Remote for Hisense Smart TV — Support
Getting connected
My phone can't find my TV. What should I check?
If the app tells you to join Wi-Fi first, your phone isn't on any Wi-Fi network at all (for example, it's on cellular data). Connect your iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network your TV uses, and the app will search again on its own.
If instead the app says no TV was found, your phone is already on Wi-Fi, but nothing answered. Check that the TV is switched on (not just in standby), and that your iPhone and TV are really on the same Wi-Fi network. Many home routers split Wi-Fi into a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network, and that's the most common reason a TV doesn't show up, so check that both devices are joined to the same one. A guest Wi-Fi network will also block the connection. If it still doesn't appear, tap "Search Again," or add the TV by its IP address from the same screen.
Why does the app ask for permission to access my local network?
The app needs this permission to search for your TV on your home Wi-Fi network. Without it, your phone can't see the TV at all. It's asked for once, the first time you tap "Find my TV," and never at launch. If you say no by accident, you can turn it back on afterward in iOS Settings, or you can use the app's Demo TV to try everything out without granting access at all.
The TV shows a code on its own screen. What do I do?
Some TVs (VIDAA and Google TV models) ask you to confirm the connection with a short code that appears on the TV screen itself, not on a physical remote. Just type that code into the app on your phone using the on-screen pad it gives you. On Google TV sets the code can include letters as well as numbers, and the app's keypad already has the right keys ready, so just type what's on screen. If you type the wrong code, the TV puts a fresh one on screen right away, so read the new one and try again, no need to start over.
Can I add my TV by typing in its IP address?
Yes. If the automatic search doesn't find your TV, for example because your router splits Wi-Fi bands, you can add it manually. From the "No TV found" screen, tap "Add by IP address" and enter the address, which you'll find on the TV under Settings, Network. The app figures out on its own whether it's talking to a VIDAA, Roku TV or Google TV set, so you never have to pick a model.
Using the remote
Can I type on my TV using my phone's keyboard?
On Roku TV and Google TV models, yes: tap the keyboard button and whatever you type appears on the TV immediately, letter by letter, the same as typing into the TV's own search field. VIDAA TVs don't have a way to accept typed text from an app at all, so on those models you'll enter search terms using the on-screen arrow keys and OK instead, just as you would with the TV's own remote.
Can I control more than one TV?
Yes. The app remembers every TV you connect to, and you can switch between them from "My TVs" in Settings. Adding your first TV is always free, and it stays saved in your list for good, you'll never need to pair it again. Adding a second TV is part of the full version. If your free period ends before you subscribe or buy the full version, the remote itself locks until you do, for every TV in your list, but nothing you've saved is ever deleted, and you pick up right where you left off as soon as you unlock it.
My connection dropped while I was using the remote. What happens?
The app quietly tries to reconnect on its own first. If it still can't get back on after a few tries, you'll see a one-time popup saying your TV didn't respond, with a "Try Again" button, while the app keeps retrying in the background regardless. You'll never need to re-enter a pairing code just because the connection blipped.
Can I try the app before I connect a real TV?
Yes. Tap "Try without a TV" on the setup screen and the app simulates a TV so you can see how every button and feature works, no Wi-Fi setup and no TV required. It's a permanent feature of the app that you can use any time, not a one-off demo.
Can I make the buttons bigger, or use a trackpad-style swipe instead of arrow keys?
Yes. In Settings you can turn on "Large Buttons" to scale up the whole control surface, and you can switch on a swipe-based trackpad mode as an alternative to the arrow keys. Vibration feedback on button presses (haptics) is on by default and can be turned off there too.
Is there a widget or Control Center button for the remote?
Yes. You can add a Home Screen widget, a Lock Screen widget, or (on iOS 18 and later) a Control Center button, and tapping any of them opens the app straight to your TV. They only open the app; they don't send a button press like volume or mute directly from the widget itself, since that needs the app open to reach your TV. It's a shortcut to get you there faster, not a second remote.
Platforms and compatibility
Which TVs does this app work with?
Remote for Hisense Smart TV works with Hisense TVs running VIDAA, Roku TV or Google TV, connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone. It does not support Samsung, LG or other TV brands, and it doesn't use infrared. Everything is sent to the TV over your Wi-Fi network.
Does the app work on iPad?
Yes, the app is built for both iPhone and iPad, with a layout that takes advantage of the bigger screen. One small difference: iPad doesn't have the vibration feedback iPhone has when you press a button, so on iPad you'll rely on the visible button press instead.
My TV won't turn on, or takes a while to respond, when I tap Power. Why?
This screen appears any time the app can't reach your TV, which usually means one of three things: the TV is fully powered off rather than in standby, the address the app is using for it has changed, or there's a brief network hiccup. Start by checking the TV itself: on VIDAA sets the physical button is usually center-bottom on the frame, and on Roku sets it's often a small joystick at the rear or underside. Turn it on there, then tap "Try Again" in the app. If that doesn't help, double-check the IP address if you added the TV manually, and confirm it's fully plugged in and powered, not just unplugged at the wall.
Subscription and billing
Is the app free to use?
Yes, to start. Every feature works for free for a short trial period that begins the first time your TV responds to a command from the app, not from when you download it. No account or payment details are needed to use the trial, and the app tells you exactly how long the trial is before you connect anything. You'll also get a one-time heads-up in the app when your free period is about a day from ending, so the paywall is never a surprise. After the trial ends, continuing to use the remote requires a subscription or a one-time purchase.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Subscriptions are billed and managed by Apple, not by us, so you cancel them the same way you'd cancel any App Store subscription: open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name at the top, then Subscriptions, and cancel from there. Cancelling stops it from renewing. A one-time purchase never renews and is never billed again in the first place.
I already bought the full version. How do I get it back on this phone?
Open the app's Settings and tap "Restore Purchases." This checks your Apple ID for anything you've already bought and unlocks it again, with no need to pay twice. If nothing turns up, the app tells you plainly rather than staying silent, so you always know whether it worked.
Can I get a refund?
Refunds are handled by Apple, since every purchase in the app is billed through your Apple ID. You can request one at reportaproblem.apple.com, or from the App Store app on your iPhone under Settings, your name, then Purchase History.
Privacy
What information does the app collect, and do I need an account?
No account and no sign-in are ever needed, and the app shows no ads. It doesn't collect your name, email or any identifier tied to you personally. The only things it records are basic product-usage events, like which screens you use, and your purchase history, tied to a random identifier that's freshly generated for your install rather than to you. None of that is shared with other companies or used to track you across other apps.