Lost Your Fire TV Remote? Use Your iPhone as the Remote

By Klaus Jakobsen, developer of A Decent Remote

Quick answer Use your TV's own remote first: through HDMI-CEC its arrow keys drive the Fire TV interface on most TVs, which is enough to approve a phone remote app once ('Allow USB debugging'). After that single approval, your iPhone handles everything: navigation, playback, apps, and keyboard search.

Fire TV remotes have a talent for vanishing, and the sticks are useless without one; there are no buttons on the device. The good news: a Fire TV can be fully driven from an iPhone, and even the first-time approval screen can be handled without buying anything, because of a feature already built into your TV.

Can my TV’s own remote control the Fire TV?

Every Fire TV supports HDMI-CEC, which means your TV’s own remote can control it. On most TVs this already works: with the Fire TV input selected, the TV remote’s arrows, OK and back buttons drive the Fire TV interface. If it doesn’t respond, enable CEC in the TV’s settings. Every brand names it differently (Samsung: Anynet+, LG: Simplink, Sony: Bravia Sync, others: just “HDMI-CEC” or “device control”).

The TV remote is a clumsy way to run a Fire TV long-term (no voice, awkward text entry), but it’s perfect for the ten seconds you need it: approving your phone.

How do I set up my iPhone as the Fire TV remote?

Put your iPhone on the same Wi-Fi network as the Fire TV.
Open A Decent Remote. Fire TV devices on the network are discovered automatically.
Tap your Fire TV. An “Allow USB debugging?” prompt appears on the TV. That’s Fire TV’s way of authorizing a new remote device.
Using the TV remote (via CEC), tick “Always allow” and select OK.

That’s the last time you’ll need the TV remote. The authorization is permanent, and your iPhone now has the full control set: navigation, playback, home, menu, app launching, and proper keyboard search instead of the letter grid.

What if the Fire TV isn’t on Wi-Fi?

Same catch-22 as every streaming stick: no network, no app control, and joining a network normally needs a remote. The way out is the hotspot trick. The Fire TV automatically rejoins the last Wi-Fi it knew, so rename your iPhone (Settings → General → About → Name) to exactly the old network’s name, set the Personal Hotspot password to the old Wi-Fi password, and turn the hotspot on. The Fire TV connects, your phone controls it, and you can then walk it into the real new network.

What are the other options for a lost Fire TV remote?

Replacement Alexa remotes run $20-$35 per stick, and they keep getting lost the same way. A Decent Remote takes over the Fire TV permanently after the one-time approval above: navigation, playback, app launching, and keyboard search the physical remote never had. The same app runs the Roku, Samsung, LG, Vizio and Apple TV around the house, which ends the per-brand app collection for good.

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

Can I control a Fire TV Stick without the original remote?

Yes. Your TV's own remote can usually drive the Fire TV through HDMI-CEC: the arrow and OK buttons work in the Fire TV interface on most TVs. That is enough to approve a phone remote app, which then takes over completely.

What is the "Allow USB debugging" prompt?

It's how Fire TV authorizes a new controlling device on the network. Tick "Always allow" and select OK once, and the authorization is remembered permanently.

My Fire TV isn't on Wi-Fi anymore. What do I do?

Recreate its old network: set your iPhone hotspot to the exact same name and password as the Wi-Fi the Fire TV last used. It rejoins automatically, and a remote app on that same iPhone can control it from there.

Does Amazon have an official remote app?

Yes, and it covers Fire TV only. A universal remote app does the same job and also runs the Roku, Samsung, LG and Apple TV in the house, which matters the day the next remote disappears.