How To Connect Apple TV To Wi-Fi Without Remote?

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My friend recently borrowed my Apple TV when he went on a trip, and when he got back, he told me had lost the remote.

I was disappointed, but he did offer to get me a replacement.

However, I still wanted to use the Apple TV while I waited for the remote to arrive.

This wasn’t too difficult for me since I use an iPhone.

It eventually arrived, but here’s how I used my Apple TV till I got the replacement remote.

If you lost your Apple TV remote, make sure your iPhone/iPad is on the same network as your Apple TV and then open the ‘Control Center.’ Click the Apple TV remote and select your Apple TV from the list to use your iOS device as a remote.

Set Up The Apple TV Remote On Your iPhone/iPad

If you have an iPhone or iPad with iOS 12 or later and an Apple TV HD or 4K, you don’t have to worry about losing your remote.

For iOS 16 and later, you’ll find the Apple TV remote icon in the ‘Control Center’, but if you use an older iOS version, you’ll have to go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Control Center’ and add ‘Apple TV Remote’ to it.

Once you’ve done this, make sure both your iPhone/iPad and Apple TV are on the same network. It doesn’t matter if the Apple TV is using a wired or wireless connection.

Open the ‘Control Center’ on your device and click on the ‘Apple TV remote’ icon.

From the list of devices, select your Apple TV and you’ll be prompted to enter a 4 digit code on your iPhone/iPad to connect.

Once connected, the interface is exactly like the Siri remote, and it works really well as long as you’re within range of your Apple TV and Wi-Fi.

You can also use AirPlay if you quickly want to cast what you’re watching on your mobile device to the big screen.

You’ll Need Another Remote To Pair Your Apple TV 3rd Gen To iPhone/iPad

If you’re using an older Apple TV like the 3rd Gen model, it’s a little harder to get your iOS device connected if you lost your remote.

Essentially, you can follow the same steps mentioned above, but when you’re prompted to enter the 4 digit code, it needs to be entered into the Apple TV rather than the iPhone/iPad.

And considering you don’t have a remote, how do you get past this?

The only way is to ask a friend or colleague if you could use their Apple TV remote to complete the setup on your iPhone/iPad.

Once you’ve completed the setup process you won’t have to enter the code again unless you reset your Apple TV or iOS device.

But this is the only way to connect to the Apple TV 3rd Gen

Additionally, if you’re using the Apple TV 2nd Gen, you won’t be able to use the remote on your iPhone/iPad, but you can use AirPlay to stream content.

Connect Your Apple TV To Wi-Fi Without A Remote

You might be in a situation where you don’t have your Apple TV remote, but you want to connect your Apple TV to Wi-Fi.

For example, if you live in a dorm with a shared network, you might not be able to run an ethernet cable all the way to your room.

As long as you have an Apple TV with Wi-Fi and ethernet, you can connect to Wi-Fi with a workaround.

If you have a Wi-Fi only Apple TV, you’ll need to get a remote from someone to complete the Wi-Fi setup.

To connect a Wi-Fi + Ethernet Apple TV, you’ll need an iPhone/iPad to use as an Apple TV remote and an ethernet cable.

• Connect the ethernet cable to your Apple TV.
• Make sure the iPhone/iPad is on the same network as the Apple TV. It doesn’t matter that the iOS device is on Wi-Fi.
• Open the ‘Control Center’ on your iPhone/iPad and click on the Apple TV remote icon.
• From the list of devices, select your Apple TV.
• Once you have remote control, go to ‘Settings’ on your Apple TV.
• Open ‘Network’ > ‘Wi-Fi’ and select your network from there.
• Enter your credentials and wait for it to finish connecting.

Once it’s done, you can disconnect the ethernet cable from the Apple TV and it’ll automatically switch to Wi-Fi.

You’ll Need a Replacement Remote If You Don’t Have an iOS Device

For Android, there isn’t an Apple TV remote app or third party apps that work reliably, so if you lose your remote, you’ll have to get a replacement.

The good thing is it isn’t hard to get a replacement, and you can pick up a new Siri Remote for $59.

And as long as you’re using an Apple TV HD or 4K, the latest Siri Remote will work without any issues.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set up an Apple TV without the remote?

You need the Siri remote to get past the initial set up screen on your Apple TV. So, if you bought a second hand Apple TV without a remote, ask a friend or colleague if you can borrow their remote to complete the setup.

Once the setup is complete, you can pair your iOS device and use that instead.

Can I Use Other Remotes With My Apple TV?

The Apple TV supports network based and infrared (universal) remotes. For network based remotes, you’ll need to first add the device to the Apple Home app via an iOS device.

Infrared remotes can be added directly from the Apple TV by going to ‘Settings’ > ‘Remotes & Devices’ > Learn Remote, and following the on-screen instructions.