Itsytv says “No Apple TVs found.”

Itsytv needs local network access to discover Apple TV devices. If you declined the permission prompt, open Settings → Privacy & Security → Local network and enable Itsytv. Your iPhone and Apple TV must also be on the same Wi-Fi network.

My Apple TV doesn't show a PIN code when pairing.

Your Apple TV is probably restricting which devices can connect. Open Settings → AirPlay and Apple Home, set Allow access to Anyone on the same network, and make sure Require password is Off. Then check Settings → General → Restrictions and confirm AirPlay Settings and Remote App Pairing are both Allow. Keep them there — Itsytv needs them that way to maintain a connection.

The remote panel closes a few seconds after connecting.

Your AirPlay access is set to Only people sharing this home. Open Settings → AirPlay and Apple Home on your Apple TV and change Allow access to Anyone on the same network. Done.

Now playing information isn't showing.

Itsytv relies on AirPlay to receive now playing updates. Open Settings → AirPlay and Apple Home on your Apple TV and make sure AirPlay is set to On.

Now playing shows the wrong show or movie.

Apple TV occasionally reports now playing information from a previously used app instead of the current one — a known quirk of the Apple TV protocol itself. Restarting the streaming app on your Apple TV or switching playback usually clears it.

Netflix doesn't show now playing details.

Netflix recently updated their Apple TV player and no longer reports show information to the system. That means Itsytv can't display the title, artwork, or episode for what's playing in Netflix. This is a Netflix-side limitation. Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and most other streaming apps continue to work normally.

Volume buttons aren't working.

Volume control depends on your Apple TV configuration. If your TV uses HDMI-CEC for volume, the buttons will work. If your Apple TV is set to control volume over IR (infrared), commands from Itsytv won't reach the TV. Check Settings → Remotes and Devices → Volume Control on your Apple TV to see which mode is active. The mute button isn't supported by the protocol yet.

On Mac: I launched the app and nothing happened.

Itsytv on Mac is a menu bar app — a tiny TV icon in the top-right, not a Dock tile. On MacBooks with a notch, macOS silently hides menu bar icons that don't fit behind the notch. Hold ⌘ Cmd and drag unused icons off the menu bar; when Itsytv reappears, ⌘-drag it somewhere safe.

Itsytv · Guides

Best Apple TV remote apps in 2026, honestly compared

Updated 2 July 2026

The honest answer first: if you only need basic navigation, use the free Apple TV Remote built into iPhone Control Center and spend nothing. Pay for a remote app only when you want more – an app launcher, now-playing details, multi-room switching, or a Mac remote. And never pay a subscription for one: controlling an Apple TV has no running server cost, so recurring pricing is margin, not necessity.

Every option, compared

Option	Price	Best for	Weak spots
Control Center remote (built into iOS/iPadOS)	Free	Basic navigation, occasional use	No app launcher, no content details, no Mac version, minimal customisation
New Siri Remote from Apple	$59	People who want physical buttons	Costs 12× a good app, easy to lose again, no keyboard, no multi-room extras
Subscription remote apps	$30–50/year	–	Same protocol access as everyone else, priced as if it were a service; many push ads or upsells at every launch
Itsytv	$4.99 once (iPhone, iPad, Mac)	Heavy Apple TV users, multi-room homes, Mac users	Needs tvOS 15+ and the same Wi-Fi network; volume requires HDMI-CEC mode; no Android version
Your TV's remote via HDMI-CEC	Free	Emergency navigation, initial setup	Clunky, no text input, no play/pause on some TVs

Why so many remote apps want a subscription

All third-party remote apps talk to the Apple TV over the local network using protocols Apple exposes – there is no cloud service in the middle and nothing that costs the developer money per user per month. Subscription pricing in this category is a business-model choice, not a technical one. That is the main reason Itsytv is a one-time purchase: $4.99 covers iPhone, iPad, and Mac forever, and the Mac version is free and open source (MIT) so anyone can audit exactly what it does.

What actually differentiates a good remote app

Native protocol: the best apps speak Apple's MediaRemote/Companion protocol – the same one the Siri Remote uses – rather than polling or simulating key presses. Input feels instant.
A real keyboard: typing passwords with a d-pad is the single worst tvOS experience; a remote app should give you the system keyboard.
App launcher: jumping straight to Netflix or YouTube beats scrolling the home screen.
Now-playing context: artwork, cast, plot, and a seek bar turn the remote into a second screen.
Multi-room: pairing several Apple TVs with fast switching and auto-reconnect.
Privacy you can verify: end-to-end encryption, credentials in Keychain, and ideally source code you can read.

When you don't need any of this

If your Siri Remote works and you use the Apple TV a few evenings a week, keep it and add nothing. The built-in Control Center remote covers the lost-remote emergency for free. A paid app is for people who reach for the remote many times a day, juggle several Apple TVs, type a lot on tvOS, or want to control an Apple TV from a Mac – for everyone else the honest recommendation is to save the five dollars.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free Apple TV remote app?

The one already on your iPhone: the Apple TV Remote in Control Center. It handles navigation, play/pause, volume over HDMI-CEC, and text input. Third-party apps only make sense when you want an app launcher, now-playing details, multi-room switching, or a Mac remote.

Is there an Apple TV remote app without a subscription?

Yes. Itsytv is a one-time $4.99 universal purchase for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with no subscription, ads, or in-app purchases. The Mac version is free and open source via Homebrew (brew install --cask itsytv).

Do remote apps work with old Apple TVs?

Third-party remote apps require Apple TV 4th generation or later running tvOS 15+. The Apple TV 3rd generation and older don't support the protocol; their option is the built-in Control Center remote (limited) or an infrared remote.

Are Apple TV remote apps laggy?

Apps that speak Apple's native MediaRemote/Companion protocol respond as fast as the physical Siri Remote, since it is the same protocol over the same network. Apps that simulate input through other channels can lag – that, and keyboard support, is the practical quality difference between remote apps.

Related guides

Get Itsytv

Itsytv turns your iPhone, iPad, and Mac into a full Apple TV remote – circular d-pad, app launcher, now-playing panel, real keyboard, and multi-room switching. A one-time $4.99 purchase, no subscription. The Mac version is free and open source via Homebrew. Download on the App Store →