google TV is a newer home screen on Android TV OS. Both use the same Android TV Remote Service for phone control, so Simple TV Remote treats them the same way.
Do I need a Google account on the TV?
No account is needed for Simple TV Remote. The TV only has to be on the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone and show you a pairing code once.
Does my TV need Android TV Remote Service?
It comes installed on Google TV and on most Android TV sets. Fire TV devices are built on Android but do not include it, so they don't work.
About Google TV
Phone control on these TVs goes through a built-in system app called Android TV Remote Service. Google's own Google TV app and Google Home app use it to pair with a code on the TV screen and then send buttons, volume and typed text over your home Wi-Fi.
TVs from Sony, TCL, Hisense, Philips, Sharp and others run Android TV OS, and so do streamers like Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer and NVIDIA SHIELD TV. A streamer gives any HDMI TV the same phone control, with power and volume passed to the TV over HDMI-CEC.
Not every TV with a Google name is a Google TV. TVs that only have Chromecast built-in, or that only support casting, do not include Android TV Remote Service.
Sources
Every compatibility fact on this page comes from these sources. Dates show when we last checked each one. How we build the TV list.
- Google TV
- Android TV Remote Service (Google Play listing: requires Android 7.0+, v7.00.956317615, updated Sep 6, 2026)
- Google TV Help: Cast, connect & control your TV with the Google TV app
- Google TV Help: Fix problems with the Google TV virtual remote
- Android TV Help: How Android TV services use your data
- Streaming Help: Use your phone as the remote for your Chromecast or Google TV Streamer
- Android 12 for TV release notes
- Android 13 for TV release notes (developer release only)
- Android 14 for TV release notes
- Android Developers Blog: Everything you need to know about Google TV and Android TV OS (May 2024)
- androidtvremote2 protocol reference (Apache-2.0)
- Home Assistant Android TV Remote integration docs (secondary: troubleshooting)
- Google Cast developer docs: Discovery Troubleshooting (Android TV IP address at Settings > Device > Network > WiFi > Network > Status Info)
Check your TV free. Pay once if it works.
Simple TV Remote pairs with your TV and sends real commands before you pay anything. If it works, unlock it for $5.99, once.