Use your phone as a Samsung TV remote with SmartThings

The short answer

Install Samsung’s SmartThings app, add your TV, then open the TV in the app to use its remote controls. Samsung’s manuals list power, channel, volume and the four direction keys among the controls. The TV must already be online, on the same Wi-Fi as your phone, with the same Samsung account signed in on both.

If the TV isn’t set up or online yet, the standard SmartThings route won’t work. On 2025–2026 TVs there’s another option: turn the TV on with its own power button and scan the QR code on screen to open the mobile remote.

If the TV is already in SmartThings

1. Open SmartThings and select your TV.
2. Open its remote controls and try a simple command, such as volume.
3. If the app shows the TV as offline, use SmartThings’ offline device diagnosis to reconnect.
4. If that fails, Samsung’s next step is to delete the TV from SmartThings and register it again with the app’s add-device function.

Add the TV for the first time

Turn on the TV, put the phone and TV on the same Wi-Fi network, and sign in to the same Samsung account on both. Then, following Samsung’s registration guide:

1. In SmartThings, select Add → Add Device → Add → TV.
2. Choose your TV from the list.
3. When asked, enter the PIN shown on the TV, then select Done.
4. Select Done again, open the TV in the app and test the remote.

If your TV isn’t in the list, check Add → Add Device → more options → View supported devices to confirm it’s supported before trying again.

Use the QR-code remote (2025–2026 TVs)

Samsung’s 2025–2026 manuals describe a mobile remote you can open without registering the TV in SmartThings:

1. Turn on the TV with its own power button. The US manuals place it at the bottom of the TV.
2. Scan the QR code shown on the screen with your phone.
3. Follow the user guide that comes with the mobile remote.

Samsung notes you may need the latest version of SmartThings. The 2022–2024 manuals don’t include this QR-code option.

When the phone remote stops working

Samsung’s troubleshooting steps, in order:

1. Reconnect in SmartThings. If the TV shows as offline, run offline device diagnosis; if that fails, delete the TV and register it again.
2. Check the TV’s power cable. If it isn’t plugged in properly, the mobile remote shows an error and may not work.
3. Move closer. The mobile remote may not work if you’re too far from the TV.
4. Rescan the QR code (2025–2026 TVs). Turn the TV on with its power button and scan the on-screen QR code to restart the mobile remote.

To switch the TV on from standby with your phone, see Power On with Mobile; that’s a separate setting. To show your iPhone’s screen on the TV, see AirPlay to a Samsung TV.

What about our iPhone app?

Our companion remote app is in development. This guide works without it. Once it’s available, its supported TVs and setup requirements will be listed on the app page.