Use Your iPhone as an Apple TV Remote (Lost Remote? No Problem)

By Klaus Jakobsen, developer of A Decent Remote

Quick answer Your iPhone already has an Apple TV remote in Control Center; try that first. For Apple TVs on a different Apple ID, older tvOS boxes, or mixed-brand homes, a remote app pairs with a 4-digit PIN shown on screen, and no Siri Remote is needed at any point.

Honest first answer: your iPhone already has an Apple TV remote built in. Swipe into Control Center, and if it’s not there, add “Apple TV Remote” under Settings → Control Center. For a lost Siri Remote on a same-Wi-Fi, same-Apple-ID setup, that’s the fastest fix, and you should try it before installing anything.

Here’s when the built-in isn’t enough, and how a third-party remote app gets in.

When is the built-in Control Center remote not enough?

Different Apple ID households: the Apple TV in the guest room set up under another account, the one at a rental, the office box.
Mixed-brand homes: if the house also has a Roku, a Fire TV stick and a Samsung TV, four remote apps is the problem, not the solution.
Older boxes: Control Center’s remote can be temperamental with older tvOS versions. Third-party apps that speak the older protocol directly handle Apple TV HD and earlier 4K models reliably.

How do I pair an iPhone with any Apple TV?

iPhone and Apple TV on the same Wi-Fi.
Open A Decent Remote. Apple TVs on the network are discovered automatically.
Tap the Apple TV. A 4-digit PIN appears on the TV, no Siri Remote needed.
Type the PIN. Paired permanently.

Under the hood there are actually two Apple protocols (tvOS 15+ uses a newer one), and the app detects which one your box speaks. You don’t have to know or care.

Why does the Apple TV refuse the connection before showing a PIN?

If tapping the Apple TV produces an error before any PIN appears, the box is set to only trust devices on its own iCloud account. On the Apple TV (this part does need some input; the built-in Control Center remote from a family member’s phone works): Settings → AirPlay and HomeKit → Allow Access → “Anyone on the Same Network”. Then pair again and the PIN appears.

What works after pairing?

Full navigation, play/pause and scrubbing, app launching, keyboard input from the phone, and power. Volume works when the Apple TV drives your TV or soundbar over HDMI-CEC; the app checks this at connection time. One honest limitation of Apple’s newer protocol: there’s no discrete mute command, so mute means volume-down like on the Siri Remote itself.

A replacement Siri Remote is $59, the most expensive replacement remote in this entire series. That alone is a decent reason to make the phone the remote.

Get A Decent Remote on the App Store One iPhone remote for Roku, Samsung, LG, Sony, Fire TV, Apple TV, Vizio, Hisense, Philips, Panasonic, Toshiba, Chromecast and Android/Google TV

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need the Siri Remote to pair my iPhone with an Apple TV?

No. When a remote app connects, the Apple TV displays a 4-digit PIN on screen and you type it on the phone. No physical remote is involved.

Why does pairing get refused before a PIN even appears?

The Apple TV is set to only accept connections from devices on the same iCloud account. Fix: Settings → AirPlay and HomeKit → Allow Access → "Anyone on the Same Network", then pair again.

Does volume control work if audio goes through a soundbar or receiver?

Yes, when the Apple TV controls that device over HDMI-CEC; the volume commands ride along. A well-built remote app detects at connection time whether volume control is available.

Do old Apple TVs work too?

Yes. tvOS 15 and newer use one protocol, older boxes another. A good app detects the tvOS version and picks automatically, so an old Apple TV HD works the same as a new 4K.