I misplaced my LG TV remote and now I’m stuck on one channel. I need help finding ways to change channels without the remote, like using the buttons on the TV, a mobile app, or another simple workaround.
If your LG remote vanished into the couch dimension, yeah, you still have a few ways to switch channels.
First thing I’d try is the TV itself.
Most LG sets from the WebOS years have a small control stick under the middle of the screen, or tucked right behind the LG logo area. I had to feel around for mine the first time because it was not obvious at all. Push it up or down and you move through channels. Press inward and you usually get a small on-screen menu.
Older LG models are different. Those often use physical buttons lined up on the back or side panel. If you’re standing there poking plastic and finding nothing, check the model number sticker on the back. That usually tells you which layout you’re dealing with.
Second option is LG ThinQ.
If your TV is a smart LG and it’s already connected to your home Wi-Fi, the ThinQ app works like a remote on your phone. You get channel controls, guide access, and the usual stuff. The pairing issue I kept seeing came down to one dumb detail, the phone and TV need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. If one is on guest Wi-Fi and the other is on your main network, it tends to fail and waste your time.
Third option, if you don’t feel like messing with LG’s app, is a universal remote app.
You can use TVRem, or read about it here, https://mac.eltima.com/tvrem-universal-tv-remote/.
It works over Wi-Fi, same idea as ThinQ, and it handles channel up, channel down, and the guide. What stood out to me is you don’t need a different app for every box in the house. It covers LG, Samsung, Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, Google TV, and Apple TV in one place. It also includes phone keyboard input and voice search, which saves a lot of pecking around with arrow keys. The App Store rating sits at 4.8 from a few thousand reviews, last I checked.
Two small things people miss:
If you use an antenna, changing channels is often more like moving through the guide or channel list than punching in channel numbers.
If your LG is old and not a smart TV, the app route is dead on arrival. No Wi-Fi on the TV means no phone control. In that case, use the built-in button or grab a cheap universal remote from a drugstore or big box store.
If you post the model number, I’d look up where LG hid the control on yours, becuase they were not consistent.
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One more workaround people forget, change the channel from the source device, not the TV.
If you watch cable or satellite, your box has its own channel control. Use the front panel buttons on the cable box or DVR. Many Comcast, Spectrum, DirecTV, and Dish boxes still have CH up/down or at least a menu + arrow keys on the unit itself. Same idea for some OTA tuner boxes. Your TV stays on the same input, the box does the switching.
I’d also check HDMI-CEC settings if you have a streaming stick or console connected. On LG it’s called Simplink. If Simplink was already on, a Fire TV app, Apple TV Remote on iPhone, or a game controller on a console sometimes lets you move around enough to reach live TV apps or guides. Not perfect, but it works in a pinch.
Small disagreement with @mikeappsreviewer, I’d try the box first before hunting for hidden TV buttons. Faster, less annyoing.
If none of that fits, borrow any LG remote from a friend for 2 minutes. Most LG IR remotes work across a lot of models for simple channel control and menu access. Old trick, still works.
One workaround neither @mikeappsreviewer nor @himmelsjager really leaned on is using your cable/satellite provider app on your phone. If you have Xfinity, Spectrum, DirecTV, Dish, YouTube TV, etc., a lot of them let you change live channels from the app or even cast/watch directly, which kinda sidesteps the missing LG remote problem entirely. Not elegant, but it works.
Also, if your TV is on a live TV input from a box, try a USB keyboard if your LG supports it. Some LG sets will at least let arrow keys, Enter, and sometimes channel navigation work in menus. It’s weirdly inconsistent, but worth a 30 second test before buying anything.
I’ll slightly disagree with @himmelsjager on borrowing another LG remote. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t if the newer set uses a Magic Remote setup and the pairing gets annoying. For basic IR commands, sure. For full control, meh.
Fastest fallback in my opinoin:
- Provider app on phone
- USB keyboard test
- Cheap universal remote from Walmart/Target/drugstore
If your LG model is old enough, the “simple workaround” is honestly just spending 10 bucks and being done with it. Sometimes the low-tech fix wins.