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webOS remote control: every way to control an LG webOS TV

There are five ways to control an LG webOS TV: the Magic Remote, a basic infrared LG remote, LG’s ThinQ app, a multi-brand phone app such as TV Remotely, and the control button on the TV itself. They do different jobs. Only the Magic Remote gives you a true on-screen pointer and voice button. Phone apps need the TV to be on your Wi-Fi and need one approval on the TV screen. No website can control the TV on its own.

By TV Remotely · Updated · Sources and testing policy

Pick the control that matches the job

  • You want the pointer, scroll wheel or voice search: use the Magic Remote. Phone apps can only imitate the pointer with a touchpad.
  • The remote is lost or broken but the TV is still on Wi-Fi: use a phone app. The TV must already be on the network. A phone cannot connect an offline TV to Wi-Fi for you.
  • You want to switch the TV on from the sofa without a remote: use ThinQ or a phone app, and turn on the TV’s mobile power-on setting first (see below).
  • You are typing a password or a long search: a phone keyboard is far quicker than pointing at letters.
  • The TV is not on any network: use the button on the TV or any working LG infrared remote. Every network option needs a connection.

Pair or re-pair a Magic Remote

The Magic Remote has to be registered to the TV before the pointer works. A basic LG remote with no wheel uses infrared and needs no pairing. You just point it at the TV.

  1. Turn the TV on and wait about ten seconds. Point the Magic Remote at the screen and press the wheel (OK).

    The TV shows a message that pairing is complete, and the pointer follows the remote when you move it.

    Fit fresh alkaline batteries and try again. Weak batteries are LG’s first suggestion when pairing fails.

  2. If nothing happens, hold Home and Back together for five seconds to clear the old registration, then press the wheel again.

    The remote pairs as if it were new.

    Some newer LG remotes use a different button pair to reset. Check the manual for your remote model instead of holding random combinations.

If the arrows work but the pointer never appears, the remote is probably working as a basic infrared remote and has not registered as a Magic Remote. Repeat the reset step before assuming it is faulty.

LG ThinQ: the official phone remote

LG’s own app is ThinQ, not an app called “webOS Remote”. App-store listings with webOS in the name are usually from other developers, so check the developer name before you install one. To set up ThinQ, sign in with an LG account, tap Add a Device, choose TV, and pick your set from the list. LG’s setup page asks for the phone and TV to be on the same network, and mentions the 2.4 GHz band specifically for Wi-Fi setup.

Once paired, ThinQ shows controls modeled on the Magic Remote: input selection, volume, channels, a pointer pad, scrolling, and the arrow and OK buttons. LG says the app can switch the TV off on any supported webOS version. Switching it on needs webOS 3.5 or later.

For power-on, LG’s webOS 6.0 instructions use Settings > Devices > External Devices > TV On With Mobile, with both the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options turned on. An Android phone can wake the TV over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. An iPhone can only use Wi-Fi.

Multi-brand phone apps, including TV Remotely

Third-party remotes connect to the same webOS network-control service that ThinQ uses. The first connection triggers a request on the TV screen, which you accept with the LG remote or the TV’s own button. Pair while you still have a working remote: after that, the TV remembers the phone.

TV Remotely supports webOS 3 and later. It sends navigation, volume, channels (while live TV is showing), app launching and typing. It does not offer the Magic Remote pointer or voice search. In the app’s own analytics for 23 to 30 October 2026, 30 of 45 people who tried an LG TV connected. That is a real-world count, not a guarantee for every model or firmware.

A multi-brand app is worth having if the house also has a Samsung, Roku or Google TV, because one app covers all of them. If you only own LG TVs and want ThinQ’s LG-specific features, ThinQ is the obvious first choice.

Is there an online or browser-based LG remote?

No. The TV only accepts commands from devices on your home network, and your router keeps it unreachable from the internet. A web page claiming to be an “online LG TV remote” cannot send commands to your TV, and a site that asks you to open router ports to make it work is asking you to expose the TV to strangers. If you want to control the TV from a computer, see the computer guide linked below.

Continue with the guide for your situation

Sources for these instructions

Frequently asked questions

Why does my LG Magic Remote pointer not appear?
The remote is usually not registered, or its batteries are weak. Fit new alkaline batteries, hold Home and Back for five seconds, then point at the TV and press the wheel to pair it again.
Can I connect my phone to an LG TV without the remote?
Only if you can accept the first connection request on the TV. Without the remote, use the TV’s own control button to select it. Phones that were paired before keep working without a new prompt.