How to Control Your Apple TV with Your iPhone

Misplaced your Apple TV remote? No worries. Just use your iPhone (or iPad).

Published August 15, 2023

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Welcome to Product Support, a column devoted to helping you get the most out of the gadgets and software you already use.

In October 2020, Apple rolled out an iOS update that discontinued and removed the TV Remote app from the App Store. This wasn’t a huge deal, but it did change the way you could control your Apple TV with your iPhone (if you didn’t want to use the Apple TV remote). Instead of accessing the Remote app, you now can access the Remote feature via your iPhone’s (or iPad’s) Control Center.

Here’s what you need to know.

How to control your Apple TV from your iPhone

The Remote feature has been integrated into the Control Center on all iPhones running iOS 12 or later. You can access the Control Center by swiping down from the upper-right corner of your iPhone (this applies to any iPhone with a notch or Dynamic Island). If you have an older iPhone with a Home Button (meaning no notch), you can access the Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

Unlock your iPhone.
Swipe down to access the Control Center.
Select the icon with the Apple TV remote.

Once you click the remote icon, your iPhone will essentially work just like the old TV Remote app. You can turn the TV on or off, scroll to different apps, play/pause, adjust volume and more. If you have more than one Apple TV in your house, you can choose between them via the drop-down menu located at the top of the app.

Note: If you don’t see the icon for the Apple TV remote, you can turn it on by going into Settings, then selecting Control Center and turning it on.

Alternatively, treat yourself to the newest remote

Of course, you can still use the Siri Remote to control your Apple TV, which is probably the easiest option for most people. Apple released a redesigned version of the Siri Remote with the latest Apple TV 4K, and the new remote is thicker and less symmetrical, so it’s more comfortable to hold and easier to use in the dark.

You can purchase the new remote and it’ll work with your older Apple TV, too. If you’re looking for a different option, Apple lets you use an Xbox or PlayStation wireless gaming controller as an Apple TV remote (here’s how).