The 8 Best Universal Remote Apps for Android
Have you lose your remote control? Or did you break it? Either way, it’s a good thing that there are universal remote apps for Android available on the Play Store for free.
Imagine living in a time where we have an app for almost everything. With these apps, you can control your home appliances by using your Android phone. Whether it’s an old flat screen TV, a Smart TV, or a CRT TV – with the right app, you can control all of them with your smartphone.
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There are numerous remote control apps on the Play Store, but to be honest, not all of them work well. But don’t worry. I did my research and found several universal remote apps with good reviews. These apps will work on various TV brands, including Samsung, LG, Vizio, and more! These apps also have support for TV set-top-boxes like Roku and various DVD players.
Universal remote apps for Android to control TVs and DVD players
If you have a Smart TV or an old one that has an infrared receiver, then these universal remote apps for android will get the job done. But, you’ll need a smartphone, particularly a smartphone with an infrared blaster to work with television with infrared receivers.
- SURE – Smart Home and TV Universal Remote
- AnyMote Universal Remote + Wi-Fi Smart Home Control (Best for most TVs)
- Universal TV Remote – (Best for Samsung TVs)
- ZaZa Remote – (Best for DVD players)
- Video & TV SideView: Remote – (Best for Sony TVs)
- Learn Remote
- Yatse
- Unified Remote – (Best for PCs)
- Google Home
- Mi Remote Controller
Now let us look at what these universal remote apps for android have to offer in detail.
1. SURE – Smart Home and TV Universal Remote
The SURE Universal Smart TV Remote Control is as efficient as its name suggests. People consider it to be an excellent remote app for Roku streaming media player.
It’s also among the best universal remote apps for Smart TVs, TVs with Infrared Receivers, TV-Boxes, and DVD players. They also have an active customer service, which is one of the reasons why they’re highly valued.
Just like the other universal remote apps on this list, it supports IR blaster and Wi-Fi connectivity so that you have the option to control your TV via the infrared emitter.
The remote app also has a well-designed, user-friendly interface, so you can configure your devices with ease. When tested on both traditional and smart TVs, it functioned perfectly well.
Alternatively, if you’re using Fire devices from Amazon and you wish to have a dedicated remote control app for your Roku device, then I recommend the Roku TV Remote Control by RoByte.
One of the coolest things about this app is that you can install it on your Android smartwatch and use it to switch the channel, increase volume, and play/pause, on your wrist. Although it isn’t free, if you have a smartwatch, the remote app is definitely worth your money.
2. AnyMote Universal Remote + Wi-Fi Smart Home Control (Best for most TVs)
The AnyMote Universal Remote app is compatible with any smartphone that runs on Android. More importantly, it’s one of the best universal remote apps for smartphones that come with an inbuilt IR emitter.
This app is also compatible with a wide range of smart devices like television sets, top-boxes, and media players. You can connect it to the remote app using your Wi-Fi network at home.
Another exciting thing about AnyMote is that it lets you create your own custom settings. For instance, you can set-up your device to turn on your TV and DVD player at a single tap. It’s basically a “macro” key for your Android phone.
3. Universal TV Remote – (Best for Samsung TVs)
Another popular universal remote app that works is the Universal TV Remote app by Twinone. This app is compatible with most TVs that have an infrared receiver.
What sets this app apart from the rest is its layout that imitates the design of a real TV remote control. Furthermore, this app works best with infrared TVs compared to others. So if you want to use this app on old TVs, you need to have a smartphone that has an infrared emitter or blaster.
Twinone boasts that this app will work with any IR TV. I’ve tried it myself, and without much tinkering with its configuration, it worked perfectly on our Samsung TV.
4. ZaZa Remote – (Best for DVD players)
Like many of the apps on this list, this universal remote control app uses an IR transmitter to connect with various devices that have a built-in IR hardware. Most of these phones are from Samsung, HTC, HUAWEI, Xiaomi, TCL, OPPO, and Lenovo.
The ZaZa Universal TV Remote can control your television, DVD player, air conditioner, and a lot more. If your smartphone doesn’t have an inbuilt IR emitter, you can easily buy one online.
It also boasts a DIY IR feature, which enables the user to set up the device according to your preferences. You can also customize the app interface, which is a feature unique to this app. This function makes ZaZa Universal TV Remote an excellent app for developers.
5. Video & TV SideView: Remote – (Best for Sony TVs)
If there’s one remote app perfect for Sony TVs, then it’s going to be the Video & TV SideView: Remote app. This app is more than just a remote. It also works as a standalone video content viewer for your phone.
If you have a local media system network, you can use this app to access photos and videos on your media network drive and watch from your phone wirelessly. The only downside to the Video & TV SideView: Remote app is that it doesn’t have infrared support, compared to other apps on this list.
6. Learn Remote
If you’re looking for a simple app to control your devices, I recommend Learn Remote for you. It doesn’t have extra features besides controlling your appliances and saving recently used remotes. It is definitely one of the best universal remote apps for android.
Learn Remote supports IR and smart remotes. So whether you’re using a Smart TV, an old one, or even a DVD player, this app can help you control all of them.
If you want a remote app that gets the job done, I highly suggest that you try this app.
7. Yatse
If you’re looking for a Kodi remote to manage your different devices, Yatse is all you need. Not only that, but this app also comes with tons of other features you won’t see on other universal remote apps for android
Yatse has a modern and sleek design optimized for smartphones and tablets. Also, the free version comes with the full functions you would find in a Kodi remote without any ads.
The Pro version gives you more features such as offline media viewing, streaming, and casting your phone to other Smart TVs. You can also use Cloud backup for your custom settings and commands.
If the free version is enough for you, that’s fine, but you can also try the Yatse Unlocker to support the developers. After all, who wouldn’t want more updates to make your experience better?
8. Unified Remote – (Best for PCs)
Do you want to use your smartphone to control your PC? Well, with Unified Remote, you can!
Not only that, but you can also connect your laptop to your Vizio TV and use Unified Remote to watch and control movies from your couch.
The free version comes with the essential features you need, such as keyboard and mouse support, remote file manager, a media remote, and power controls. It comes with a few ads, but they aren’t that intrusive or distracting.
Now, if you want to remove ads and use more commands, you can buy the full version. It comes with more remotes, voice commands, IR actions, widgets, and other features that can help you control your PC efficiently.
9. Google Home
With the Google Home app, you can set up, manage, and control connected home products such as lights, cameras, thermostats, and Google Home products like Google Nest and Chromecast.
Google Home is truly a universal remote app for all household devices as you manage multiple device types from a single app, provided they are connected to Google Home. The Home page on the app allows you to create shortcuts for the most frequently used devices and things, like playing music, watching a movie, dimming and turning on/off the lights, and more.
To install the app, click on the below Play Store button.
10. Mi Remote controller
Mi Remote controller app lets you control any electric appliance in your home. TV, air-conditioner, set-top box, DVD player, A/V receiver, camera, and projector are some of the devices supported by the app. Some of the supported manufacturing brands include Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Haier, Onida, Micromax, etc.
Smartphones with IR blasters support this app and you need is the devices and the phone to be connected to the same WiFi to get going. Following are some of the supported phone models.
- Samsung S4/S5/S6 Edge
- Samsung Note 3/Note 4
- HTC One Series
- Mi 4/4C/5/5S Plus/5C/5X/6
- Redmi 4/4A/4X/
- Redmi Note 2/Note 3/Note 4/Note 4X/Note 5A
- Huawei Honor 3/6/6 Plus
Install the Mi Remote Controller app by clicking the below button.
Suggested Reads:
How to Connect Android to Windows PC with Remote Desktop Apps
How to connect Android phone to TV (4 Methods)
Android Cloud Backup: How to easily cloud Backup your Phone
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use universal remote apps for android on a non-smart TV?
Yes. A universal remote app turns your smartphone into a traditional TV remote using the built-in IR blaster on board.
Is there a universal remote app that can function with no extra hardware needed?
Yes, there is. Most apps like SURE Universal Remote, can use your home network to connect with your smart devices.
Do universal remote apps for android work without Wi-Fi?
Yes, these are offline apps that you can use without the need for any internet connection.
Logitech Harmony 650
If you want to use a traditional remote control, but with the added functionality that you can get with Android apps, then I recommend checking out the Logitech Harmony 650, an all-in-one infrared programmable remote control.
The Logitech Harmony 650 is an advanced universal remote control for various IR devices. It can support eight devices simultaneously, has a bright color screen for easy navigation, a one-touch activity button like “Watch DVD” that automatically switches to the right devices, and more!
This remote is compatible with 225,000+ devices from 5000+ brands.
Finishing Up
To find out which one works best for you, download the universal remote apps for android and try them out! They all have free versions which you can test. The key is to verify which ones work on your TV so that you can select the best app that addresses your needs.
Which one did you choose? Which one worked the best for you? Let me know in the comments section below!
Does anyone know if these universal tv remote apps only work with new flat screens that use Bluetooth or WiFi? I have an older tv but its not a smart or flat screen tv. Please email me if you have any answers or know of a good app that works with older tvs. Thanks.
Andrew O’Brian
If you have a IR Blaster on your phone (Note 3, S5 comes with one), you will be able to control old TVs too. What phone are you using mate?
I really love these “top apps” articles guys, really helps a android newbie choose from the best possible. Thank you and keep it going. 😛
Cheers 🙂
Crap. Does every website just post crap they never tried? getting pretty sick of ‘5 best’ 10 best’ bullshit.
We have tested around 15 apps, rejected few of them and come up with the final list of bes ones. I’m honest. All the screenshots are taken from our mobile.
I wouldn’t worry about that comment Dani as look at their name “knowitall” so basically they are to simply start crap, but you responding actually confirmed you test the apps. I thank you as your site helped me too.
Do any of these apps control Wi-Fi products, like Roku or Amazon FireStick?
Thanks!
No sorry Jim. None of the apps control these devices. I’ll inform you if they do but will need to install them all 🙂 Alternativly you can try em and I’ll add the information for others 😛
Why would you need these to control Roku or the FireStick? Just install the Roku app or the Amazon FireTV Remote app. Each respectively pairs with the device on the same wireless network. If you have more than one, it will display all of the devices for you to choose from. Sure, its another app, but it’s dedicated to that device. I know the Roku app even allows you to add channels and such.
Mattman I agree. But some people want one app do to everything (I know its odd lol).
“One app to control them all.”
MattMan, I could think of a reason someone would need a universal remote for the FireStick. Let’s say the FireStick is not connected to a network and you would like to connect it to one, but you do not have the remote control. Sometimes, IR is very handy.
Sorry, I guess the FireStick remote is bluetooth…either way though, you can’t connect the FireStick to a network using a remote that needs the network.
Roku has there own app for phones works great
Hi Philip,
Thanks for the suggestion and glad that it works for you.
Hi everyone, SURE Universal is a FREE app for Android phones that have IR blasters, that can control practically everything, including many of the WiFi appliances that were mentioned above such as Roku as well as older IR appliances.
An additional feature many of our customers like is that you can stream photos and videos directly from your phone to your TV.
(Disclaimer – I work at Tekoia, the company that created this app).
Billa or Dani, it would be great if you would download the app and write a review.
Thanks
Hi Debbie,
Glad you put that disclaimer in your comment, I would have deleted it otherwise. I will download the app and will try to write a review soon. Thank you for your time.
“SURE Universal is a FREE”
Gave it a try and I have to say it’s the worst app I’ve ever installed on a phone. Insufferable ads.
If it controls any TVs at all it’s only three models.
Hi There,
How unfortunate to hear about your experience with the app and I agree, ads can be annoying, but is that why you dislike the app?
Hi again, I just noticed the comment regarding the ads. I find it strange that you would make a comment like this as our ad area is a space at the top of the screen, and it is really not intrusive. We will be enabling customizable buttons in this section very shortly for paid subscribers.
Still looking forward to a member of the Joy of Android team to review our app. We just had a great review by Recombu: https://recombu.com/digital/article/best-universal-remote-apps-android
Hi Debbie,
Welcome back and thanks you for sharing about enabling customizable buttons for paid subscribers. I have relayed your message to the team about the app review. Thanks for commenting. =-)
Tried it to my asus zenefone 5. It doesn’t support.
Is there any other app support for Asus ?
Hey Arun, Does the Zenfone 5 come with an IR Blaster? I don’t think that phone has one.
Your overview says that the Smart Ir Remote can’t control a PC, but that is wrong. Get a cheap remote from dx.com, for instance this one:
http://www.dx.com/p/driver-free-universal-usb-ir-media-remote-controller-for-pc-2-aaa-14380#.VceYTqbucfo
The remote in the link will work with the profile Chinavasion CVSB-983 in the database, under Game/Media controller I think. I pause/play movies with this one, and power off the PC. Haven’t really heard of people using their remote to anything else on the pc.
Hi John,
I am sure that you are talking about the very first app in the article, but I don´t see what you are mentioning in your comment.
did you actually try any of them … none of them work on my new Motorola droid
Hi Marvin,
All of the apps were tested and the best universal remote apps for Android all require compatible devices, both the sender and receiver. Your smartphone will need to have an IR blaster installed for the remote to work. Maybe your phone doesn´t have one?
I need an ap for a Galaxy that can learn from the component or device, rather than inputting codes. Do you have a recomm-
endation?
Hi there, Do any of you have experience in using external infrared emitters like IRED and Jakcom that use the headphone plug?
Hi Roger,
No, I don´t but if you tell what it is you are trying to do, I can help you find the answer. =-)
Is there an app to control multiple devices om the same “remote”?
I switch Channels om the set top box and volumen on the sourrond amp, and other stuff on the TV. I’d like to have all buttons on the same screen,
One button to turn on and off would be nice, but I guess there is a risk of one device turning on and another turning off if one device misses an on/off command.
Hi Leif,
Not that I am aware of and I haven´t read about an app that does that, but if I come across one, I will definitely let you know. Thanks for commenting. =-)
Do you know, my telephone is Sumsung A3 (2016) and has not infrared port (IR Bluster), so what you advice me, what kind of Universal Remote Control Program do you advice me to install in my phone? Thanks for advance!
Hi Manu,
You can try the following app. Hope you like it and thanks for commenting. =-)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tekoia.sure.activities
hey! i have dany tv device attached to lcd which i am using i want to download a remote for i tried peel smart remote from my galaxy s4 and sure remote control both not searching it can someone tell me which other device i should select to use my android as remote for my TV?
Hi There,
Can you please tell me more about what kind of TV you have such as what brand it is, how old it is, Etc. The more details the better. Thanks for commenting. =-)
I understand that my Pixel XL can’t work a remote app because it doesn’t have the IR function, BUT … I do have the Amazon Fire stick app which works fine with my TV it will even turn the TV on. WTH ? I don’t get it ? Any thoughts ?
Hi, Saundra. The Amazon Fire stick doesn’t work the same way as a universal remote app. The Fire stick and similar products, like Chromecast, work by establishing an online connection between the mobile device and streaming device via your wifi rather than by using an infrared connection.
My dvd player has USB and tuner but can’t find any app with that function….can anyone help with an app?
Hi there! Peel Remote allows you to input the individual model of your device so that it can create a remote specifically for that device. If it doesn’t work for you, let me know and we can try to troubleshoot Peel, or look at other options for you to try.
Why in this day and time do I have 6 remotes,, tv, cable, fire, sound bar, blue ray, radio, ceiling fan,,help me please..
Great App,SURE Universal TV Remote App. I use for it for Samsung TV,AirConditioner and works well.
Good to know that Pert.