If you’re an Apple TV owner, you know that using your device as a remote is a great way to save time and avoid having to search for your cable box or other remote. But if you’re like most people, you probably don’t use your iPhone or iPad as your primary remote. Here are four ways to make your iPhone or iPad the best Apple TV remote possible.

  1. Use AirPlay Mirroring If you have an Apple TV and an iPhone or iPad, you can use AirPlay Mirroring to send the video from the Apple TV screen directly to the iPhone or iPad screen. This is great if you want to watch something on the big screen but don’t have a cable box handy. Just connect the two devices using AirPlay and start watching!
  2. Use Third-Party Apps There are a number of third-party apps that let you control Apple TVs using iPhones and iPads. Some of these apps even let you control multiple Apple TVs at once! For example, appTV lets you watch live television shows and movies on your iPhone or iPad while also controlling playback of those same shows and movies on other nearby devices in your home theater system using separate app installations (like an Amazon Fire TV). Another great example is Plex: this app lets you stream all of your music, photos, and videos from local storage (like an external hard drive) onto other devices in your home network—including Apple TVs! So whether you want to watch something on one device while doing something else on another device in the same room, or just want to be able to pause live television without ever having to get up off the couch, there are plenty of apps out there that can help.
  3. Use Your Phone as a Remote Control If all else fails, just use your phone as a basic remote control for your Apple TV. You can use standard keyboard shortcuts (like Command+Q/Ato ..

Control Center Magic

Years ago, you had to download a separate Apple TV Remote app to use your iPhone or iPad with your Apple TV. But since iOS 12 and iPadOS 13 came out, Apple has included this feature directly on iPhone and iPad thanks to a button you can add to Control Center.

RELATED: How to Use Control Center on Your iPhone or iPad

To get started, open the “Settings” app on your iPhone or iPad.

In Settings, tap “Control Center.”

In Control Center settings, scroll down until you find the “More Controls” section. Tap the plus button (“+”) beside “Apple TV Remote” in the list.

The controls will move to the “Included” list and will be added to the Control Center.

Now, exit Settings and turn on your Apple TV. Make sure that your iPhone or iPad and the Apple TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Unlike a traditional TV remote that uses infrared, this remote only needs a Wi-Fi connection to work.

On your iPhone or iPad, swipe in from the top-right edge of the screen to open the Control Center. If you’re using an older iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Tap the Apple TV Remote button (which looks like the outline of a small Apple TV remote) beside the other Control Center icons at the bottom of the screen.

At the top of the Apple TV remote screen, tap “Choose a TV,” and select the Apple TV device that you want to control with your iPhone or iPad.

If you’re setting this up for the first time, your device will ask for a four-digit verification code. Take a look at the code displayed on the Apple TV and enter it on your iPhone or iPad. Once the devices are paired, the Apple TV Remote will be linked to your iPhone or iPad.

The layout is similar to the physical Apple TV Remote. Using the top touchpad, swipe to navigate. You’ll also see buttons for skipping media and enabling captions when you’re playing something.

Below the touchpad, you’ll find buttons for Menu, Home, Search, Play/Pause, and Siri.

You can also use the iPhone or iPad to put the Apple TV to sleep—and to wake it up (as long as it’s powered up). Just tap and hold the Home button and choose the “Sleep” option from the Apple TV to put it to sleep. To wake up the Apple TV, simply tap the Home or Menu button.

And best of all, if you hate entering long passwords using the physical Apple TV remote, you can use the onscreen keyboard of your iPhone or iPad to do it instead.

RELATED: 14 Apple TV Remote Tips and Tricks You Should Know