Turn off remote control from your iPhone's Control Center

The fastest way to stop your iPhone from controlling your Apple TV is to close the Remote app or disable it in Control Center. Open Control Center on your iPhone (swipe down from the top-right corner on newer models, or swipe up from the bottom on older ones), find the Remote icon, and tap it to close the connection. Your iPhone will no longer send commands to your Apple TV.

If you don't see a Remote icon in Control Center, your iPhone isn't currently paired with an Apple TV, so there's nothing to stop. The connection only exists when the app is actively running or when you've set up the Remote as a Control Center shortcut.

Key Takeaways

  • Closing the Remote app from Control Center stops your iPhone from controlling your Apple TV when ready.
  • You can unpair your iPhone entirely by going to Settings on your Apple TV and removing the device from Bluetooth or AirPlay settings.
  • Turning off Bluetooth on your iPhone will disconnect it from your Apple TV until you turn Bluetooth back on.
  • If you want to keep the pairing but prevent accidental control, you can remove the Remote from your iPhone's Control Center customization.

Unpair your iPhone from Apple TV completely

If you want to stop your iPhone from controlling your Apple TV altogether—not just close the app temporarily—you need to unpair the devices. On your Apple TV, go to Settings, then select Remotes and Devices (or AirPlay and HomeKit on older tvOS versions), and find your iPhone in the list of paired devices. Select it and choose Remove or Forget.

Once you remove your iPhone from this list, it will no longer be able to control your Apple TV. You'll need to pair them again if you want to use your iPhone as a remote in the future. The pairing process is straightforward: open the Remote app on your iPhone, tap Add Apple TV or Device, and follow the on-screen prompts.

Turn off Bluetooth to disconnect temporarily

A simpler temporary solution is to turn off Bluetooth on your iPhone. Go to Settings on your iPhone, tap Bluetooth, and toggle it off. This disconnects your iPhone from your Apple TV without unpairing them, so the devices will reconnect automatically when you turn Bluetooth back on.

This method is useful if you want to stop accidental remote control—for example, if someone else is holding your phone—but you plan to use it as a remote again soon. The pairing stays intact, so you won't have to set anything up again.

Remove the Remote from Control Center

If the Remote icon keeps appearing in your Control Center and you want it gone, you can customize Control Center to hide it. Go to Settings on your iPhone, tap Control Center, and scroll down to find Remote. Tap the minus sign next to it to remove it from your Control Center.

Removing it from Control Center doesn't unpair your iPhone from your Apple TV—it just hides the quick-access button. You can still open the Remote app directly if you need it, and you can add the icon back to Control Center anytime by tapping the plus sign next to Remote in the same settings menu.

Check if another device is controlling your Apple TV

Sometimes you might think your iPhone is controlling your Apple TV when it's actually another device. On your Apple TV, go to Settings, then Remotes and Devices, and look at the list of paired devices. You'll see every iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch that can control it.

If you see a device you don't recognize or no longer use, select it and remove it. This prevents any accidental control from old devices that are still paired. It's also a good security step if you've sold or given away an old iPhone.

Restart your Apple TV if the connection won't close

If your iPhone keeps controlling your Apple TV even after you've closed the Remote app or turned off Bluetooth, restart your Apple TV. Go to Settings, select System, then Restart. This clears any stuck connections and forces your Apple TV to forget temporary pairings.

After the restart, your iPhone will no longer control your Apple TV unless you pair them again. If the problem happens repeatedly, it may indicate a software issue on either device—in that case, check for updates in Settings on both your iPhone and Apple TV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does closing the Remote app stop my iPhone from controlling my Apple TV?

Yes, closing the app stops active control when ready. However, if the app is still paired with your Apple TV, opening it again will reconnect automatically. To prevent reconnection, unpair the devices in your Apple TV settings instead.

Will my iPhone reconnect to my Apple TV automatically after I turn Bluetooth back on?

Yes, if the devices are still paired, Bluetooth will reconnect them automatically. If you want to prevent this, unpair your iPhone from your Apple TV's settings rather than just turning off Bluetooth.

Can I use a different remote if my iPhone is still paired?

Yes, you can use a physical Apple Remote, Siri Remote, or any other compatible remote at the same time your iPhone is paired. Multiple remotes can control the same Apple TV without interfering with each other.

What happens if I unpair my iPhone and then want to use it as a remote again?

You'll need to pair them again. Open the Remote app on your iPhone, tap Add Apple TV or Device, and follow the pairing steps. The process takes about a minute and requires your Apple TV to be on.

Is there a way to lock my Apple TV so my iPhone can't control it?

Apple TV doesn't have a built-in lock feature for remotes, but you can unpair all devices and use only a physical remote. Alternatively, you can turn off AirPlay in your Apple TV settings to prevent iPhone control, though this also disables other AirPlay features like screen mirroring.