Samsung TV Remote iOS: How to Control Your Samsung TV From an iPhone

Quick Answer: You can use your iPhone as a Samsung TV remote with Samsung SmartThings, the official app for compatible Samsung Smart TVs. Install SmartThings from the App Store, connect your iPhone and TV to the same home network, add the TV to the app, approve pairing, and open the virtual remote.

Quick setup:

1. Turn on your Samsung Smart TV.
2. Install the official SmartThings app on your iPhone.
3. Connect your iPhone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
4. Allow SmartThings to access your iPhone’s Local Network.
5. Open SmartThings and add your Samsung TV.
6. Approve the request or enter the pairing PIN.
7. Open the TV’s device card and select Remote.

You can then use supported controls for volume, navigation, channels, playback, and other TV functions.

The exact remote features depend on your Samsung TV model, SmartThings version, and iPhone compatibility.

How to Set Up Samsung TV Remote on iPhone

The easiest way to set up a Samsung TV remote on iOS is through Samsung’s official SmartThings app.

Unlike a traditional infrared remote, SmartThings communicates with supported Samsung Smart TVs through network-based features.

This means your TV must be compatible, connected, and available for registration.

What You Need Before Connecting

Check the following requirements:

Samsung’s current setup instructions recommend having the TV and phone on the same Wi-Fi network and signed in to the same Samsung account during registration.

The iOS version required to install SmartThings may change. Check the App Store listing for your country rather than relying on an old compatibility chart.

Step 1: Install SmartThings on Your iPhone

1. Open the App Store.
2. Search for SmartThings.
3. Confirm that the developer is Samsung Electronics.
4. Tap Get or update the existing installation.
5. Open SmartThings.
6. Sign in to your Samsung account.

SmartThings is Samsung’s official app for managing supported smart-home devices, including compatible Samsung televisions.

It is free to download, although individual features and connected services may have their own requirements.

Step 2: Connect Your iPhone and TV to the Same Wi-Fi

Before pairing, verify both connections.

On iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Wi-Fi.
3. Check the connected network name.

On Samsung TV:

1. Open the TV’s network settings.
2. Confirm that it is connected to your home network.
3. Check the network name or connection status.

For initial setup, use the same reachable home network.

Avoid isolated guest networks or router configurations that block local device discovery.

A Samsung TV connected through Ethernet may also be discoverable when it shares a reachable local network with your iPhone, depending on the setup.

Step 3: Allow Local Network Access on iPhone

When SmartThings asks for permission to find devices on your local network, tap Allow.

If you previously denied access:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap Privacy & Security.
3. Select Local Network.
4. Find SmartThings.
5. Turn on the permission.
6. Return to SmartThings and retry discovery.

Apple requires apps to request permission before browsing devices on the local network.

Without this permission, SmartThings may not discover your Samsung TV even when both devices are connected to Wi-Fi.

You may also see requests for Bluetooth or other permissions during certain discovery workflows. Grant permissions based on the functions you intend to use.

Step 4: Add Samsung TV to SmartThings

With your TV turned on:

1. Open SmartThings.
2. Go to Devices.
3. Tap the + icon.
4. Select Add device.
5. Choose TV.
6. Select Samsung.
7. Start the device search.
8. Select your television when it appears.
9. Choose the appropriate location or room if prompted.
10. Continue to the pairing screen.

The menu labels may differ slightly between SmartThings versions.

If your TV does not appear, skip to the troubleshooting section below.

Step 5: Approve the Pairing Request

Samsung TV pairing behavior varies by generation.

Some televisions display a PIN that must be entered on the iPhone.

Others show an approval prompt that must be accepted on the TV.

Follow the instructions displayed by your specific television.

If you have lost the original remote, check whether your TV’s physical controller can select the approval option.

If it cannot, a compatible replacement remote may be required for initial registration.

Step 6: Open the Samsung TV Remote

After registration:

1. Open Devices in SmartThings.
2. Select your Samsung TV.
3. Tap Remote or the available mobile remote icon.
4. Test Home, Volume, and navigation.
5. Check additional controls such as Input or Channel if available.

Your iPhone can now serve as a virtual remote for supported everyday functions.

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2. What You Need Before Connecting Samsung TV to iPhone

Before opening SmartThings, prepare the television and iPhone first. A reliable Samsung TV Remote iOS connection depends on network discovery working correctly before you ever open the virtual remote. Most failed setup attempts come from discovery or account issues rather than the virtual remote itself.

You should have:

• A compatible Samsung Smart TV
• An iPhone that can run the current SmartThings app
• SmartThings installed from the App Store
• A Samsung account
• The TV connected to your home network
• The iPhone connected to the same Wi-Fi network during initial registration
• Local Network access enabled for SmartThings on iPhone

As of September 2026, the current SmartThings App Store listing requires iOS 17.0 or later and iPhone XR or later. Older Samsung support pages may still show lower historical requirements, so the current App Store listing is the better reference for whether your iPhone can install today’s app version.

Samsung’s current setup guidance also recommends having the TV and phone on the same Wi-Fi network and signed in to the same Samsung account while adding the TV.

A practical mistake to watch for is guest Wi-Fi. If the TV is on your main home network while the iPhone is connected to an isolated guest network, both devices may have internet access but still fail to discover each other locally.

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How to Use Your iPhone as a Samsung Smart TV Remote

After pairing, a Samsung smart TV remote iOS interface can replace many everyday buttons on the original controller.

Adjust Volume

Use the volume control to:

• Raise volume
• Lower volume
• Mute audio

This is especially useful when the physical remote is missing while a movie is already playing.

Change Channels

The SmartThings remote provides channel controls on supported Samsung televisions.

You may also be able to open the program Guide.

Samsung’s documentation confirms both VOL and CH functions in its mobile remote interface.

Navigate Samsung TV Menus

The virtual directional area works similarly to the directional pad on a Samsung remote.

You can use it to navigate:

• Settings
• Streaming apps
• Home screen
• Input menus
• Content libraries

This is one of the main reasons a samsung remote control iphone setup works well as an emergency replacement.

Launch Apps and Change Inputs

On supported TVs, SmartThings can expose apps and television inputs from the mobile remote interface.

Samsung says users can swipe within the remote controls to access apps, programs and inputs on supported 2024 models.

Available options can vary by model and software version.

Control a 2025 Samsung TV Faster

Samsung introduced additional Mobile Remote conveniences for recent models.

Its 2025 documentation says iPhone users may be able to access the Mobile Remote through Live Activities on the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island, provided the feature is enabled. Samsung lists iOS 16 or later for that specific 2025 Mobile Remote implementation, although the current SmartThings App Store package itself may require a newer iOS version.

That distinction matters:

TV feature compatibility and current app-installation requirements are not always the same thing.

For an up-to-date setup, check both your TV’s support documentation and the current App Store requirements.

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3. Allow Local Network Access on iPhone

Local Network permission is one of the most important iOS-specific checks for a Samsung TV Remote iOS setup.

The current SmartThings App Store listing says Local Network access is used to find devices connected over Wi-Fi. If that permission is denied, the app may fail to discover a TV even when both devices appear to be on the same network.

When iOS first asks whether SmartThings can find devices on your local network, choose Allow. Without that permission, a Samsung TV Remote iOS setup can fail even when Wi-Fi itself is working.

If you previously denied the permission, check:

Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network → SmartThings

Make sure SmartThings is enabled.

You may also need Bluetooth or Location permissions for some SmartThings discovery workflows, especially when the app uses nearby-device scanning during setup. Grant only the permissions needed for the features you want to use.

If SmartThings opens normally but never sees a nearby Samsung TV, Local Network permission should be one of the first things you check before reinstalling the app or resetting the television.

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4. How to Set Up Samsung TV Remote on iPhone

Once the requirements are ready, adding the TV is straightforward. This is the core Samsung TV Remote iOS setup process.

Step 1: Turn On the Samsung TV

Turn on the television with the physical remote or the TV’s hardware power button.

For first-time registration, keeping the TV awake and visible on the home screen makes approval prompts easier to notice.

Step 2: Connect the iPhone and TV to the Same Wi-Fi

Check the Samsung TV’s network settings and the iPhone’s Wi-Fi connection.

During initial setup, they should be on the same home network.

Step 3: Open SmartThings and Sign In

Open SmartThings on the iPhone and sign in to your Samsung account.

Samsung’s current instructions recommend using the same Samsung account for the TV and phone when registering and controlling the device.

Step 4: Add the TV

Inside SmartThings, use a path similar to:

Devices → + → Add device → TV → Samsung

You can also use Scan when available to search for nearby compatible devices.

Select your television when it appears.

Step 5: Approve the Pairing Request

The next step depends on TV generation.

Newer televisions usually show a confirmation prompt, while some earlier models display a PIN that must be entered on the phone.

Complete the onscreen approval before leaving the setup screen.

Step 6: Open the Virtual Remote

After the TV is registered, open it from SmartThings under your devices.

Select the remote interface to begin controlling the television.

At this point, the Samsung TV Remote iOS setup is complete. Test several functions rather than only Power so you know the phone has full access to the controls you actually need.

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5. Samsung TV Pairing Differences by Model Year

Samsung does not use exactly the same approval process on every television generation. That is why a Samsung TV Remote iOS guide should distinguish pairing by model year instead of giving one universal approval step.

Samsung Canada’s current SmartThings instructions separate several common model-year patterns:

This is useful when an online tutorial does not match what appears on your screen.

For example, a 2018 Samsung TV may show a PIN even though a newer guide simply says to tap OK. That does not mean the setup is failing; the pairing workflow changed across generations.

The exact menus can also vary by region, firmware version, and model family. Treat the table as a practical guide rather than a promise that every Samsung TV from the same year uses identical wording.

For older or unusual models, search by the full TV model number in Samsung’s current support documentation rather than assuming every Smart TV supports the same SmartThings functions.

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6. What Can Samsung TV Remote iOS Control?

Once connected, SmartThings can replace many everyday physical-remote actions. A successful Samsung TV Remote iOS connection should be tested with several controls, not only Power.

Samsung’s current phone-remote documentation lists controls such as Volume, Channel, Mute, Home, Back, Guide, navigation, and selection. Depending on the television, you may also see app or input controls.

The exact Samsung remote iOS interface can therefore look different from one television to another.

If the phone controls basic navigation but a particular shortcut is missing, that does not automatically mean pairing failed. The control may simply not be exposed for that model.

For a broader guide to phone control across Samsung setups, see control samsung tv with phone.

7. Which Samsung TVs and iPhones Are Compatible?

Compatibility has two sides: the iPhone must be able to run SmartThings, and the Samsung TV must support the features you want to use. In other words, Samsung TV Remote iOS compatibility depends on both devices.

For iPhone, the current SmartThings App Store listing requires:

• iOS 17.0 or later
• iPhone XR or later

Those requirements may change with future SmartThings releases.

For Samsung TVs, Samsung continues to publish SmartThings setup instructions covering multiple generations, including 2016, 2017–2019, and 2020+ models. However, available functions can vary significantly by model, country, software version, and whether network-based control is supported.

Do not assume that the phrase Samsung smart TV remote iOS means every older Samsung television will expose every current SmartThings feature.

The safest process is:

1. Check whether your exact TV model supports SmartThings.
2. Update the TV software when an update is available.
3. Keep SmartThings current on the iPhone.
4. Test the controls you actually need after registration.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Samsung TV Remote iOS

Can I Control My Samsung TV With an iPhone?

Yes, on compatible Samsung Smart TVs. Add the television to Samsung SmartThings, complete the approval process, then open the TV’s remote controls from the app.

What Is the Official Samsung TV Remote App for iOS?

Samsung’s official option for Samsung TV Remote iOS is SmartThings. It combines TV remote functions with Samsung’s wider smart-home platform and supports controls such as volume, channels, navigation, Home, Back, and other model-dependent features.

Is There a Free Samsung TV Remote App for iOS?

Yes. SmartThings is the official starting point for Samsung TV Remote iOS and is free to download. If you want a broader comparison of free and third-party choices, use the dedicated Samsung free-remote guide rather than choosing based only on App Store search results.

Why Can’t SmartThings Find My Samsung TV?

First confirm that the TV and iPhone are on the same Wi-Fi during setup. Then check Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and make sure SmartThings is allowed to discover devices on your network.

Can an iPhone Turn On a Samsung TV?

On supported configurations, yes. Power behavior depends on the TV model, network state, settings, and SmartThings support. If remote controls work while the TV is on but wake/power does not, check the TV’s mobile power and network settings.

Does Samsung TV Remote iOS Work Without Wi-Fi?

For normal SmartThings network control, the TV needs a working network connection. Initial registration commonly requires the phone and TV to share the same Wi-Fi. Some discovery features can also use Bluetooth Low Energy on supported TVs, but that does not make SmartThings a general offline IR remote.

Final Recommendation

Samsung TV Remote iOS works best when you treat SmartThings as the primary Samsung-specific option and configure the iPhone correctly before troubleshooting the TV.

The basic setup is:

Same Wi-Fi → SmartThings → Samsung account → Add TV → Approve pairing → Open Remote

On iPhone, do not overlook Local Network permission. SmartThings uses it to discover Wi-Fi-connected devices, and denying that permission can make an otherwise compatible TV appear invisible.

Also remember that pairing behavior varies by Samsung TV generation: newer TVs may ask you to tap OK, 2017–2019 models may display a PIN, and 2016 models may ask you to select Allow.

For Samsung-only households, start with SmartThings. If you need one controller for multiple supported TV brands, a universal Remote TV App can be a practical alternative.