Element Smart TV Remote

Review by eFreeware

If the remote that came with your Element television has gone missing down the side of the couch, or its buttons have stopped responding after years of use, Element Smart TV Remote is the sort of app you reach for before ordering a replacement. It turns an Android phone into a control pad for the TV, so the device already in your hand takes over the job. The developer, Naba, offers it free, and it has drawn more than 50,000 installs with a 4.6 average from 442 ratings since its release in April 2022.

The appeal is straightforward: no batteries to swap, no plastic shell to crack, and no hunting for a lost handset. What I like about the premise is that it covers two different generations of Element hardware, the newer sets running Android TV and the older infrared models, and it also reaches Android Chromecast OS. That range matters because Element has sold televisions across both eras, and a household may well have one of each.

It is worth setting expectations on one point early. This is not an official Element product; the developer states plainly that it is unaffiliated with Element Electronics. The app is a third-party tool that mimics the functions of the original remote, and the developer presents it as a tidier way to control the set.

What the on-screen remote can do

The button set covers what most people touch day to day: power, volume, channel changes and mute, plus navigation controls for moving around menus. Beyond that, the developer lists multimedia controls, a home button and a touch pad, which suggests the app is meant to handle browsing and playback rather than just the basics of turning the set on and off.

For traditional infrared Element televisions, the app covers all the functions of the physical remote. That is the more complete promise of the two, and it is the one I would weigh most carefully if your set is an older model.

On Android TV sets, the same app also covers Android Chromecast OS, so a streaming dongle or a television running that platform can be driven from the same interface. The touch pad is the feature I would expect to matter most here, since navigating an Android TV interface with directional buttons alone can feel slow.

Two ways to connect, two sets of requirements

The Wi-Fi route requires both devices to share a network. Once the app detects the set, you enter the PIN that appears on the TV screen, and from there the phone acts as the remote. That pairing step is part of the setup.

Traditional infrared Element televisions work differently. There is no network involved; the phone itself has to contain an infrared blaster. Plenty of Android phones do not have one, and that is the single biggest practical hurdle for anyone with an older Element set. If your phone lacks the hardware, the infrared path simply is not available to you.

The split is worth understanding before you install. A recent phone with a smart TV is the easy combination; an older TV paired with a phone that has an IR blaster is the other. Mixing the two, such as an infrared-only television with a phone that has no blaster, is where the app cannot help.

Getting set up

Setup for the Wi-Fi route is short. You connect the phone to the same network as the television, let the app find the set, then type in the PIN displayed on the TV.

For infrared televisions, there is nothing to pair. The phone's blaster sends the signal directly, provided the hardware is present.

If the connection does not come together, the developer invites users to write to [email protected], and notes that the team continues to work on the product. The most recent update, from late August 2025, is described as minor bug fixes and improvements rather than new features.

Who gets the most from it

The clearest fit is a household with an Element television whose original remote has been lost, damaged or worn out, and where replacing it means tracking down a compatible handset. A phone that is usually within arm's reach solves that problem without a purchase.

It also suits anyone who finds the physical remote awkward, whether because the buttons have grown stiff or because they want a touch pad for navigating menus. The multimedia and navigation controls make it more than a power-and-volume substitute.

The infrared side of the app is narrower in reach. It only works on phones that carry an IR blaster, so owners of older Element sets should check that hardware detail before counting on this app. For smart TVs on the same network, that concern does not apply.

Ads, cost and the trade-offs

The app is free to download and shows ads, and there are no in-app purchases. The cost of using it is your attention rather than your wallet, and there is no paid tier to weigh against the free version.

The second trade-off is dependence on your phone. A remote that lives on a handset is only as available as the handset itself. That is a different relationship with a remote than a plastic one that sits on the coffee table.

The third is the hardware requirement on older televisions. Infrared control needs a blaster in the phone, and that is not something the app can work around. For smart TVs, the same-network requirement and the PIN step are the conditions to meet.

A practical replacement for a missing Element remote

Element Smart TV Remote does one job and does it in two ways: network control for Element smart TVs and infrared control for older sets, with the button layout covering power, volume, channels, navigation, multimedia, home and a touch pad.

I would point it at people with an Element television and a phone that either shares the home Wi-Fi or carries an IR blaster, particularly if the original remote is gone. The setup is brief, the pairing is guarded by an on-screen PIN, and there is a contact address if the connection misbehaves.

The reservations are the reliance on your phone as the controller and the IR blaster requirement for older televisions. None of those are hidden, and the developer is upfront that this is an unofficial app. If your situation matches the requirements, it is a sensible stand-in for a remote you no longer have.

What's new in version 5.0

*** Minor Bugs Fixed and Improvements