Smartify - LG TV Remote Reviews

Downloaded Smartify after my two kids managed to make our old tv remote completely disappear from he face of the earth. Was hoping to not have to buy an expensive replace or a cheap universal one but found this smart app. The connectivity of it asked like a nice feature and for what it’s worth the first time I opened it seemed to work fine. Used it for an evening and got quickly tired of the ads so paid for the full app. Literally the next day it started giving me a ton of trouble, random crashing in Smartify , 15 mins to connect to the tv while it’s syncing on starts, and the most common error is it will “successfully connect” and not show any of the remote interfaces like it can’t load them. Tried updating and reinstalling with same results. Essentially now if i open Smartify , I can expect to have to restart that app 5-6 times during use. Another fun thing is if it’s connected, and you are watching something but just leave Smartify open and put your phone to sleep, when you need to use it and turn it back on it does just go back to working. Cycle sync icon for 2-3 mins and then crash. It’s basically now something I spent money on that will sit useless in a folder on my phone. I’m giving it two stars because I saw it working well at start and would love if it was consistent. Guess who’s just buying a universal from Walmart now?

Installed and tested on the free version and it worked fine. Purchased the upgrade and it seemed as if I was stuck on the screen with the the least functionality (the screen with home button, fast forward, rewind, and the four colored buttons). I then realized that at the bottom of that screen (kinda looks dark grey) works like a mouse pad and I could see a cursor moving on my tv screen. Each time I swiped to get back to the other screens, keypad and volume controls it wouldn’t work because I was swiping in this pad area. So I swiped at the top of the page just above the function keys and it worked perfect. Once you figure out that little glitch the remote is awesome. Hope this helps out others.

I downloaded Smartify because I keep misplacing the original remote and I also wanted a keyboard for searching titles on various streaming services.

Unfortunately, the keyboard only works with LG’s web browser. However, having a track pad makes it easier to use the on screen keyboard for streaming apps.

Smartify uses your WiFi (make sure it’s the same network) to connect to your TV of choice. The one thing I don’t like about Smartify is it can take some time to connect to the tv. This gets really annoying especially when your phone locks & you have to reconnect again.

That said, I ended up getting the pro version because I know a pack of AA batteries cost more than Smartify . It also unlocks the keyboard & track pad functions.

I recommend it.

I got Smartify because my own remote wasn’t working at first I’d give it 5 stars and for awhile it was doing great until recently it would take so long for the remote to connect to my tv and wouldn’t connect at all I know people would say well it’s probably your wifi but that’s not the issue In this situation my wifi is fine so I got kinda upset and found 6 more apps just like it and they all don’t work but now the remote will connect sometimes and half the time I have to delete it and re download it it’s just I’m amazed how it won’t connect like when I connect my Ps5 to my wifi is says I have a strong connection but still won’t connect

“Ehhhh” is my exact thought about Smartify. I have not bought Smartify , I just have the free version because you would think that it would still work properly. You guessed wrong, if you get an ad then you can’t use any button unless you close it out and reopen. When you reopen, it makes you select a tv. Now in my house I am the only one with a smart tv so why can’t it just automatically connect to my phone and bring me straight to the remote.

My S/O bought the other version and said he still gets ads, it still freezes up after an ad, and paying for it just meant he received a remote that looks a little different. You are a multi million dollar company, do better.

Overall, it gets the job done but you have to be patient while working with it.

This remote is very good, but still fails in key areas. If I use Smartify and close out of it, I can’t come back to my remote if I want to change the channel or or turn the volume up for example. I have to delete Smartify from my iPhone’s background process, and then go back into it in order to have functionality. It’s so annoying. LG recently updated Smartify and yet, it’s the same business. Also, the home button control button is on a separate page from the most used control like volume and so I have to go back and forth on different pages to get the buttons I want. Thanks also super annoying. The magic remote set the bar to high LG. Please fix Smartify.

So loved Smartify at the beginning, not quite sure exactly what I paid when they offered the “full access” this was prior to the “pro” but anyway I made my purchase, ignored the constant glitching and having to relaunch Smartify anytime I put my phone down (really annoying but ok) so anyway I was fine for months then I just noticed that now since there is another “upgrade” my original purchase now comes with ads. And I mean 5-10 seconds of trying to use the frickin slow, glitching app almost to what I need to select and there it is the dam ad... honestly I made my purchase why is it that now that there is a “pro” I have to pay again or at least leave my version alone that there isn’t any pop ups or ads when I made my original purchase!

Downloaded Smartify because our tv remote got packed into a box (and thrown in storage) when we were moving.

It kinda works, but you have to swipe between the first 2 screens and use different buttons to play/pause (in free version, didn’t waste my money on paid because I can’t imagine it was better) the last screen was only able to be used if you paid. There are a CRAZY amount of ads. If you accidentally turned the tv up too loud you’re screwed cause you have to wait 30 secs for the ad that auto started out of nowhere to finish.

I legiterally (legit/literally) deleted Smartify as soon as I was able to find my actual remote.

At first I couldn’t get my iPhone to connect. I was connecting to the same router, but it turned out that it wasn’t the same broadcasting channel. My router broadcasts in 2 bands. That may be what the other people that couldn’t connect were experiencing. Haven’t tried connecting with the TV hard wired to the router. Once connected it works fine except.....

I want to know how much Final Fantasy is paying these guys to throw their ad up in your face every 60 seconds. For Smartify to be useful, you must buy it. At least let us use it enough so we can decide whether we like it or not. I do know that I don’t want Final Fantasy.

It’s so handy when you need it most and it decides to finally work without giving you problems. The ads are so annoying after each button you click though. Sometimes it won’t connect to the TV at all. All the other TVs in the house will pop up in the list besides the ONE TV your actually trying to use it for. Smartify is bipolar, it works when it wants to. Definitely needs lots of improvement

Having spent over $60 for physical replacements upon losing my LG remote twice, I was thrilled to find this tremendous app that, for $3.99, offers the same functionality, can be re downloaded at will, and leaves my girlfriend and I with on less remote to search for in the apartment. Application UI is responsive, network latency in my experience is sub-300ms between app and TV (though this will of course vary by user), and app updates are released regularly. Can't recommend highly enough for LG TV smart tv users.

I purchased the pro version & it worked for a minute but now it won’t work. 99% of the time Smartify won’t open & when it does it will say it’s searching for the device. I’ve waited for more than 30 minutes trying to “search” for my device with my phone right by the the tv & it still won’t work. I thought maybe deleting Smartify & downloading it again will help but it doesn’t. Smartify will randomly start work when it wants. My significant other has the same app on his phone & his won’t even open. I am still trying to connect to my LG tv. I would not recommend Smartify or pay for the pro version, it’s not worth the money!

I tested Smartify with out pro version..
It’s way better than all other LG remote tv apps..
After 2 weeks of throughout testing.. I bought pro version with just 4$.. It’s good for me to get rid of adds nd the search option is very good in pro version.. If you need search option, it’s worth buying this pro version.. otherwise normal version is enough.. I personally felt it’s good for me, as my kid always throws my tv remote,,, and I use Smartify frequently...

I’ve already purchased Smartify, yet it’s asking me to purchase it again. I’ve used it multiple times when we couldn’t find our remote, but when we did locate our remote I stopped using Smartify for a bit. I went to use it one day and it was asking me to purchase it. I’m not paying another $4 for something I already paid for, and it clearly states in my app purchases THAT I’VE PURCHASED IT! 🤷‍♀️

Update from my previous review! I found in Smartify I needed to restore where I paid for the non commercials which was quick it works fine now and no commercials !!! 🙌

Worked alright after I paid for it but now a year later even though I paid for it there’s ads popping up which was the point of paying for it in the first place and I always have to completely restart Smartify on my iPhone if I go on another app.

Very good app but there’s only one problem. Everything works excellent, but when for some reason you exit Smartify and wanna use it again to change the channel, or turn off the tv, or whatever, it freezes and you need to press buttons randomly as it happens when you have a control that doesn’t work well and you punch it with the hand until works. They need to fix that.

I was pretty impressed at first. Worked well on demand (long as you catch the right screen), ads were manageable. But now after a few months it’s intermittently inop on any screen. Except the one asking for a scrip of course. Could be a wifi issue, hard to tell. But if the subscription function works all the other screens/keypads should too.

Switching from a fire tv to an LG smart I knew would be a struggle as they were different OS’s. The TVs are different but learning that is easy. The remote apps on the other hand is frustrating to say the least. Why have a keyboard if it doesn’t work on anything? I spent $4 to get the keypad, and it doesn’t even work for anything. It connects but will not let me turn up the volume or navigate to any apps. When it does work, it is great. But those few glitches stop it from being a 5 star review

I like Smartify when it works , but my biggest complaint is that on several devices Smartify does not respond if you pick it up again after 20 minutes or so to change a channel or volume. You have to toggle the WiFi off and on or restart Smartify and sometimes a few times over to get it to work right. It happens several times a day in my case, I still use it otherwise, mainly bc my pup chewed my tv remote

If your remote breaks, and you need a temporary replacement until you buy a new one, Smartify will do the bare minimum for you.

It has its issues, but that’s to be expected when it’s free.

- If the TV is off, you have to manually turn on your TV before Smartify will work. To be clear, it absolutely finds your tv when the tv is off, it just won’t let you control it.

- Ads on a per click basis it seems like? Around every 5-10 clicks, you get an ad that you can skip after about 5 seconds

- If you don’t keep Smartify open, and your phone unlocked, Smartify will have to search for your TV every time you open it up, then the buttons won’t work until you swipe to different buttons on the remote and swipe back.

Like I said, it’s fine for a temporary remote, but they couldn’t pay me to use this as an actual remote for more than a couple days

Everyone n anyone who’s looking for lg app on iPhones don’t bother with Smartify they stole money from me so either fix the problem with Smartify or my review stays the same !! I purchased Smartify and it was fine for one whole day the next day it’s just a blank it won’t work at all I tried everything by deleting it n reinstalling it it’s the same thing it won’t work so yes Smartify is a scammer !!!

Works great. Installed Smartify 5 min ago now my house is quiet n I’m relaxed. My kids lost my remote a week ago. I finally gave in a on the third app I installed I think I found exactly what I need. Simple and reacts to tv quick. Only gripe I do have is your tv needs to be connected to internet. Obviously I couldn’t connect the WiFi because you need a remote, once I put the Ethernet chord in my tv it fired up simple in no time ! Great app

Overall the functionality of Smartify is pretty quality. I am annoyed that initially it is a free download but to actually use the remote you have to pay 5 dollars. Is it annoying to purchase an app that works? No! Just charge from the get go.

Only real complaint is that Smartify freezes out pretty regularly so I have to restart or refresh purchase in the settings to get it to reconfigure. Otherwise app is solid. Dog ate our actual remote so this was the cheaper replacement.