One of the most daunting things about stay-at-home entertainment is having to search for then tally through different remote controls. There’s a remote for the television, another remote for the sound system, and another for the DVD player. But in 2013, cell phone companies created a solution with the implementation of InfraRed Blasters. Android phones could then be used as universal remotes with IR blasters in them.

An IR blaster is a device that uses an infrared port or sensor. It transmits information from your remote control and uses infrared to send information to the device you want to control. From 2013 to 2017 Android phones had IR blasters to connect with other devices. Since then, very few Androids use IR blasters.

Smartphones with apps replaced Androids with IR blasters. Universal remote apps can turn almost any Android into a universal remote. There are, however, slightly different methods of using apps to convert the phone into a universal remote. And once you follow these steps to convert your Android phone to a universal remote, you will never look back to searching aimlessly for another tv remote.

Turn your Samsung Galaxy phone into a universal remote

Samsung Galaxy makes connecting to smart home devices simple with the SmartThings app by Samsung Electronics. It even works with non-Samsung devices and appliances. However, the device needs to be compatible with SmartThings. To see which devices are compatible, you can visit Works with SmartThings. To use the SmartThings app to turn your Samsung Galaxy phone into a universal remote,

• Make sure your television is on and connected to your Wi-Fi network.

• Go to the Google Play Store or the Galaxy Store on your phone, search for then download SmartThings.

• After installing the app, open SmartThings. There will be an introductory page. Press Continue.

• The next screen tells you that permission is needed to allow SmartThings access to your location and to find nearby devices. Press Continue.

• SmartThings will begin to scan for devices connected to your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Allow SmartThings to access the device’s location while using the app. And allow SmartThings to find, connect to, and determine the position of your nearby devices.

• Select your tv when it appears in the SmartThings app. Follow the given instructions.

Once you’ve connected your Samsung Galaxy to SmartThings, you will be able to turn your television off and on, change the channel, and switch between different apps. And if you have a Samsung smart tv, you can also find more features on your tv’s SmartThings app.

Turn any other Android smartphone into a universal remote

When it comes to universal remote apps for Android devices, there is a lot to choose from. Unfortunately, too many universal remote apps have annoying pop-up ads. One of the best universal remote apps that don’t have ads is Google Home. Unfortunately, you must have a Google TV or Chromecast device for it to work.

Unified Remote makes two versions of its universal remote app, Unified Remote Full, which costs $4.99, and Unified Remote, which is free, but has ads and in-app purchases.

Another decent universal remote app is SURE – Smart Home and TV Universal Remote. Although it has ads, they seem to be non-intrusive or at least very few and far between. Like SmartThings and Google Home, SURE can also connect to your smart assistants like Alexa, Google, and Bixby.

To use SURE or any other universal remote app to turn your Android device into a remote, the steps are simple.

• Turn your television on and make sure it’s connected to your Wi-Fi network.

• Go to the Google Play Store and download SURE or whichever universal remote app you think fits your needs.

• Download the app and give the app permission to access the device’s location while using the app.

• Follow the instructions the app gives you to locate and connect to nearby devices.

If by chance you’re using an Android smartphone that has an IR blaster, ASmart Remote IR app could be useful.

When it comes to using universal remote apps, it’s imperative to follow the directions carefully. And while there are a lot of different apps that can turn your phone into a remote, it’s important to find the universal remote app that works best for you and your devices.