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Can my iPhone control my TV?

Pick your TV. You'll see what works, the free option, and the setting that most often gets in the way.

Choose your TV

    How the checker decides

    An iPhone has no infrared, so it can only control a TV over Wi‑Fi, using whatever language the TV's software speaks. Couchius speaks four of them today: Roku's, LG's webOS, Sony BRAVIA's and Samsung's Tizen. If your TV runs something else, the checker points you to the free app from the company that makes its software.

    Questions

    Why does the platform matter more than the brand?

    Remote apps talk to the software running the TV, not the panel. A TCL TV can run Roku, Google TV or another system, and each one speaks a different language over Wi‑Fi. That’s why the checker asks what your home screen looks like for those brands.

    Does my phone need to be on the same Wi‑Fi?

    Yes. Couchius and the free apps from Roku, Google and LG all control the TV over your home network, so the phone and TV must be on the same Wi‑Fi. Guest networks usually block this.

    Can an iPhone use infrared like an old remote?

    No. iPhones have no infrared transmitter, so every iPhone remote app works over Wi‑Fi (or Bluetooth for some streaming devices).