Yes. The Remote is a free Android TV and Google TV remote for Android phones, with no ads, no sign-up and no account. There are no in-app purchases or subscriptions either. Google's own Google TV app also includes a free remote, if you'd rather use that.
The Remote is free, with no ads and nothing to subscribe to
There's no paid tier and no ad banner, and you don't need to sign up. You install it on your Android phone, pick your TV, and pair with the code the TV shows.
What you can do with it
- Search YouTube by typing on your phone. The results open on the TV.
- Share a YouTube link to The Remote and it plays on the TV.
- Name your TVs and organise them by room, like Living Room TV or Bedroom.
- Use the everyday controls: navigation and volume on one screen.
- Find Larger controls, Easy remote, Guest mode, home-screen widgets and language options in the app.
- Use Guest mode to limit the remote to navigation, play/pause and volume. Hold the TV name for 1 second to exit.
Available controls vary by TV model and firmware. YouTube search and links depend on the TV's YouTube app version.
Google's Google TV app is the other free option
Google's Google TV app for Android includes a virtual remote for Android TV and Google TV, with phone-keyboard typing in apps that accept it. Google's remote guide
Pick by what you do most. If it's YouTube, The Remote's phone-typed YouTube search and link sharing are built for that.
Check any remote app's listing for ads and upgrades
Some third-party remote apps are free to download but show ads or offer a paid upgrade to remove them. The listing usually says so.
What The Remote needs
- An Android phone running Android 8.0 or later. There's no iPhone version.
- An Android TV or Google TV with Android TV Remote Service v2.
- Your phone and TV on the same home Wi-Fi.
It installs from our website
The Remote isn't on Google Play. You download it from our site and install it on your phone. Here's how installing from a website works.