Install guide · Android
Install OlaRemote on your phone
OlaRemote is not on Google Play yet. Until it is, you can install it straight from this page. It takes about two minutes.
Download
Download OlaRemote for Android
Works on Android 8.0 or newer. Free. No account. New release: see what that means.
The download opens soon. The app file is not published on this page yet. Email us and we will tell you the moment it is.
Before you start
- An Android phone running Android 8.0 or newer.
- Your TV switched on, and your phone on the same Wi-Fi network as the TV.
- The TV's own remote nearby. Some TVs ask you to approve OlaRemote on the TV screen the first time.
Install in five steps
Screens vary slightly between phone brands and Android versions. The wording below is what you will see on most phones.
Download the app file
Tap Download OlaRemote for Android above. If your browser says this type of file can harm your device, that is its standard message for every app file that does not come from Google Play. Choose Download anyway or Keep.
Open the file
Tap Open in the download notification, or find olaremote in your Downloads folder or the Files app and tap it.
Allow installs from your browser, once
Android may say "For your security, your phone isn't allowed to install unknown apps from this source." Tap Settings, turn on Allow from this source, then press back. You can turn it off again after installing.
Tap Install
If Google Play Protect shows a warning, that is because the app is not from Google Play yet. Tap More details, then Install anyway. You can also tap Scan app first if you prefer.
Tap Open
OlaRemote starts with a short welcome screen. Tap Get started, then Find my TV.
Samsung phones: if the install is blocked, Auto Blocker may be on. Open Settings, Security and privacy, Auto Blocker and turn off the option that blocks installs from unauthorized sources, install the app, then turn it back on if you like.
Connect to your TV
Tap Find my TV, pick your TV from the list, and follow the one step for your brand:
| TV | What to do |
|---|---|
| Roku (including TCL, Hisense and other Roku TVs) | On the TV, open Settings, System, Advanced system settings, Control by mobile apps and choose Enabled. Without this the TV refuses button presses. |
| Samsung | Accept the prompt that appears on the TV screen the first time. Choose Allow. |
| LG | Accept the prompt that appears on the TV screen the first time. |
| Google TV, Android TV, Sony, Philips and others | The TV shows a short code. Type it into the app. |
| Vizio | The TV shows a short code. Type it into the app. |
Wi-Fi control is new and results vary by TV model and software version. Only the Roku family has been confirmed on a real TV so far.
If something does not work
My TV is not found
Check that the TV is fully on and that your phone is on the same Wi-Fi network, not mobile data or a guest network. Turn off any VPN. Then use Enter its address in the app and type the TV's address from its network settings (it looks like 192.168.1.20).
Buttons do nothing, or I see "The TV is blocking phone control"
The TV has a setting that stops apps from controlling it. For Roku, the setting is described in the table above. For other brands, look for a mobile-app or network-control option in the TV's settings.
I need to see exactly where it fails
In the app, open Having trouble? (or the problem screen) and tap Check a TV. It tests each step between your phone and the TV and shows where it stops. Tap Share report and send it to support@afolaola.com. The report hides part of the address and never includes your TV's name or serial number.
My phone says "App not installed"
This usually means an older copy of OlaRemote signed by a different key is already on the phone. Uninstall it, then install again. Your saved remotes will need setting up once more.
How do I update OlaRemote?
The app shows a notice on its home screen when a newer version is available (you can turn this off in Settings). Download the newest file from this page and install it over the old one. Your saved remotes are kept. Once OlaRemote is on Google Play, updates will arrive there automatically.
How do I remove it?
Press and hold the OlaRemote icon and choose Uninstall. This also deletes the remotes saved on your phone.
What "still being tested" means
OlaRemote is free, has no ads and needs no account. It is a first release: the Wi-Fi control for each TV family is built but still being tested on real TVs, so some TVs may not work yet. If yours does not, the Check a TV report tells us exactly what to fix.
Only install OlaRemote from afolaola.com or Google Play. A copy from anywhere else may have been changed by someone else.
Advanced: check that the file is genuine
The SHA-256 fingerprint of the file you should have downloaded:
Available once the download is published.
On a Windows computer, open Command Prompt in the folder with the file and run certutil -hashfile olaremote.apk SHA256, replacing the name with your file's name. The result must match exactly.