TCL · Google TV · 2021–2025

TCL Google TV remote app for iPhone

Yes. Simple TV Remote controls TCL Google TV sets from your iPhone over Wi-Fi. Check yours free, then pay $5.99 once.

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Check your TCL model

Try , ,

Model years
2021–2025
Model codes
51
Markets
United States, Canada
Platform
Google TV

Lost the TCL remote, or it stopped pairing? If your TCL runs Google TV, your iPhone can be its remote over your home Wi-Fi, including turning it on from standby. Try it free on your TV, then pay $5.99 once.

What works

TCL's US Q-Class and S-Class TVs with a G at the end of the code (Q650G, S450G, S551G), plus the 2021 5-Series and 6-Series Google TV, run Google TV, which Simple TV Remote is built for.

  • Navigation and OK
  • Volume and mute
  • KeyboardSome apps, like YouTube, use their own keyboard and ignore typed text.
  • Open apps
  • Turn off
  • Turn on from standbyTurn on Settings > Network & Internet > Network Standby, and Settings > System > Power and energy > Quick start (2023–2024 menu names). Wake works from standby only, not after the TV is unplugged or shut down with a long press of the power button.

On your TV

Turn these on once with your TV remote. Menu names can differ slightly by year and region.

  1. Connect the TV to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone

    Settings › Network & Internet

  2. Turn on Quick start

    For turn on from standby2022 models
    Settings › Device Preferences › Quick start › Enable quick start

    Needed for waking over the network. TCL notes it raises standby power use.

    Source

  3. Turn on networked standby

    For turn on from standby2022 models
    Settings › Network & Internet

    Turn on Networked standby in the Network & Internet menu. Wake stops working if you shut the TV down by holding the power button.

    Source

  4. Turn on Quick start

    For turn on from standby2023–2024 models
    Settings › System › Power and energy › Quick start

    Source

  5. Turn on Network Standby

    For turn on from standby2023–2024 models
    Settings › Network & Internet › Network Standby

    Set it to On, and keep Quick start on.

    Source

In the app

Pairing takes about a minute, once per TV.

  1. Connect your iPhone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network

    Guest networks and Wi-Fi with device isolation block local control.

    Source

  2. Open Simple TV Remote and pick your TV

  3. Type the code shown on your TV

    The TV shows a short code the first time you connect. After that, the app reconnects without a code.

    Source

  4. Let the TV turn on from standby

    For turn on from standby

    Look for your TV maker's network standby setting (for example Sony "Remote start" or TCL "Screenless service"). Your TV's page lists the exact menu path.

Can’t find your TV? Add it by IP address

If your TV doesn’t show up in the app, tap “Can’t find it?” and type the TV’s IP address. Here’s where the TV shows it.

  1. Find the TV's IP address (older Android TV menus)

    Settings › Device › Network › WiFi › Your Wi-Fi network › Status Info

    Google documents this menu for Android TV; newer Google TV menus may differ.

    Source

Models

51 model codes from 2021–2025 for United States, Canada. Codes are exact for their region. ·· stands for the screen size, so ··S546 covers 50S546, 55S546 and so on.

Canada: Canadian codes add -CA (for example 55S446-CA). Some rows are only confirmed in TCL Canada's catalog.

Model codeSeriesYearMarketSizes (in)
85Q5K
Only the 85-inch was checked.
Q5K2025US85
43Q651G50Q651G55Q651G65Q651G75Q651G85Q651G98Q651GQ62024US43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85, 98
43S551G50S551G55S551G65S551G75S551G85S551GS52024US43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85
43Q550G-CA50Q550G-CA55Q550G-CA65Q550G-CA75Q550G-CA85Q550G-CA
Code from TCL Canada's catalog (US code plus -CA); the US listing was not checked.
Q52023CA43, 50, 55, 65, 75, 85
32S350G-CA40S350G-CA43S350G-CA
Code from TCL Canada's catalog (US code plus -CA); the US listing was not checked.
S32023CA32, 40, 43
55Q650G65Q650G75Q650G85Q650GQ62023US55, 65, 75, 85
55Q750G65Q750G75Q750G85Q750GQ72023US55, 65, 75, 85
43S450G50S450G55S450G58S450G65S450G75S450G85S450GS42023US43, 50, 55, 58, 65, 75, 85
98S550GS5 98-inch2023US98
43S446-CA50S446-CA55S446-CA65S446-CA75S446-CA
Code from TCL Canada's catalog (US code plus -CA); the US listing was not checked.
4-Series2022CA43, 50, 55, 65, 75
50S54655S54665S54675S546
First TCL TVs with Google TV.
5-Series2021US50, 55, 65, 75
55R64665R64675R646
Google TV, unlike other 6-Series models, which run Roku TV.
6-Series2021US55, 65, 75

How to read a TCL model number

Hover over or tap each part of the code.

TCL US Q-Class and S-Class, 2023–2024

65Q650G
  • 65Screen size class in inches
  • Q6Class and tier
  • 50Generation: 50 = 2023, 51 = 2024
  • GPlatform: G Google TV, R Roku TV, F Fire TV

The generation reading is inferred from launch dates; the platform letter is stated in TCL's own product names.

Troubleshooting

Most problems come from the network or one TV setting. Start at the top.

The TV doesn't show up in the app
  1. Make sure the iPhone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network, not a guest network.
  2. Check the TV's connection in Settings > Network & Internet.
  3. Restart the TV, then try again.
The app can't turn the TV on
  1. Turn on Quick start and Network Standby (see setup).
  2. Turn the TV off with a short press of the power button. A long press that shuts the TV down disables network wake.
  3. Wake doesn't work if the TV was unplugged.
The TV doesn't appear in the app
  1. Make sure your iPhone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network, not a guest network.
  2. Allow Local Network access for Simple TV Remote in iPhone Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network.
  3. Restart the TV: unplug it, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in.
  4. Check that the TV is a Google TV or Android TV. TVs with only Chromecast built-in can't be controlled this way.
No pairing code shows on the TV
  1. Turn the TV on and leave it on the home screen; the code only shows while the screen is on.
  2. On the TV, update Android TV Remote Service: open Google Play on the TV, search for "Android TV Remote Service" and choose Update.
  3. If it still fails, go to Settings > Apps > Show system apps > Android TV Remote Service and choose Force stop, then Clear storage. Then pair again.
The app asks to pair again every time
  1. Clear the storage of Android TV Remote Service on the TV (Settings > Apps > Show system apps > Android TV Remote Service > Clear storage), restart the TV and pair once more.
  2. Give the TV a fixed address in your router so it doesn't change after a power cut.
The TV won't turn on from the app
  1. Wake works only from standby. A TV that was unplugged or switched off at the wall can't be woken over Wi-Fi.
  2. Turn on your TV maker's network standby setting. See your TV's page for the exact menu path.
  3. On Android TV 14 sets, a low-power energy mode may turn the network off in standby. Choose a mode that keeps the network on.
  4. If the TV uses Ethernet, try Wi-Fi, or the other way round. Some TVs only wake on one of them.
Volume doesn't change on a Chromecast, Google TV Streamer or SHIELD
  1. Turn on HDMI-CEC on your TV and on any soundbar or receiver in between.
  2. On the streamer, set Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Set up remote buttons > Volume control to "Auto (CEC)".

How to use your iPhone as a TCL Google TV remote

  1. Join the same Wi-FiConnect your iPhone and the TV to the same home Wi-Fi network. Guest networks often keep devices apart.
  2. Pick your TV in the appOpen Simple TV Remote and choose your TV. The free check runs on your own TV before you pay.
  3. Type the code from the TVThe TV shows a short code the first time. Type it on your iPhone once, and the app remembers the TV.
  4. Let your iPhone turn the TV onOptional: turn on Quick start in Settings > System > Power and energy, and Network Standby in Settings > Network & Internet (2023–2024 menus). It works from standby only.

Questions

Is there a TCL Google TV remote app for iPhone?

Yes. Simple TV Remote is a TCL Google TV remote app for iPhone that works with TCL Google TV sets running Google TV. It pairs over your home Wi-Fi and sends real commands in a free check, so you know it works on your exact TV before you pay $5.99, once.

How do I turn on a TCL TV without the remote?

Press the button on the TV, which TCL says is usually under or behind the TCL logo. If the TV responds to that button but not the remote, the remote is the problem. Once the TV is on Wi-Fi, your iPhone can be the remote.

How do I pair a TCL Google TV remote?

Turn on the TV, stand within about 3 feet, and press and hold HOME and OK together. Keep holding until the pairing animation or prompt appears, then follow the prompts.

Why does my TCL remote do power but not voice?

Power and basic buttons use infrared, which works without pairing, but voice needs a Bluetooth pairing. Pair the remote again. If it works only when pointed straight at the TV, the pairing is the problem.

What if my TCL remote still won't pair?

Take the batteries out for 10 seconds, ideally swap in fresh ones, and move Bluetooth headphones or speakers away. Then unplug the TV for 60 seconds and try again. You can also pair from Settings > Remotes & Accessories if you can reach the menus another way, such as with your iPhone.

How do I connect my TCL TV to Wi-Fi without the remote?

You need a remote or the TV's own buttons for that step. Phone apps, including Simple TV Remote and Google's, can only find a TV that's already on your Wi-Fi. TCL lists a USB keyboard and the TV's own button as ways to move around the menus. After that, your iPhone can take over.

Why won't my TCL turn on from my iPhone?

Turn on Quick start (Settings > System > Power and energy) and Network Standby (Settings > Network & Internet) on 2023–2024 models. Then turn the TV off with a short press of the power button. A long press shuts it down fully, and then it can't be woken over Wi-Fi.

Can I use the Google TV app as a TCL Google TV remote?

Yes. Google's free Google TV app works as a remote on iPhone: tap TVs nearby, pick your TV and type the code it shows. Simple TV Remote is a simpler, remote-first option with big buttons, a keyboard and no account, for $5.99 once after a free check.

How do I know my TCL is Google TV?

For 2023–2024 US models, the code ends in G (like 55S450G). An R means Roku TV and an F means Fire TV. The start-up screen also shows the platform.

My TCL 6-Series is a Roku TV. Will it work?

Only the 2021 R646 6-Series runs Google TV.

Where do I find the model number?

On a Google TV, open Settings > System > About and look for Model. It's also on the label on the back of the TV, often near the ports.

Can the app turn my TV on?

From standby, if Quick start and Network Standby are on. Not after the TV was unplugged.

About these TVs

TCL's first Google TV models in the US were the 2021 5-Series (S546) and 6-Series (R646). From 2023 TCL renamed its range into classes: S3, S4 and S5, Q5, Q6 and Q7.

From 2023 the last letter of a US TCL code names the platform: G for Google TV, R for Roku TV and F for Fire TV. The same series can come in all three, so check the letter.

Older codes have no platform letter. The 2021 R646 is Google TV, but other 6-Series models such as the R635 and R655 run Roku TV.

Sources

Every compatibility fact on this page comes from these sources. Dates show when we last checked each one. How we build the TV list.

  1. TCL: 5-Series and 6-Series with Google TV (2021)
  2. TCL: 2023 premium TV models
  3. TCL: 98-inch S5
  4. TCL US product catalog
  5. TCL Canada product catalog
  6. TCL C745/C845 user manual (Australia)
  7. TCL UK C635K user manual
  8. TCL: Find your model number
  9. TCL Google TV settings walkthrough
  10. Google TV
  11. Android TV Remote Service (Google Play listing: requires Android 7.0+, v7.00.956317615, updated Sep 6, 2026)
  12. Google TV Help: Cast, connect & control your TV with the Google TV app
  13. Google TV Help: Fix problems with the Google TV virtual remote
  14. Android TV Help: How Android TV services use your data
  15. Streaming Help: Use your phone as the remote for your Chromecast or Google TV Streamer
  16. Android 12 for TV release notes
  17. Android 13 for TV release notes (developer release only)
  18. Android 14 for TV release notes
  19. Android Developers Blog: Everything you need to know about Google TV and Android TV OS (May 2024)
  20. androidtvremote2 protocol reference (Apache-2.0)
  21. Home Assistant Android TV Remote integration docs (secondary: troubleshooting)
  22. Google Cast developer docs: Discovery Troubleshooting (Android TV IP address at Settings > Device > Network > WiFi > Network > Status Info)
  23. TCL USA
  24. TCL USA press releases
  25. TCL: First televisions with Android TV in the US
  26. TCL: 2023 TV models with Fire TV
  27. TCL UK
  28. TCL UK support: 43RP620K Roku TV

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