How to connect your Apple TV to an Android phone

The steps, on any Android phone

1. Install True Remote for Apple TV from Google Play and open it.
2. Check that your phone and Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. Use your main network, not a guest network. An Apple TV connected to your router with an Ethernet cable works too.
3. Turn on your Apple TV so it is awake.
4. Tap Find Apple TV. If Android asks to allow access to nearby devices, tap Allow.
5. Choose your Apple TV from the list of Apple TVs found.
6. Type the 4-digit PIN shown on the TV and tap Pair. True Remote connects and the remote opens.

True Remote remembers your Apple TV, so you only pair once. You never need your Apple Account password.

What you need

• An Android phone running Android 10 or later.
• An Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD.
• Your phone and Apple TV on the same Wi-Fi network.
• Nothing else: no account, no IR blaster, no extra hardware and no app on the TV.

Allow access to nearby devices

Android 17 asks apps for permission before they talk to other devices on your home network. The first time you tap Find Apple TV, Android asks whether True Remote can access nearby devices. Tap Allow and True Remote can find your Apple TV. Phones on Android 16 and earlier don’t show this question.

If you tapped Don’t allow, or you want to check the setting, the steps depend on your phone. Pick yours below.

Google Pixel

On a Pixel, and on other phones with a similar stock Settings app:

1. Open Settings, then Apps. Tap See all apps if you don’t see True Remote straight away.
2. Tap True Remote for Apple TV, then Permissions.
3. Tap Nearby devices and choose Allow.
4. Go back to True Remote and tap Find Apple TV (or Search again).

Samsung Galaxy

On Samsung phones running One UI:

1. Open Settings, then Apps, then tap True Remote for Apple TV.
2. Tap Permissions.
3. Under Not allowed, tap Nearby devices and choose Allow.
4. Go back to True Remote and tap Find Apple TV (or Search again).

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO

On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones running HyperOS or MIUI:

1. Open Settings, then Apps, then Manage apps, and tap True Remote for Apple TV.
2. Tap App permissions (called Permissions on some versions).
3. Tap Nearby devices and choose Allow.
4. Go back to True Remote and tap Find Apple TV (or Search again).

OnePlus, Motorola, Oppo, Realme, Vivo and other phones

Phone makers rename these menus, but this route works on almost every Android phone:

1. Touch and hold the True Remote icon on your home screen or in your app list, then tap App info (sometimes shown as an i icon).
2. Tap Permissions.
3. Tap Nearby devices and choose Allow. Then go back to True Remote and tap Find Apple TV.

Can’t find it? Use the search at the top of Settings and type “True Remote”.

If your Apple TV isn’t in the list

Try these in order:

• Make sure the Apple TV is awake.
• Check that your phone is on the same Wi-Fi network as the Apple TV, then tap Search again.
• Tap Enter TV address and type the Apple TV’s address, for example 192.168.1.20. You’ll find it on the Apple TV under Settings, then Network.

Still not there? Tap Send a bug report on the “Can’t find your Apple TV?” screen, or Report a bug in True Remote’s Settings. Tell us your Apple TV’s model and tvOS version (on the Apple TV under Settings, General, About) and we’ll fix it.

Connect more than one Apple TV

Open True Remote’s Settings and tap Add another Apple TV. The steps are the same. The free version controls one Apple TV; Premium controls several. To remove a pairing from your phone, tap Forget next to the TV in Settings.

More guides

• Control Apple TV without the Siri Remote
• Move and delete Apple TV apps from your phone
• Type on Apple TV with your Android phone
• Apple TV lock screen controls on Android
• True Remote for Apple TV: features, plans and FAQ
• Interactive demo