How To Use Your Phone As An Android/Google TV Remote Control

While the design, specs, and even software of streaming devices vary, one element they all share is a remote control. Sadly, this input device can get damaged or lost in a sofa’s crevices. Instead of using a real remote control, Android TV and Google TV streaming devices both offer the option of using a phone as a virtual one.

Google unveiled a new Android TV controller at Google I/O 2021 that will be integrated into the Google TV and Google Home apps. As opposed to being a standalone app, the new Android TV remote replaces the old Android TV remote app that has been in use for years.

There are many ways a smartphone can be made into a remote. Number 1, you can use the Google Home app, and secondly, is to use the Google TV app (a.k.a. Google Play Movies & TV). Depending on your location, only the first may be available. Apart from the Google Home or TV app, you will also need an Android phone or tablet (Kindly note that the feature isn’t yet available on iOS devices). 

Google Home app

1. If you use the Google Home app you can use your Android device as a remote by opening the Home app and selecting their Android TV or Google TV device from the list of devices on the screen. 
2. To access the remote control, look towards the bottom of the screen for an icon labeled “Open remote.” 
3. When you press it, an alphanumeric code should show in the TV’s display. 
4. To connect the TV to the device, you must enter the code on the device.

Google TV app

1. Launch the Google TV app, then tap the “TV remote” button at the bottom of the screen. 
2. By selecting “Scan for devices”, you can find and select an Android TV or Google TV to control. After that, input the code that displays on the TV to connect your phone to the item you just purchased. 
3. It can now be used as a remote control after it has been paired with a TV. 
4. The virtual remote interface is almost the same on both apps. 
5. You have the option of navigating using a D-pad or a swiping panel with a button in the center. To do this, press the three dots at the top of the screen and choose “D-pad control.” 
6. The swipe panel will be replaced by a D-pad like the one on the physical remote.

Also on the virtual remote are the home keys, Google Assistant, and return keys. You will need to give permission for Google Assistant to use the phone’s microphone. There is also a mute button and a button to change the volume. On-screen keyboards on TVs have long been slow and cumbersome to use, but now Gboard users can enter text instead.