I have a dog named Lucy, and her favorite plaything, for some reason, is our TV remote which she often runs off with.
So, whenever I want to watch TV, I have to pet her and get the remote.
But a few days ago, she went a step further; she bit the remote and chewed its front off.
With the LED transmitter gone, I had nothing handy to turn on my TV except its Power button.
I ordered a new remote from Amazon, but in the meantime, I decided to look for an easy and convenient way to turn on the TV without having to get up from the couch.
Here’s what I found out:
To turn on a TV without a remote, press the physical Power button of the TV located on its front, side, or back panel. You can also turn on a TV with a smartphone using a remote control app.
Turn On Your TV Using Its Power Button
The quickest (albeit a bit cumbersome) way to turn on your TV without a remote is to press its physical Power button.
While most TVs have this button, its location varies depending on the brand and make of your TV.
Your TV’s user manual is the best option for finding the Power button on your TV.
However, if you do not have a user manual, you can look for this button on the TV’s frame.
The most common locations of the Power button are:
- Under your TV’s front panel, just beneath the LED receiver
- On the bottom right or bottom left corner of the TV
- On the TV’s right or left panel
- On the back panel
Once you locate the Power button on your TV, press it once to turn on the TV.
If your TV does not have a dedicated buttons panel, the Power button will also act as a joystick to control the basic features of your TV.
Based on your TV’s brand, you can change channels, control the volume, and switch the input source using this button.
Turn On Your TV Using a Smartphone
A regular remote uses an Infrared (IR) blaster to control your TV. A similar IR blaster is available in some select smartphones.
Several Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG, and Huawei smartphones have this feature.
You can check your phone user manual or do a Google search with your smartphone’s brand and model to check if it has an IR blaster.
If your smartphone is equipped with an IR blaster, you can use it as a makeshift remote to turn on your TV.
Follow these steps to set up your smartphone as a remote control:
- Download and install any universal remote app from Play Store or App Store. Universal TV Remote Control is a good choice for Android devices, while TV Remote works fine for iOS users.
- Once done, launch the app.
- Choose TV from the various appliances available.
- Select your TV brand.
- Point your smartphone towards the TV.
- Follow the on-screen instructions on the phone to pair the app to your TV.
Once the pairing is complete, you can use the app to turn on or control your TV, just like a regular remote.
Can I Turn On My TV With a Smartphone That Doesn’t Have an IR blaster?
If your smartphone does not have an IR blaster, you can still use it to turn on a TV using the dedicated app from your TV manufacturer.
These apps use a Wi-Fi connection to operate TVs.
However, you need to have the app synced to your TV before using it as a remote, which requires the TV to be on.
In case you have never used the app on your phone and just downloaded it, it will not be able to turn on your TV.
Turn On Your TV Using a Video Game Console
If your TV has the HDMI-CEC feature, you can use a video game console to turn it on.
All popular gaming consoles like Xbox and Playstation come equipped with this feature.
HDMI-CEC allows other devices connected to your TV to control its functions.
Note: To turn on your TV via a video game console, you need to have the ‘HDMI-CEC’ option enabled on the TV beforehand. You can usually find it in the TV’s General, Connection, or Display settings.
If HDMI-CEC is activated on your TV, all you need to do is plug the game console into the TV and turn it on.
Once done, your TV will start working automatically with the console.
No Remote? No Problem!
Gone are the days when losing the physical remote of your TV meant no fun and endless waiting for the new remote to arrive.
We live in a world with several convenient options to turn on and control our TVs without leaving the comfort of our seats.
When Lucy bit off the remote, my TV’s physical Power button came to the rescue.
However, using a smartphone app proved to be the easiest way to turn on my TV, with the HDMI-CEC compatible devices being the close second.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my TV is stuck on a black screen?
If your TV only shows a black screen on startup, unplug it from the power socket, press and hold the Power button for 60 seconds, plug the TV back in, and switch it on.
Can I use my iPhone to control my TV?
You can use any smartphone to control your TV using remote apps.
That said, an iPhone has an Apple TV Remote app in its Control Center.
However, this app can only control Apple TV and Airplay 2 compatible Smart TVs.
How can I pair a universal remote to my TV?
You can pair a universal remote to your TV via the following steps:
Press and hold the Power and TV buttons simultaneously on the remote. Once the LED indicator on your TV turns off, press the Play button on the remote. Repeat the process till the remote is paired to the TV.
