TiviMate is arguably the king of IPTV players, but if you’ve tried running it on a Samsung Galaxy Tab or a Fire HD 10, you’ve probably realized something annoying. It feels clunky. Navigating a TV-first interface with your thumb just isn't it.
The developer, Alexey, built this thing for Android TV boxes and Nvidia Shields. It lives and breathes D-pad navigation. On a tablet, you're stuck swiping and tapping, hoping the app registers that "long press" to open the channel options. Half the time, it just switches channels instead. Honestly, it’s frustrating.
But there’s a better way. Using a TiviMate remote for tablet setups isn't just a luxury; it’s basically a requirement if you want to use the app the way it was intended. You don’t need to buy a specific "TiviMate brand" remote—those don't actually exist—but you do need a bridge between your hands and that tablet screen.
The Problem With Touch and Why You Need a Remote
Most people think, "It’s an Android app, why wouldn't it work on an Android tablet?"
Here’s the deal: TiviMate doesn't have a "mobile mode." When you sideload that APK onto your tablet, you’re looking at a 1:1 port of the TV interface. The EPG (Electronic Program Guide) is designed to be scrolled with a clicker, not a finger. If you try to swipe through a list of 5,000 channels, the app often hitches or skips.
I’ve seen users on Reddit and Discord complaining about the "looping" bug. This is where you swipe down, and the EPG just snaps back to the top. It’s not a bug; it’s a conflict between touch input and the app’s focus logic. Using a remote solves this instantly because it sends "DPAD_DOWN" commands instead of "SCROLL_GEYSER" events.
Using Your Phone as a TiviMate Remote
You’ve already got a remote in your pocket.
If you’re running TiviMate on a tablet and don't want to carry extra gear, your smartphone is the easiest solution. There are a few apps that act as a Bluetooth HID (Human Interface Device) bridge.
- Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse (by AppGround): This is the gold standard. You install it on your phone, pair your phone to your tablet via Bluetooth, and suddenly your phone screen is a touchpad and a D-pad. It works perfectly for entering those long, annoying M3U URLs.
- Google TV App: If your tablet is recognized as a "Google TV" device (some newer Lenovo and Samsung tablets are), the built-in remote feature in the Google TV app works surprisingly well.
- Tasker Scenes: For the real nerds, some users have created custom Tasker overlays. This puts a "ghost" remote on top of the TiviMate interface on your tablet. It’s a bit much for most people, but it’s an option.
The Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse app is the one I personally use. It’s saved me from throwing my tablet across the room when trying to type in a "bit.ly" link for a new playlist.
Physical Remotes: The Firestick Trick
Did you know you can pair a literal Firestick remote to your tablet?
It’s one of those "hidden in plain sight" tricks. Any Bluetooth-enabled remote will work. If you have an old Fire TV remote (the ones with the Alexa button) lying in a drawer, just put it in pairing mode. Go to your tablet's Bluetooth settings, find "Add Device," and hold the Home button on the remote for 10 seconds.
Once it's paired, TiviMate treats your tablet like a television. The "Select" button works. The "Back" button actually takes you back. The "Play/Pause" buttons work natively. It turns a $200 tablet into a portable, high-end TV.
If you don't have a spare Firestick remote, look into the WeChip G20 or the Sofabaton U2. These are "Air Mice." They have a gyro inside so you can wave them around like a Wii remote to move a cursor, but they also have a standard D-pad. In 2026, the G20 remains a fan favorite because it’s cheap and feels solid in the hand.
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Setting Up Your Remote for Success
Getting the remote paired is only half the battle. You need to map the buttons. TiviMate has a deep "Remote Control" settings menu that most people ignore.
Open TiviMate, go to Settings > Remote Control.
Here, you can decide what the "Long Press" on the OK button does. On a tablet, I always map "Long Press OK" to "Show Program Guide." I also map the "Volume Up/Down" buttons to "Channel Up/Down" because, let’s be real, you can just use the physical buttons on the side of the tablet for volume.
Why You Should Care About Button Mapping
- Customization: You can make the "Rewind" button open the Search menu.
- Efficiency: Map the "Color Buttons" (if your remote has them) to specific groups like "Sports" or "Movies."
- Accessibility: If you have trouble with small text, you can map a button to toggle the UI scale.
The Reality of TiviMate Companion
A common mistake is thinking the TiviMate Companion app is a remote.
It’s not.
The Companion app exists for one reason: to manage your subscription. Since TiviMate is a "TV" app, it doesn't have a built-in payment processor for the Premium version. You use the Companion app on your phone to buy the license and "activate" your tablet.
I’ve seen people download the Companion app and get mad that there are no playback controls. Don’t be that person. Use the Companion to pay, then use a Bluetooth remote or a HID app to actually control the player.
2026 Updates and What’s Changed
As we move through 2026, the "remote for tablet" landscape has shifted slightly. With the release of Android 15 and 16, Bluetooth latency has dropped significantly. This means those third-party remote apps feel much snappier than they did a couple of years ago.
Also, TiviMate 6.0 (and the subsequent patches) introduced better support for "External Players." If you find that the TiviMate internal player is still acting wonky with your remote, you can tell the app to open the stream in VLC or MX Player. These apps are built with touch and remote parity in mind, so they sometimes handle "fast forward" and "rewind" better than the native TiviMate engine.
Practical Next Steps
Stop fighting your touchscreen.
If you're serious about your IPTV setup, go to the Play Store on your phone and grab Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse. Pair it to your tablet and see the difference.
If you have five bucks to spare, head to eBay or a local thrift shop and find an old Fire TV or Nvidia Shield remote. Pair it. Map your buttons. Your TiviMate experience on a tablet will go from "kind of annoying" to "best in class" in about five minutes.
Make sure you're running the latest version of the app to ensure your Bluetooth stack is fully supported. If the remote keeps disconnecting, check your tablet's "Battery Optimization" settings and make sure TiviMate and your remote app are set to "Don't Optimize." This prevents the tablet from killing the Bluetooth connection to save power.