KlikyTo keep watching now: press the button on the TV to turn it on, then control it from your phone on the same Wi‑Fi with Kliky. That works if the TV is a smart TV that is already online. Then search the usual places, and only buy a replacement if the remote does not surface in a day or two.
- Turn the TV on
- Join the same Wi‑Fi
- Open the remote on your phone
Keep watching tonight
The button on the TV turns it on and, on most models, switches inputs. For everything else:
- Install Kliky from the App Store or Google Play.
- Connect your phone to the same Wi‑Fi as the TV.
- Pick the TV in the list and confirm on the TV if it asks.
If the TV does not appear in the app, it is either not a smart TV or not on your Wi‑Fi. See connect a TV to Wi‑Fi without a remote.
Where remotes actually turn up
- Between and under sofa cushions, and inside the sofa frame under the seat.
- Under the sofa and behind the TV stand.
- In blankets, laundry and coat pockets.
- Kitchen, bathroom and the fridge: wherever someone walked while holding it.
- Toy boxes and low drawers, if there are small children or a dog in the house.
Some remotes can ring: the Roku Voice Remote Pro, the Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro and the Google TV Streamer remote each have a finder you can trigger from the device, an app or by voice.
If it is broken, chewed or soaked rather than lost
A remote with tooth marks, a cracked case or water inside is rarely worth repairing. Take the batteries out so they do not leak, and treat it as lost. The steps are the same: phone tonight, replacement if you want real buttons again.
When to buy a replacement
A physical remote is still worth having for guests, children and the days your phone is charging in another room. Buy one that matches the TV’s software: Samsung, LG, Roku, Fire TV.
So it does not happen again
Set the phone remote up now, while everything works, and turn on the TV’s option to stay on Wi‑Fi in standby so the phone can also switch it on. Then a lost remote costs you nothing but the search.
What the button on the TV can do, by brand
| TV | Where the button is | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | Under the logo or on the back, bottom right | Power, input, volume and a small menu |
| LG | Under the logo, center of the bottom edge | Power, input, volume |
| Sony | Under the logo or on the back | Power, with + and − for a short menu |
| TCL, Hisense, onn. Roku TV | Under the logo or sensor | Power and inputs |
| Vizio | Back, lower corner | Power, volume, input |
| Insignia, Toshiba Fire TV | Under the bottom edge | Power and inputs |
Two more ways to watch tonight
If all you want is to get a show on screen, casting from Netflix or YouTube on your phone starts it on most smart TVs without any remote: see start a show by casting. And a smart speaker already linked to the TV handles power, volume and “play”: see control a TV with Alexa or Google Assistant.
