The Hisense Roku TV remote you actually have on you
Your iPhone already lives in your hand. The plastic remote lives in the couch. Skip the search — turn your iPhone into a full-feature Roku-style remote in about a minute, no Roku account login required.
Free download · Pro from $19.99/year
Now controlling
Hisense Roku TV
The honest version
The Roku app exists, sure. But it ties you to a Roku account, asks to email you every week, and frankly, it's a bit much when all you want is to pause a show. We got tired of swiping through three menus on a Hisense Roku TV just to mute. So this app does one thing: it talks to the TV directly over Wi-Fi using the same external control protocol Roku ships, no account, no upsell. Just a remote.
✓ What works
- Power on/off, volume, mute (works even when the TV is on a different HDMI input)
- D-pad and OK button — full menu navigation including Roku Home, Settings, and Live TV
- Channel up/down on the built-in tuner
- Direct-launch tiles for Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video and any other Roku channel you have installed
- Full QWERTY keyboard — type passwords for streaming sign-ins instead of pecking with the D-pad
! Set expectations
- ×TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network as your phone (this is a Roku platform requirement, not the app)
- ×Wake-on-LAN depends on your specific model — newer Hisense Roku TVs handle it reliably, older ones may need the original remote for the first power-on of the day
- ×Headphone jack passthrough (the official Roku remote has one; the app can't replicate hardware)
- ×Voice search is on the roadmap — for now, type into the keyboard view
Get up and running in 30 seconds
- 1
Make sure your TV and phone are on the same Wi-Fi
On the TV, go to Settings → Network → About to confirm the network name. The phone must be on that same network — some older Hisense Roku TVs are 2.4GHz only, so check that band if your iPhone is on 5GHz mesh.
- 2
Enable external control on the TV
Settings → System → Advanced system settings → Control by mobile apps → set Network access to 'Default' or 'Permissive'. This is on by default on most TVs.
- 3
Open HiRemote and tap 'Hisense Roku TV'
The app scans your Wi-Fi for Roku-compatible devices in about 5 seconds. Yours will appear by name (usually 'Living Room TV' or whatever you set during setup).
- 4
Tap your TV — done
No PIN, no pairing handshake, no account login. The TV trusts any device on its local network for external control. You're now controlling it.
Free download · Pro from $19.99/year
Hisense Roku TV questions, answered
Does this work with the Hisense R6, R7, R8, or R9 Roku series?+
Yes — every Hisense Roku TV series runs the same Roku TV OS and accepts external control over Wi-Fi. Power-on from a fully-off state may require the original remote on some older models — Quick Start mode on the TV (Settings → System → Power) keeps Wi-Fi alive when the screen is off, which lets the app turn it on.
Do I need a Roku account?+
No. The app communicates with the TV directly over Wi-Fi using the External Control Protocol (ECP). Roku account is only needed to add channels, which you'd do on the TV itself anyway.
Why does my TV not show up in the app?+
Three causes, in order of likelihood: (1) phone is on guest Wi-Fi or 5GHz while TV is on 2.4GHz — get them on the same SSID; (2) TV's 'Network access' is set to 'Disabled' under advanced settings; (3) router has AP isolation / client isolation enabled (common on hotel and shared-house Wi-Fi).
Can I use this if the TV is off?+
It depends on your model — most current Hisense Roku TVs support wake-on-LAN. The TV needs to be in 'Quick Start' mode (Settings → System → Power) for Wi-Fi to stay alive while the screen is off. If your model doesn't keep its Wi-Fi alive when off, the first power-on of the day will still need the physical remote.
Does it work over cellular if I'm not home?+
No, and that's by design — the TV only accepts commands from devices on its local network. That's a Roku platform restriction, not something the app can override.
How much does it cost?+
Free download. Pro ($19.99/year) unlocks Apple Watch app, Lock Screen + Home Screen widgets, and ad-free mode.