We have seen and used a lot of third-party apps for Amazon Firestick. The biggest issue we faced when using the physical Fire TV remote is the excruciating trouble to enter text through the onscreen keyboard. While most OTT apps like Netflix let you log in to your Smart TV using your smartphone, you still have to rely on the physical remote to search movie titles. Luckily, there are a bunch of Android apps that can take care of this situation and offer more handy features. Today, we bring you the top 6 Firestick remote apps for your Android smartphone which you can use daily and ease your Firestick problems.
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Table of Contents
Amazon Fire TV Remote app
The official Amazon Fire TV remote app covers all the basic remote control functions for your Firestick. Firstly, the app allows input through your smartphone’s QWERTY keyboard, which puts an end to your struggles with the annoying TV keyboard. The official app also lets you voice search through Alexa, although this option may not be available in all regions. To make things simpler, you can access all your TV apps with just one tap on the official Fire TV remote app. Connecting the remote app to your TV doesn’t take much time either. All you need to do is ensure that your smartphone and TV are connected to the same WiFi network, and then pair the two from the Fire TV remote app.
Universal Remote Control
As the name suggests, Universal Remote Control works with just about any device in your home that can be operated by a remote control device. Got an old TV with a traditional IR remote control? Use your phone’s IR blaster and let the Universal Remote Control take the rein. You won’t need the IR blaster for Smart TVs if both devices are connected to the WiFi network. Using this app, you can control almost every function of the Firestick including Power on/off, Volume control, media navigation, channel browsing, keyboard input, and much more.
VIZIO Mobile
The VIZIO Mobile app effortlessly handles basic remote tasks like keyboard input, power on/off, volume control, navigation, and more. On top of that, this app also lets you browse the apps on your TV using your smartphone, converging all your entertainment needs in one place. Navigating different apps on your Smart TV can get tricky at times, especially if the TV doesn’t respond quickly. VIZIO lets you browse everything in one place and lets you put it up on your TV whenever you want.
CetusPlay
Other than the official Fire TV remote app, CetusPlay is the most preferred remote control app among Firestick users. Not only does CetusPlay connect to the Firestick, but it also works with other services and devices like Android TV, TV box, Chromecast, KODI, and more. In order to use CetusPlay with the Firestick, you will first need to turn on ADB debugging on your TV from the developer options. Quickly restart your TV and then connect it to your smartphone from the CetusPlay app. What makes CetusPlay unique is its gamepad controller and the ability to sideload apps on your TV.
Harmony Remote
Logitech’s Harmony Remote app lets you control all your home appliances and devices from your smartphone. This includes TVs, stereos, game consoles, and even smart devices like automated lights, locks, and blinds. In order to set up Harmony Remote will all your devices, you need to install a Home Hub. One of the unique features of this app is that it lets you connect your smartphone to the TV using a Bluetooth connection, in case your home WiFi is dysfunctional.
AnyMote Universal Remote
Like Harmony Remote, AnyMote also requires a smart hub to connect to the Firestick. However, if you are already using Amazon Echo as a hub, AnyMote will work just fine. Apart from the usual navigation and input functions, AnyMote offers several customisation options and makes it incredibly easy to control your Smart TV with your smartphone. If you link it to Amazon Echo, you will also be able to use Alexa with the remote.
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Conclusion
These are the top 6 Firestick remote apps for Android smartphones. While all of the apps are free to use, Harmony Remote requires you to install a Harmony Hub for your smart devices before you can use the app. There are several other subscription-based apps on Google Play Store that you can use to control your Fire TV or Firestick as well, but the added features usually aren’t worth the price. So you can pick any of the apps from above and enjoy them at no additional cost.
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