Best Universal Remote App in 2026: 9 Apps Compared

SmartThings is the obvious first pick for Samsung TV owners, because it gives you the full remote in the app, including power, volume, channels, navigation, and keyboard search. Setup takes a few minutes: sign in, add the TV, confirm on screen, and the remote appears in the app. It also controls other Samsung smart home devices, so one app can cover the TV, lights, and appliances that support SmartThings. The catch is brand fit. SmartThings works best inside the Samsung ecosystem, and non-Samsung devices have more limited support. You also need the phone and TV on the same Wi-Fi network for pairing, and a Samsung account to sign in. For Samsung households, though, no third-party app matches its polish and completeness, and it is free.

Google TV app, which includes a remote for Google TV and Android TV devices, is the simplest choice for that platform. Once your phone and TV share a network, you can pair quickly, then use touch navigation, volume, power, and voice search from the phone. Keyboard input is a real benefit, because typing a show title on a phone beats spelling it out with arrow keys on a TV remote. The limit is platform. Google TV remote does not control Samsung, LG, or Roku devices in the same way, so it suits Google TV households rather than mixed-brand homes. If your main TV runs Google TV, this free app should be your first download, and you can keep a second app for older IR devices if needed.

Roku app gives Roku owners a complete remote, with navigation, playback, volume, and voice search, plus private listening that plays TV audio through your phone headphones. That last feature alone makes it worth installing for late-night viewing. Channel browsing on a phone screen is also faster than scrolling through tiles on a TV. The catch is scope. Roku app controls Roku players and Roku TVs, not other brands, so mixed-brand homes need another app for the rest. Pairing needs the same network, and a lost physical remote is no problem once the app is set up. For Roku households, it is free, polished, and hard to beat.

SURE Universal Remote, often listed as SURE Universal Smart TV Remote, aims to be a true universal app across brands. It supports Wi-Fi smart TVs and, on phones with an infrared blaster, older IR devices such as TVs, set-top boxes, and air conditioners. That breadth suits homes with a mix of new and old gear, where brand apps alone would mean three or four different remotes. The honest limit is hardware. If your phone lacks an IR blaster, SURE cannot control IR-only devices without extra hardware, and many modern phones have dropped IR blasters. Wi-Fi control still works for supported smart TVs, but check the supported brand list before you rely on it. The free version is usable, with ads in many regions, and a paid upgrade removes some limits.

Mi Remote is Xiaomi remote app, preinstalled on many Xiaomi phones with an IR blaster. It lets you add a TV, set-top box, air conditioner, fan, or projector by brand, then control it from a clean remote layout. The IR code library is broad, so pairing often takes less than a minute once you pick the right brand and model family. The catch is phone hardware and brand. Mi Remote works best on Xiaomi phones with IR, and while it can be installed elsewhere, IR control still needs a blaster. If your Xiaomi phone has IR, Mi Remote is a free, reliable universal remote for older devices. If it does not, a Wi-Fi app or a BroadLink hub will serve you better.

AnyMote Universal Remote focuses on IR control for a wide range of devices, with custom layouts that let you arrange buttons for the way you actually use a device. It suits homes with older TVs, DVD players, projectors, and air conditioners that do not support Wi-Fi control. Setup follows the usual pattern: choose a device type, pick a brand, test power and volume, and save the working profile. The limit, again, is IR hardware. Without a phone IR blaster, AnyMote cannot send IR signals on its own, so check your phone specs first. Some advanced features and an ad-free experience sit behind paid options, but the core remote is free. For IR-heavy homes with a compatible phone, AnyMote is a strong, flexible pick.

BroadLink app works with BroadLink IR hubs, such as the RM series, which send IR signals to devices in the room. That hub model solves the missing IR blaster problem: your phone talks to the hub over Wi-Fi, and the hub talks to the TV, air conditioner, or set-top box over IR. One hub can cover several devices in one room, and you can control them from outside the home too. The trade-off is hardware cost and setup time. You need to buy a hub, place it where it can see your devices, and learn each remote in the app. That effort pays off in homes with many IR appliances, especially air conditioners that have no smart features. If you only need to control one smart TV, a brand app is simpler and cheaper.

LG ThinQ is LG app for TVs and smart appliances, and it includes a full TV remote for supported LG models. You can change channels, adjust volume, navigate menus, and type searches from your phone, all over Wi-Fi. The same app can also control LG washing machines, fridges, and air conditioners that support ThinQ, which makes it a useful home hub for LG households. The catch is brand scope, as with SmartThings. ThinQ works best with LG devices, and other brands need a different app. Setup needs an LG account and a shared Wi-Fi network, and older LG models may have more limited support. For LG TV owners, ThinQ is free and should be installed before any third-party universal app.

Universal TV Remote is a generic Wi-Fi remote app that suits users who want a simple, no-fuss remote for a supported smart TV. It focuses on core controls: power, volume, channels, navigation, and playback, without smart home extras that can clutter the screen. That simplicity helps guests, older users, and anyone who just lost the physical remote and needs a quick replacement. The limit is model support. Generic Wi-Fi apps cannot cover every TV brand and model, so you should test power, volume, and navigation before you depend on it. Ads appear in the free version in many cases. If your TV is supported, it is a handy free backup, but brand apps such as SmartThings, ThinQ, Google TV, or Roku remain the more reliable first choice for their own platforms.