Lost your Fire TV remote or it just stopped working? Don’t panic — there are a few easy ways to still control and use your Fire Stick or Fire TV without it. Whether you’re trying to use Fire TV without remote for a quick fix or long term, here are your best options:
The Official Fire TV App: The Remote in Your Pocket
Honestly, when my Fire Stick remote ghosted me, I was half a second from uninstalling the whole setup. But the free Amazon Fire TV app (on iOS and Android) is kind of a lifesaver.
Hook your phone up to the same Wi-Fi as your Fire TV, crank up the app, and it’ll spot your device automatically. The app gives you all the good stuff—directional controls, volume, a keyboard for typing (thank you!), and voice search that’s actually useful. I use this app daily now, with no interest in replacing my lost remote.
Third-Party Option: TV Remote, Universal Remote App for iOS
If the Amazon app gives you grief (hey, tech happens) or you want to try something a bit different, this iOS app is worth a shot. It supports a range of Smart TVs and—bonus—works with some Fire TV devices over Wi-Fi.
Just like before, get your phone and TV on the same Wi-Fi network, launch the app, and you’re basically back in business. I tried it as backup when Amazon’s own app was on the fritz, and, honestly, it did the job for basic control just fine.
Your TV Remote Has Hidden Powers (aka HDMI-CEC)
Alright, here’s a trick that makes you wonder why more people aren’t talking about it: If your TV was made anytime after the dinosaurs, chances are it supports HDMI-CEC—a fancy feature that lets your TV remote boss around other connected devices.
Pop into your TV’s settings, sift through for phrases like “Anynet+,” “Simplink,” or “Bravia Sync”—yeah, the names are a nightmare, but they all mean the same thing. Once you flip it on, you can use your regular TV remote (yep, the one you probably still have) to handle basic Fire TV commands. No install, no downloads, just simple menu navigation.
Talk to Your TV (For Real) with Alexa Devices
If you’ve ever wanted to boss your TV around, now’s your moment. Provided you’ve got an Echo speaker or anything else Alexa-powered at hand, you can start spitting out voice commands like:
- “Alexa, open Netflix on Fire TV.”
- “Alexa, play The Office on Fire TV.”
Caveat: You’ve got to have your Fire TV signed in on the same Amazon account as your Alexa device. Getting them talking is pretty quick inside the Alexa app. It feels futuristic and, honestly, a little too easy—until you realize you just started an episode on accident because you sneezed out “Alexa,” but that’s a different rant.
TL;DR
When your Fire TV remote goes AWOL, all is not lost. You can snag control with the official app, try a third-party one, turn your TV remote into a Fire Stick tamer (thanks to HDMI-CEC magic), or just tell Alexa what you want. It’s 2024—remotes are cool, but you’ve got options.
If anyone’s got a trick for making the remote materialize out of the couch, though, I’m all ears.