How to Control Your Samsung TV From Your Phone With SmartThings

The SmartThings app turns a phone into a remote for a connected Samsung TV, with Quick remote available from the phone’s notification screen or Dynamic Island. Invite member lets a user share control of specific devices with family or guests through a QR code, without handing over the phone itself.

A lost remote is a small, recurring annoyance rather than a real problem, which is exactly the kind of thing SmartThings is built to remove: instead of a new device to misplace, the remote lives inside an app already on the phone. 

SmartThings TV Remote Features at a Glance

Feature	What it does	Available on
Phone as remote	Controls a connected Samsung TV from the SmartThings app	iOS and Android
Quick remote	Opens the remote from the notification screen or Dynamic Island	Galaxy (notification screen), iOS (Notification Center or Dynamic Island)
Invite member	Shares control of specific devices via a QR code	iOS and Android

How Do You Connect a Samsung TV to the SmartThings App?

Download the SmartThings app, then connect the TV with these steps:

1.               Open the SmartThings app and tap the “+” button in the top right corner.

2.               Select Add device under Samsung devices, then tap TV.

3.               Make sure the Samsung TV is on and near the phone or tablet.

4.               Select the TV and enter the PIN displayed on screen.

Once connected, the TV can be controlled from the app.

How Do You Use Your Phone as a Samsung TV Remote?

Open the SmartThings app and tap the TV tile, with the TV turned on. In the bottom panel, tap Remote to open the on-screen remote. Swiping left or right in the middle panel navigates between different remote buttons; for volume specifically, the phone’s own volume up/down buttons work instead of an on-screen control.

The same app can extend that same phone-as-remote idea to other connected devices, including Samsung washers and dryers, so a household isn’t learning a separate control method for every appliance.

Can You Access the Remote Without Opening the App Fully?

Yes. The remote can be reached directly from the notification screen on a Galaxy device, or from the Notification Center or Dynamic Island on iOS devices, without navigating into the full SmartThings app first.

Can You Share TV Control With Family or Guests?

Yes, through a feature called Invite member. Rather than handing over the phone itself, a user can generate a QR code that gives someone else access to specific devices in the home, and that person can even set up their own routines once connected. To share access:

1. Open the SmartThings app and tap the location drop-down menu to select the relevant location.
2. Tap the QR code sharing button in the top left corner.
3. Optionally, tap “Access level” to choose full access or specific devices, and set how long that access lasts.
4. The invitee scans the QR code with their own phone to join.

Why Share Access Instead of Just Handing Over the Phone?

Sharing device access allows a guest to use their own phone rather than borrow yours. This can be useful when a visitor needs TV controls while you keep your phone available for calls, messages or other tasks. SmartThings TV Remote: Compatibility and Limitations

Platform support. The SmartThings app and its TV remote features are available on both iOS and Android.

Setup proximity. Initial pairing requires the Samsung TV to be on and physically near the phone or tablet being used to connect it.

QR code expiration. Each Invite member QR code is available to only one person at a time and expires after five minutes, as a security measure. A new code needs to be generated for each person being granted access, or after a code expires unused.

Quick remote location. Where the Quick remote appears differs by platform: the notification screen on Galaxy devices, versus the Notification Center or Dynamic Island on iOS. Samsung’s material doesn’t describe an equivalent Quick remote shortcut for non-Galaxy Android devices specifically.