Samsung Galaxy is the most advanced smartphone with innovative and unique features for the new generation. One technological improvement in the Samsung smartphone is the IR blaster feature, which became available with the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S6 but not with the Samsung Galaxy S8.
The reason for excluding this IR blaster feature in recent Samsung smartphones is that only a few users have used this feature, and it is outdated now, so you will not find it in your Samsung Galaxy S8. Most Samsung Galaxy lovers are stuck with the old Galaxy S6 phones because of the IR Blaster feature.
However, this feature is widespread in Asia, so other apps and devices are available. Install these apps on your Samsung Galaxy S8 and enjoy it as a remote controller.
Does the Samsung Galaxy S8 have an IR Blaster?
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ do not come with an IR blaster. You can not use the phone to control AC, your non-smart TV, and your music player. A few years ago, Samsung removed IR blasters in Galaxy phones because few people used them.
How Do I Know if My Phone has an IR Blaster?
The most recent Android phones don’t have IR blasters. You can enjoy this feature with an old mobile phone and fewer new models. If you have an old phone, you need to check whether it is equipped with the IR blaster feature.
Before downloading the app that lets you use an IR blaster, you need to check your phone to see if it supports the feature. There are different processes to determine whether it does.
- Look at the top edge of your phone; if you notice a black circle, rectangle, plastic, or indent, then it confirms the accessibility of the IR blaster in your smartphone.
- If the way mentioned above of ascertaining is somewhat confusing since smartphones can have a different design, you can download and install a Phone Tester for Android devices. That will let you know if you have an IR blaster or not.
- A quick online search lets you determine whether an IR blaster is supported on your smartphone.
- Another time-consuming method involves turning page after page, checking your phone’s user manual, and so on.
How to Install IR Blaster on Android?
With several taps, you can install the IR blaster app on your PC and stream any content you like to your phone. The only need is to link the devices to the same home network. It does not take several minutes to set it up, and you can readily link your Galaxy S8 smartphone to your home’s smart grid. It would help if you were so keen to follow the following instructions.
The SmartView app lets you pair up your smartphone with other Samsung devices.
- Initially, swipe down on your smartphone’s home screen and go to the “Quick Settings” menu.
- Choose the “Smart View” feature from there and look up the list of multiple devices you can pair up with
- You have to connect to a Samsung TV set so that your phone may turn into a remote control.
The IR Blaster app works only with Samsung devices. It cannot be paired with devices of other brands. Yet Samsung has developed an app that lets you do intelligent things.
How Do I Use My Phone as an IR Blaster to Control My TV?
You cannot directly control your TV with a smartphone that lacks IR Blaster until your device is controlled via Bluetooth or the Internet. If your smartphone is not controlled via Bluetooth or the Internet, use the app suggested by the manufacturer.
We recommend the SmartThings app to control your TV with a Smartphone. This app allows you to efficiently manage the air condition system and the lights, appliances, or power outlets. You must follow the following procedure if you are willing to use your phone as an AC remote without an IR Blaster.
- First, install the SmartThings app on your smartphone.
- Open the app after finishing the installation and choose “Add Device.”
- Search the device you want to control with your Samsung Galaxy S8 in the “Available Devices” section.
- Pair them with your phone, and the app will ask you to enter your PIN code; this is the requirement when you want to pair your phone with the TV Set, and the code essentially appears on the TV Screen.
- The app will notify you to link your TV to the Wi-Fi network, but you will not be asked if it is already connected.
- Let them know you agree to the terms of use and click “OK.”
- Then, enter your email address to register for a Samsung account for your TV.
- Click the “Accept” option and choose your TV set from the raised list. Click “Next.”
- Put your ZIP code and go ahead by clicking “Next.”
- Once you finish the setup, the app will ask whether you are willing to add more apps to your TV; select the ones you want from the list.
- Finally, click “Done,” You can now control your TV with the Samsung Galaxy S8.
The exciting thing about the SmartThings app is that it lets you stream your TV Screen straight to the smartphone and vice versa. So, if you want to play mobile games, you can enjoy them on the TV screen.
Wrisky Universal IR Remote Control
You can still enjoy controlling your TV using a smartphone if you have neither a smart home nor a Samsung TV set. For this purpose, you additionally need a Wrisky Universal IR Remote Control Device. It is a smaller-sized IR transmitter that you must link with the audio jack of your S8. Generally, it imitates remote controls and permits you to use your smartphone as one. It is not the most reliable solution to the problem, but it gets work done. You have to follow the following points:
- First, buy the Wrisky Universal IR Remote Control attachment.
- Download and install the Remote ZaZa app from the Google Play Store.
- Once it is installed, open and tap “Setting.”
- Then click the “IR Driver Setting” to uncheck the “Auto-recognize device” feature.
- Return to the: Settings” page and choose the “Advanced Setting.”
- Enable |Audio Reversal” and immediately set the” ZaZa Sensitivity” in the highest setting.
- Navigate, return to the app’s home screen, and choose “3M TV” from the given options.
- Finally, add the Wrisky Universal IR remote to turn your smartphone into a remote controller.
How Can I Use My Phone as an AC Remote Without an IR Blaster?
You can not control your TV/AC with a phone that doesn’t have an IR Blaster. However, if your device supports Bluetooth or the Internet, you can use your phone as a remote if you go to the Google Play store or your phone store and download any Remote app.
Learn more about authors in Nimblefreelancer's team biography page.