Use your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch as a remote for Apple TV
You can use Apple TV Remote controls in Control Center on an iPhone or iPad. If you have an iPhone with iOS 12 or later or an iPad with iPadOS 13 or later, these controls are automatically activated when the device connects with Apple TV. You can also use the Remote app on Apple Watch to control Apple TV.
Tip: Apple TV automatically switches to your profile when you wake up Apple TV using Remote controls on a device that’s connected to your Apple Account.
On an iPhone or iPad, you can control Apple TV using the touch area and buttons.
If you don’t see Apple TV Remote in iOS or iPadOS Control Center
If you don’t see the Apple TV Remote icon in Control Center on your iPhone or iPad, you can add it manually.
On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Control Center, then tap Customize Controls.
Tap next to Apple TV Remote in the More Controls list to add it to Control Center.
Open Apple TV Remote in iOS or iPadOS Control Center
On your iPhone or iPad, swipe to open Control Center, then tap .
Navigate Apple TV with your iPhone or iPad
With the Apple TV Remote controls open on your iPhone or iPad, do any of the following:
Navigate to and highlight items onscreen: Swipe left, right, up, or down in the touch area.
On your Apple TV screen, a highlighted item expands slightly.
Scroll lists: Swipe up or down a few times in the touch area.
Select an item: Swipe to highlight the item, then tap in the touch area.
Skip forward or back during playback: Tap to skip backward 10 seconds, or tap to skip forward 10 seconds.
Turn subtitles on or off during playback: Tap .
Go to Info, InSight, and Up Next during playback: Tap to access InSight and other information directly on your iPhone or iPad without interrupting the viewing experience on your TV. For more information, see Get information about shows, characters, actors, and music.
Return to the previous screen or Home Screen: Tap to go to the previous screen; tap and hold to go to the Home Screen.
Return to the TV app: Tap to go to Up Next in the Apple TV app. Tap again to go to the Home Screen.
View additional menu options
With an item highlighted on the Apple TV screen, touch and hold the touch area in the Apple TV Remote on your iPhone or iPad.
If you’ve highlighted an item that has additional options, they appear in a pop-up menu on your Apple TV screen.
Adjust the volume
Press the volume buttons on your iPhone or iPad.
Note: This works only with supported audio/video receivers. For information about setting up Apple TV to control your TV or receiver, see Use the Apple TV remote to control your TV and receiver.
View open apps
In the Apple TV Remote on your iPhone or iPad, tap twice.
Open Control Center on Apple TV
In the Apple TV Remote on your iPhone or iPad, touch and hold .
Use Siri, Search, or dictation
With the Apple TV Remote open on your iPhone or iPad, do any of the following:
Use Siri to control Apple TV, search, or make a query: Press and hold the side button, speak a command, search term, or query, then release the button.
Note: In countries or regions where Siri is not supported, pressing and holding the side button opens the Search app.
Use dictation to search in supported apps: Press and release the side button. When the search field appears, press and hold the button, dictate a search term, then release the button.
Use dictation to enter passwords or other text: When you see a text field, press and hold the side button to dictate text, then release the button.
See Activate Siri, the Search app, or dictation on Apple TV.
Use additional controls with live TV apps
Additional buttons appear when a supported live TV app is open on Apple TV.
On the Apple TV Remote on your iPhone or iPad, do any of the following:
Access the TV guide: Tap the Guide button.
Change the channel or page up or down in guides or menus: Tap the Up or Down button.
Use your Apple Watch as a remote control for Apple TV
See Control Apple TV with Apple Watch in the Apple Watch user guide.
To see which Apple devices can control your Apple TV, go to Settings on Apple TV, then go to Remotes and Devices > Remote App and Devices. To remove a device from the list, select the device, then select Forget This Device.