Which system does my TV run?
Turn the TV on and look at the home screen.
- A purple background with a grid of channel tiles, and a Home button on the remote shaped like a house — your TV runs Roku TV.
- Rows of film and show recommendations, with a profile picture in the top corner — your TV runs Google TV.
- A row of app tiles across a dark blue background, with an Alexa button on the remote — your TV runs Fire TV.
- A row of your apps across the bottom, with a Google Assistant button on the remote — your TV runs Android TV.
Not sure? Check the box or the sticker on the back of the TV — the system name is nearly always printed there.
- Roku TV → Connect iMote to your Roku device
- Google TV or Android TV → Connect iMote to your Android TV or Google TV
- Fire TV → Connect iMote to your Fire TV
Before you start
- Your TV is on and showing a picture — not in standby.
- Your phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network — the same network name, not a guest network.
- You can see the TV screen — you may need to approve the connection there.
What's different on each
A quick summary if you want to know what you're in for.
No code and no prompt — pairing is instant. But one setting has to be right: Settings › System › Advanced system settings › Control by mobile apps › Network access must be Enabled. A Roku software update switched this off for a lot of people, so check it first if iMote can't see your TV.
Your TV shows a pairing code that you type into iMote. If no code appears, clearing the storage for Android TV Remote Service under Settings › Apps › Show system apps fixes it.
Your TV shows a four-digit code that you type into iMote. It can take up to a minute to appear. Leave Bluetooth on your phone switched on while pairing.
Things specific to TCL
Whichever system your TV runs, the physical button belongs to TCL, so it's in the same place across models:
- Most models — a single button on the back panel, lower right, near the standby light.
- Some models — on the underside toward the right corner.
- Older sets — a small row of labelled buttons on the lower-right back panel.
On single-button models, one press powers on and repeated presses move through an on-screen menu, with press-and-hold to select.
If you have more than one TCL TV in the house, don't assume they run the same system. TCL has shipped Roku, Google TV and Fire TV models side by side in the same year and the same size. Check each one.
My TV isn't in the list
Start with the guide for your system above — the causes are different on each platform. If you've already worked through it:
Check it's not a guest network. Guest networks stop devices from seeing each other. Move your phone to the main network.
Turn off any VPN on your phone. A VPN routes your phone off the local network, so it can't see your TV.
Pull down to refresh the device list in iMote and give it ten seconds.
Restart the device properly. Unplug it at the wall, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in. This clears more than the power button does.
If your TV or streaming box is plugged in with an Ethernet cable, that's fine — wired and wireless work together, as long as both are on the same router.
Still stuck?
Tell us your model number — you'll usually find it on a sticker on the back of the TV or streaming device — and we'll take a look.