If your Element television remote has disappeared into the sofa for the third time this week, Element Smart TV Remote offers a straightforward backup: use your phone instead. I tested it as a House & Home app from Naba, and its central idea is refreshingly simple. Your mobile device and Element Smart TV need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, after which the phone can act as a remote control.
That simplicity is both the appeal and the main condition to remember. This is not a general television-streaming service, a smart-home dashboard, or a replacement for every remote in the house. It is focused on controlling an Element Smart TV from a mobile device. For someone who wants a quick substitute for a misplaced remote, that narrow purpose can be useful. For someone looking for one app to manage several brands or control a television away from home, it is a less suitable choice.
What to expect before you install it
Element Smart TV Remote is free, aimed at Everyone, and currently listed at version 5.0. It supports devices running Android 4.4 or later, which makes it accessible to people using older Android phones as well as newer models. Naba is the developer, and the app has built a sizeable audience for such a focused tool, with more than 50,000 installs and an average rating of 4.5 from roughly 430 ratings.
I would set expectations carefully. The app’s job is to provide remote-control access when the phone and television share the same local Wi-Fi connection. That means the first meaningful question is not “Which button does it have?” but “Are both devices really on the same network?” If the television is connected to a different router, a guest network, mobile data, or an Ethernet setup that does not place it on the same local network as the phone, the connection may not work as expected.
This requirement is normal for phone-based TV remotes, but it catches first-time users because “the internet is working” is not the same as “both devices can see each other.” Your phone may browse normally while the television sits on another network name. A mesh system can also make the situation less obvious when different access points use separate network settings. I recommend checking the exact Wi-Fi name shown on both devices before assuming the app is broken.
The app makes the most sense as a practical backup. Imagine arriving home, wanting to lower the volume, and discovering that the physical remote is under a cushion, in another room, or out of battery. If the television is already powered on and both devices are connected correctly, a phone-based control can save time. It is also handy when several people use the same television and the remote tends to migrate around the house.
There is a trade-off compared with the original Element remote. A physical remote is always ready, has tactile buttons, and can be used without unlocking a screen. A phone is more flexible because it is usually nearby, but it adds steps: wake the phone, open the app, maintain the network connection, and look at the screen when choosing a control. I find that acceptable for occasional use, but less appealing for every channel change during a long evening.
Who will benefit most
I would recommend trying it if you own an Element Smart TV, regularly misplace the supplied remote, or want a spare control on a family member’s phone. It is especially practical in a bedroom, guest room, or shared living space where the television is used casually and nobody wants to search for a small remote.
It can also help when the physical remote still works but is inconvenient to share. One person can adjust the volume from a phone while another is watching, or a household member can keep a backup available without buying another physical controller. The value is not in adding entertainment features; it is in reducing dependence on one small object.
I would skip it if your television is not an Element Smart TV, if you need control while away from home, or if your household network deliberately isolates devices. It is also not the best fit for someone who expects infrared control of older non-smart televisions. A phone app that depends on the same Wi-Fi network cannot replace a universal infrared remote in that situation.
Getting through the first setup
Start with the network, not the buttons
Before opening the app, turn on the television and check its network connection. Then look at the Wi-Fi connection on the Android phone. The names should match exactly, not merely come from the same internet provider. If your home has separate networks for guests, work devices, or smart equipment, choose the one that places the phone and television together.
This small preparation is the most useful first-time habit. It prevents a common mistake: repeatedly tapping controls while the real problem is that the two devices cannot communicate. I also suggest temporarily moving close to the television during setup. Distance is not the only factor in Wi-Fi reliability, but staying nearby makes it easier to tell whether a response is immediate or whether the connection is simply failing.
After installing the app, open it and follow its connection flow. Keep the television awake while doing this. A television that has entered a deeper standby state may not respond in the same way as one that is already displaying a picture. If the app presents a television to select, choose your own Element set rather than assuming the first visible option is correct.
Give the connection a moment
Phone remotes can feel less immediate than a physical controller because the command travels through the local network. My advice is to tap once and wait briefly before trying again. Rapidly pressing the same control can make it difficult to tell whether the television received one command, several commands, or none at all.
If the television does not appear, I would use a simple reset sequence rather than changing many things at once. Confirm the Wi-Fi name on the phone, confirm it again on the television, close and reopen the app, and then retry. If that fails, restarting the phone or television can clear a temporary connection issue. The important point is to change one variable at a time so you know what solved the problem.
Another practical tip is to avoid testing from a phone that has automatically switched to mobile data or another saved network. Phones can quietly move between connections when a signal seems weak. Even though this is convenient for browsing, it can interfere with a local remote-control session. A quick look at the network indicator before testing saves more time than repeatedly reinstalling the app.
Make the first test easy to recognize
For the first successful action, choose volume rather than a complicated navigation task. Turn the volume down one step and watch the television for a visible response. This is a better test than trying to open a menu because the result is immediate and easy to identify.
If volume works, try another basic action such as changing the channel or moving through a menu. Testing two different kinds of controls confirms that the connection is not merely showing a screen on the phone but is actually sending commands to the television. Once those actions work, you can put the phone aside and return to normal use.
The first win is a confirmed response from the television, not simply finding the app on your phone. That distinction matters because a remote interface can open normally even when the television is unreachable. I always judge setup by the TV reacting to a command.
A realistic first-use scenario
Picture a quiet evening when you have already started watching television and notice that the remote is missing. The TV is on, the phone is connected to the home Wi-Fi, and the app is ready. I would open the remote, make the volume test, and then use the phone only until the physical remote turns up. That is where this app feels most convincing: it removes an annoying interruption without requiring another purchase.
There is a second scenario where it can be useful. Suppose a child or guest has taken the remote to another room, while you want to lower the volume from the sofa. A phone-based controller gives you a temporary alternative. It is not necessarily more comfortable than the original remote, but it is available when the original is not.
Common confusion and practical workarounds
“Both devices are online, so why cannot they connect?”
The most likely explanation is that they are online through different network paths. Check whether the phone uses a guest Wi-Fi network while the television uses the main one. Also check whether a Wi-Fi extender has created a separate network name. The app’s same-network design is useful for local control, but it means network separation can block discovery even when both devices can access websites.
Some homes also use privacy or isolation settings that prevent connected devices from communicating with one another. I would not change advanced router settings casually, especially if you are unfamiliar with them. First try the simplest arrangement: connect both devices to the same ordinary home Wi-Fi name, keep the television on, and test again.
“The remote screen is open, but nothing happens”
Start by checking whether the app is still connected to the correct television. Then tap one control once and wait. If there is no response, close and reopen the app, and check the network again. It is tempting to assume that a button layout problem is responsible, but a lost local connection is a more useful first thing to investigate.
Keep the phone unlocked while testing and avoid switching rapidly between apps. This is not because the app needs constant attention during ordinary use, but because uninterrupted testing makes it easier to identify whether the connection remains active. If the television has gone into standby, wake it with the television’s own button if necessary, then retry the phone control.
“Can it replace my original remote completely?”
For basic occasional control, it may. For daily, rapid use, I prefer the physical remote. The phone requires a screen, a battery, and a network connection, while the original controller is designed for quick blind operation. You may also find it slower when you want to press several navigation buttons in succession.
My practical recommendation is to treat this app as a dependable backup rather than immediately throwing away the original remote. Keep the original for long viewing sessions and use the phone when the remote is unavailable. That approach gives you the convenience of a second option without forcing every household member to change their habits.
“Will it work when I am away from home?”
The app’s operating idea is local: the mobile device and Element Smart TV need to share the same Wi-Fi connection. I would therefore use it inside the home, not as a way to control a television from another location. If remote access from outside the house is your main goal, you should look for a solution specifically designed for remote internet access rather than relying on this local-control approach.
“Is an older Android phone suitable?”
The minimum requirement is Android 4.4, so an older compatible Android device can be used. That makes an unused spare phone a sensible candidate for a permanent backup remote. I would leave it charged in the same room as the television, connect it to the correct Wi-Fi network, and reserve it for simple control. This setup can be more convenient than using your everyday phone, especially in a shared household.
There is one trade-off: an old phone may have a worn battery or struggle with general modern apps, but the listed operating-system requirement makes it worth testing rather than discarding automatically. The key test is whether it can connect reliably to the home network and respond to the television.
How it compares with the usual alternatives
The original Element remote wins for speed and physical feedback. You can feel its buttons in the dark, operate it without looking at a display, and use it without opening an app. If yours is working and always within reach, there is little reason to replace it with a phone for routine viewing.
A universal physical remote is broader. It can be a better option when your living room contains several brands or when you want one controller for a television, audio equipment, and other devices. The downside is setup and compatibility, and you still need to buy the hardware. This app is more focused: it is useful when the target is an Element Smart TV and the phone is already available.
Infrared remote apps are another alternative, but they depend on the phone having suitable infrared hardware and on being close enough to the television. The Wi-Fi approach avoids that particular phone-hardware requirement, while introducing its own dependency on the shared network. In my view, the choice is simple: use this app when local Wi-Fi is reliable; choose an infrared or physical universal remote when network access is uncertain or several device types must be controlled.
Voice assistants and smart-home systems can be convenient for compatible televisions, but they usually involve more setup and a broader ecosystem. If all you need is a phone-based control for an Element set, that extra complexity may not be worthwhile. This app’s advantage is that it keeps the task narrow instead of turning a missing remote into a full home-automation project.
The next step after your first successful connection
Once the app controls the television, I would make the setup easy to repeat. Keep the phone on the same home Wi-Fi, avoid moving it to a guest network, and remember that the television must also remain connected. If you use a spare phone, label it mentally as the backup remote and store it somewhere visible rather than in the same drawer where the original remote keeps disappearing.
It is also worth testing the connection at a calm moment, not only during an emergency. Try a volume command and a navigation command when you are not in a hurry. That gives you confidence about the setup and shows which controls feel natural on your phone. If the connection is unreliable during this test, solve the network issue before depending on it when the physical remote is missing.
Keep expectations realistic about battery use and convenience. A phone is a multipurpose device, so using it as a remote may be effortless when it is already in your hand and irritating when it is charging in another room. I see the strongest workflow as occasional assistance: use it to recover control quickly, then return to the physical remote for extended viewing if that feels faster.
For a free app in the House & Home category, Naba’s Element Remote has a clear reason to exist. It does not try to replace every kind of controller. Instead, it gives Element Smart TV owners a local Wi-Fi option when the usual remote is unavailable. The rating and install history suggest that many users find that purpose worthwhile, but the experience still depends heavily on correct network setup.
My final recommendation is cautious but positive. Install it if you own a compatible Element Smart TV and want a no-cost backup on an Android phone. Begin by matching the Wi-Fi connection, keep the television awake, and confirm success with a single volume change. If you need multi-brand control, offline operation, away-from-home access, or the tactile speed of a physical remote, choose a different alternative. For the specific problem of controlling an Element Smart TV from a nearby phone, however, this is a sensible tool to keep available.
