Establish a simple starting point
- Turn the TV on using its normal remote or its own power control. Leave the Home screen visible.
- Check its active network in the television settings. On the phone, read the connected Wi-Fi name rather than relying on the Wi-Fi icon alone.
- For the first comparison, put both devices on your trusted main home network. Avoid a guest SSID or a second router.
- Open LG ThinQ and start adding a TV. LG documents ThinQ registration as the official route. Keep the phone close enough to read the television's prompts. LG's TV-registration guide.
Stop discovery checks when the correct TV appears. If selecting it produces a code or approval request, follow that request; changing networks at this point can interrupt a connection that has already progressed.
Check the phone without granting everything
On iPhone, check Local Network permission for the specific remote application. Another app working does not establish that this app has permission.
On Android, open the app's information screen and review the permissions it actually requests. Follow its explanation for relevant discovery access. Permission labels and requirements differ by app and OS; do not assume every LAN remote needs location or Bluetooth.
If the phone has a VPN, check whether it permits local-device access. Where your policy allows, compare once without that VPN. Restore your normal configuration afterward. The result can help identify a routing issue; it does not show that every VPN is incompatible.
Compare ThinQ with the remote you want to use
ThinQ finds the TV; another app does not; Investigate the other app's permissions and webOS support
Neither finds it; Continue with network reachability and TV identification
A TV entry appears but authorization fails; Discovery has progressed; follow the pairing branch
The entry is an HDMI streaming device; Select the built-in LG television separately
If ThinQ finds and controls the TV, check whether the other app explicitly supports your webOS model and software version before changing the TV's network settings again. LG's ThinQ setup overview.
If the list remains empty
Use a normal TV restart when no update is running, reopen the same app and scan again. If your chosen app supports manual address entry for this platform, use the current address shown by the TV. A successful direct connection with an empty scan suggests a discovery-specific issue. A failed direct connection is inconclusive: it can also mean the wrong address, an unavailable service or unsupported control.
Continue with the general TV-not-found checks if both official and independent controllers remain empty. Keep the physical remote available for network changes. Contact LG if the television itself cannot stay connected; contact the app developer if only that app fails on an otherwise working setup.
Send the model, webOS/software version, phone OS, app version and whether ThinQ found the TV. Do not reset the television simply because one scan failed. The LG remote hub provides the next setup route once discovery succeeds.
Sources for these instructions
- lg.com support guidance — checked 2026-11-07
- lg.com support guidance — checked 2026-11-07