Panic usually sets in the second you realize the remote has vanished into the couch abyss or the batteries finally kicked the bucket. You’re sitting there, ready to binge-watch, and the screen is just a giant black rectangle staring back at you. It’s annoying. Honestly, it’s one of those minor first-world problems that feels way bigger than it actually is. But here’s the thing: you don't actually need that plastic wand to get things moving. Learning how to turn on LG TV without remote is actually pretty straightforward once you stop looking for the "on" button where it isn't.
LG hides their physical buttons. They really do. In the quest for "sleek" and "minimalist" design, they’ve tucked the manual controls into places you’d never look unless you were on your hands and knees with a flashlight. Most people assume if it isn't on the side, it doesn't exist. That's wrong.
The Physical Button Hunt
Stop looking at the bezel. You won't find anything there. On almost every modern LG LED or OLED model, the power button is hiding directly underneath the center of the frame. If you run your hand along the bottom edge, right under the LG logo, you'll usually feel a small nub or a flat circular button.
It’s a single-button system. You press it once to turn the TV on.
But wait, there's a catch. If you want to change the volume or switch inputs, you can't just mash it. You have to use "long presses" or "short taps" to navigate the tiny menu that pops up on the screen. It’s clunky. It feels like you're cracking a safe. One short press moves the highlight, and one long press selects the option. It’s not elegant, but it works when you’re desperate. On some older sets, specifically those from the early 2010s, you might still find a row of touch-sensitive buttons on the bottom right corner of the frame, but those are becoming relics.
Using the LG ThinQ App
If you have your smartphone handy, forget the physical buttons. The LG ThinQ app is the official solution, and it’s actually decent, provided your TV is already connected to your home Wi-Fi. This is the part where people usually get stuck. If your TV isn't on the network, the app won't "see" it.
Download the app from the Play Store or App Store. Once you open it, tap the "+" sign to add a device. It’ll scan your local network. Here’s a pro tip: if your TV is off, this only works if you had "Mobile TV On" or "Wake on LAN" enabled in the settings beforehand. Most people don't. If the TV is completely "cold," the app might not be able to wake it up. In that case, use the physical button underneath the logo to jumpstart it, then use the app for everything else.
The ThinQ app isn't just a power switch. It mimics the Magic Remote perfectly. You get a touchpad for the cursor, a full number pad, and even the ability to launch apps like Netflix or Disney+ directly from your phone screen. It’s arguably better than the physical remote because you don't have to worry about line-of-sight. You could be in the kitchen and turn the volume down if the kids are being too loud.
The HDMI-CEC Loophole (SimpLink)
This is the smartest way to handle a missing remote that nobody talks about. LG calls it SimpLink. Basically, it’s a technology that lets devices talk to each other over HDMI cables.
Do you have a PlayStation 5, an Xbox, or an Apple TV? Turn that device on. If SimpLink is active, the console will send a "wake up" signal through the HDMI cable to the TV. The TV senses the incoming signal and powers itself on automatically. I use this almost exclusively. I haven't touched my actual LG remote in months because my Apple TV remote handles the power and volume for the whole setup.
If this isn't working for you, it might be disabled in the TV's "General" settings. Of course, you need to turn the TV on once manually to enable it, but once it’s set, you’re golden.
💡 You might also like: The Metaverse: What Most People Get Wrong About Why It Vanished
When All Else Fails: The Universal Mouse Trick
Believe it or not, your LG TV is basically a computer running webOS. It has USB ports in the back. If you have a spare wired or wireless computer mouse lying around, plug it into the USB port on the side or back of the TV.
A cursor will pop up on the screen.
You can’t "turn on" the TV with a mouse if it’s fully powered down, but if it's in standby, clicking a mouse button often wakes it up. More importantly, once the TV is on, the mouse allows you to navigate the settings menus way faster than the single button underneath the screen. You can use it to connect to a new Wi-Fi network or change the input to your gaming console. It's a lifesaver if your Wi-Fi password changed and you can't use the ThinQ app yet.
What About IR Blasters?
Remember when phones had IR blasters? Probably not. It was a brief trend around 2014 with phones like the Galaxy S5 or the LG G3. If you happen to have an old Android phone gathering dust in a drawer, check if it has a small black plastic circle on the top edge. That's an infrared blaster. You can download a generic "TV Remote" app and it will work exactly like a real remote, no Wi-Fi required.
For everyone else with a modern iPhone or Pixel, you don't have this hardware. You'd need to buy a cheap "Lightning to IR" or "USB-C to IR" dongle, but honestly, at 그 point, just buy a replacement LG remote for $10 on Amazon.
Moving Forward Without the Remote
Don't panic. You aren't locked out of your tech.
First, reach under the center of the TV and find that physical button. Press it once. If the TV doesn't jump to life, check your power cord—sometimes the simplest explanation is the right one. Once the screen is glowing, get the ThinQ app configured immediately so this doesn't happen again.
If you find yourself constantly losing the remote, look into a "sideclick" attachment or just stick a Tile or AirTag to the back of the clicker. It sounds ridiculous until you're searching for it for the third time in a week.
The most permanent fix is enabling HDMI-CEC (SimpLink) in your settings. It bridges the gap between your external devices and your display, making the original LG remote almost obsolete for daily use. Go into Settings > All Settings > General > Devices > HDMI Settings and toggle SimpLink to "On." Your future self will thank you when you can just hit the "Home" button on your controller to start your movie night.
Check the back of your TV for a small joystick as well. Some models between 2018 and 2021 used a tiny joystick instead of a single button. It allows you to tilt up, down, left, and right to control volume and channels without needing any app or secondary device. It’s usually located near the right-hand side (when facing the back) or directly under the logo.
Get that TV on, find your show, and then—seriously—order a backup remote. They’re cheap, and having one in a kitchen drawer saves a lot of headache.
Immediate Action Plan:
- Feel under the LG logo for the physical power nub.
- Long-press to select "Power On" if a menu appears.
- Sync the LG ThinQ app while the TV is active.
- Enable SimpLink (HDMI-CEC) in the General settings to allow other devices to trigger the power.