How to Connect and Control an LG webOS TV Without a Remote

LG OLED (C1, C2, C3, G series) and NanoCell/QNED smart TVs running webOS are celebrated for picture quality and vibrant gaming features. However, the LG Magic Remote with its built-in gyroscopic pointer has a scroll-wheel button that can fail over time, and the remote itself is frequently misplaced.

If you are stuck without your LG remote, you do not need to spend upwards of $40 on an OEM replacement. Here is how you can operate your LG TV right now using your Android smartphone or on-board controls.

Method 1: Turn On and Control With MotePal (No Ads, No Account)

While LG offers the official LG ThinQ app, it requires creating an LG account, agreeing to location-based marketing permissions, and waiting through slow splash screens. Third-party ad-ridden apps on Google Play are worse, frequently triggering video advertisements whenever you tap volume or channel keys.

MotePal was designed for immediate utility and user respect:

• Instant network radar: Automatically discovers LG webOS TVs on your local Wi-Fi.
• 100% ad-free: Never interrupts your viewing with advertisements.
• Zero data collection: Does not require an account, email address, or cloud connectivity.

How to connect MotePal to your LG TV:

1. Ensure your Android phone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the TV.
2. Install MotePal on Google Play.
3. Open the app. Your LG TV will show up on the discovery screen.
4. Tap your TV name. A prompt will appear in the corner of your LG screen: “MotePal wishes to connect to your TV. Accept?”
5. Select Accept on the TV (using the physical joystick or a USB mouse plugged into the TV).
6. MotePal stores the unique client key securely on your phone. You can now use the D-pad, Back, Home, Volume, and Quick App launcher buttons effortlessly.

Experience the clean interface on the MotePal interactive web simulator right now.

Method 2: Locate the LG Physical Joystick Button

If your TV is off or you need to click “Accept” on the pairing banner without a remote, you can use the physical control joystick on the TV body itself.

On nearly all LG webOS televisions manufactured after 2018:

• Location: The joystick is located directly underneath the LG logo at the bottom center of the screen, or on the bottom edge just behind the standby red light.
• Usage:
  • Press the center button once to turn the TV on.
  • When the TV is on, pressing the center button brings up the on-screen control menu (Power, Input, Settings, Volume).
  • Push the joystick forward, backward, left, or right to move the cursor across on-screen buttons.
  • Press the center button inward to select or confirm an option.

Method 3: Plug in a USB Mouse or Keyboard

If reaching behind the TV to navigate menus is awkward, LG webOS has native plug-and-play support for standard USB computer peripherals.

1. Take any wired or wireless USB mouse (the type with a small 2.4 GHz USB dongle).
2. Plug the USB connector into any available USB port on the back or side of your LG TV.
3. Move the mouse. A standard mouse cursor will appear on screen immediately!
4. You can click to open apps, adjust settings, and confirm Wi-Fi pairing prompts easily.

Enabling Mobile TV On (Wake-on-LAN for LG)

If you want your phone remote to turn on your LG TV when it is completely powered off in standby, you must enable LG’s network wake feature:

1. On your TV, navigate to Settings > All Settings > General > Network.
2. Select LG Connect Apps (or Mobile TV On / Turn On via Wi-Fi on newer webOS versions).
3. Toggle the setting to Enabled.

For an in-depth explanation of how Wake-on-LAN magic packets work, read our dedicated tutorial on how to turn on your TV from your phone.