Compatibility
Universal remotes and streaming devices: what actually works
The short answer
Most streaming sticks cannot be controlled by a universal remote at all, because they pair over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and have no infrared receiver. The exceptions are worth knowing: Apple TV has an infrared receiver and can learn any remote's commands, the Fire TV Cube accepts infrared, and Roku TVs — as opposed to Roku sticks — are ordinary televisions that answer to their manufacturer's TV codes.
This is the one category where the honest answer is often no, and it is better to know that before spending twenty minutes on an auto-search that cannot succeed. Infrared requires a receiver. A device without one will not respond to any remote, any code, or any method.
We do publish codes for the streaming devices that accept infrared, on the streaming players page. But for a large share of this hardware there is simply nothing to list, because there is no infrared receiver to send to. What follows is how to tell which case you are in, and what to do in each.
Why most streaming devices have no codes
Infrared needs line of sight, which is an awkward requirement for a dongle hidden behind a television. Manufacturers moved to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi precisely to escape it — those work through cabinet doors, and they carry voice, which infrared cannot.
The consequence is that the remote supplied with a modern streaming stick is not an infrared remote at all. There is no command set for a universal remote to imitate, so no code table lists one.
Device by device
| Device | Infrared? | What works |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV | Yes — receiver built in | Everything, via the built-in learning mode. The best case on this page. |
| Fire TV Cube | Yes — receives and transmits | Full control; the Cube can also drive your other devices by infrared. |
| Fire TV Stick | No | Nothing directly. Use HDMI-CEC from the television instead. |
| Roku streaming sticks | Varies by model | Older simple remotes are infrared; voice models are not. Test with the camera. |
| Roku TVs (TCL, Hisense, Sharp) | Yes — it is a television | Power, volume, input and navigation, using the TV brand's codes. |
| Chromecast with Google TV | No | Nothing directly, but the dongle supports HDMI-CEC well. |
Note the distinction that causes most of the confusion here: a Roku TV is not a Roku stick. The television has an infrared receiver like any other, so it is covered by ordinary TV codes from whoever built it — TCL, Hisense or Sharp.
Apple TV: teach it your remote
Apple TV is the exception that works properly, and it works backwards from everything else on this site. Rather than programming a code into the remote, you teach the Apple TV to recognise whatever your remote already sends.
- 1
On the Apple TV, open Settings and find the remotes section.
- 2
Choose the option to learn a new remote.
- 3
Pick any unused device key on your universal remote — one you are not using for another device.
- 4
Follow the on-screen prompts, pressing the key it asks for each time.
- 5
Repeat for the directional keys, select, menu and play/pause.
- 6
Name the remote when prompted so the setting is easy to find later.
Because the Apple TV learns the commands rather than matching a code, it works with any universal remote regardless of brand or code table. It is the most reliable outcome available for any streaming device.
HDMI-CEC: the answer for everything else
For Bluetooth-only devices, the practical route is to let the television do the work. HDMI-CEC passes control commands along the HDMI cable, so the TV's remote — or your universal remote programmed with the TV's code — can drive a connected streaming device.
Every manufacturer brands it differently, which is why it is so often overlooked in the settings menu.
| Brand | What CEC is called |
|---|---|
| Samsung | Anynet+ |
| LG | SIMPLINK |
| Sony | BRAVIA Sync |
| Panasonic | Viera Link |
| Toshiba | CEC Control |
| Philips | EasyLink |
| Sharp | Aquos Link |
Enable it on both the television and the streaming device, then test the arrow keys with the TV remote. Where it works, navigation and playback pass through; volume usually stays with the television, which is what you want anyway.
If you are choosing a remote for this
A plain infrared universal remote will not control a Bluetooth streaming stick. No model of infrared remote will, whatever the packaging claims about universality.
Remotes that pair over Bluetooth as well as infrared exist, and those can drive some streaming devices directly — check that the specific device is named in the remote's compatibility list rather than assuming.
For Apple TV, any infrared remote is enough, because the learning happens at the Apple TV's end.
A hub-based system that converts a network command into an infrared one solves the reverse problem — controlling infrared equipment from an app — not this one.
Frequently asked questions
Do universal remotes work with Roku?
It depends which Roku. A Roku TV is an ordinary television with an infrared receiver, so it works with the TV codes for whoever built it — TCL, Hisense or Sharp. Roku streaming sticks vary: older simple remotes use infrared, while voice models pair over Wi-Fi and cannot be controlled by an infrared remote.
Can a universal remote control a Fire TV Stick?
No. The Fire TV Stick pairs its remote over Bluetooth and has no infrared receiver. The Fire TV Cube is different — it both receives and transmits infrared. For a Stick, use HDMI-CEC from the television instead.
How do I use a universal remote with an Apple TV?
Teach the Apple TV your remote rather than programming a code. Open Settings on the Apple TV, choose to learn a new remote, and follow the prompts while pressing keys on an unused device key of your universal remote. This works with any remote regardless of brand.
Why are there no universal remote codes for streaming sticks?
Because most have no infrared receiver. Their remotes use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, so there is no infrared command set for a universal remote to imitate and nothing for a code table to list.
How can I tell if my streaming device uses infrared?
Point its own remote at a phone's front-facing camera and press a button. A white or purple flicker on screen means infrared, so a universal remote has something to work with. No flicker means Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
What is HDMI-CEC and will it help?
HDMI-CEC passes control commands along the HDMI cable, letting the television's remote drive a connected streaming device. It is the practical answer for Bluetooth-only sticks. Each manufacturer brands it differently — Anynet+ on Samsung, SIMPLINK on LG, BRAVIA Sync on Sony.
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