Blog
Support Forum
- Forum
- More
- News
- User Focus Program
- Legal
Knowledge Base
Service
Discussions
Knowledge Base

Controlling televisions using teamviewer remote

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read this.

My mother is in a nursing home and absolutely terrible with technology. I've managed to set up a Android tablet to be controlled by TeamViewer and I can do everything except get through screen lock which I've had to turn off. Using accessibility settings I can turn the tablet off or put it in lock screen but can't unlock it. Is there a way please?

I've tried controlling her old Sony bravia TV but I can't even cast to it so I'm considering upgrading smart TV. I thought I'd try with my current Phillips JX800 series smart TV and although I appear to have set everything up correctly and have control of the TV all I can achieve is to put a blue pointing hand on the screen if it is already set to the app screen. I can't find out anywhere what I should be able to do. Due to disability I can't spend a long time searching but have tried.

Can I :

Switch on and off?

Change volume?

Change Freeview channel?

Open apps?

Access websites?

I appear to need to get permission at the start of each session but this doesn't happen on the tablet is that correct?

Do I need to specific model of Android TV to get good control?

Any answers would be gratefully received

Find more posts tagged with

remote access

Accepted answers

JeanK

Hi @Please_help_1,

Thank you for your detailed message and for explaining your situation so clearly.

I'll try to answer as direct as possible to all your questions:

Android tablet lock screen

Unfortunately, unlocking the Android lock screen remotely is not supported. For security reasons, Android does not allow remote tools (including TeamViewer) to bypass or unlock the device lock screen. This is why disabling the screen lock is currently the only way to maintain uninterrupted remote access.

Android TV / Smart TV control with TeamViewer

TeamViewer’s remote control functionality for Android TV devices is more limited than for phones or tablets, and behavior can vary by TV model and Android version.

You can find the official, supported setup and limitations here:

Remotely control a Sony Bravia TV

What you can and cannot do

Based on current capabilities:

Switch TV on/off ➜ ❌ Not possible
Change volume ➜ ✅ Yes
Change Freeview / TV channels ➜ ✅ Yes (where supported by the TV)
Open apps ➜ ✅ Yes
Access websites ➜ ✅ Yes (via a browser app on the TV)

The blue pointing hand you’re seeing indicates that TeamViewer is sending remote input, but on some TVs the interaction is limited to pointer-based navigation rather than full remote control.

Permission prompts

Yes, that is expected behavior.

On Android TV, permission must typically be confirmed locally when starting a session, unlike on tablets or phones where permissions can remain persistent. This is enforced by the Android TV platform for security reasons.

Supported Android TV versions and licensing

To get the best possible level of control, the TV must meet the following requirements:

Android TV version: Android 13 or newer
Licensing:
- Available only for licensed TeamViewer customers who have purchased the Mobile Device Support (MDS) add-on, or
- TeamViewer Tensor license holders

Without the correct license or Android version, functionality will be very limited.

I hope I have covered your questions.

Let me know if you have any further questions! I'll be happy to assist. 🙂

/JeanK

All comments

JeanK

Hi @Please_help_1,

Thank you so much for your valuable feedback and ideas. I genuinely appreciate you taking the time.

And I coulnd't agree with you, the beauty of TeamViewer is also to help your beloved ones who struggle with technology. 🙌

Going back to your question about the tablet, the most reliable way to always access it is to leave it in stand-by/sleep mode, indeed.

Cheers,

/JeanK

Please_help_1

Thank you for your very detailed response. I hope many people will find it useful. I feel that TeamViewer should be promoted in the disability forum particularly where you are trying to help a remote loved one who struggles with technology . It sounds like a larger screen tablet might be the way forward as my mother's current tablet is groaning under the weight. I think you could probably even charge a small fee as is so useful. Perhaps you could publish articles on relevant disability websites dementia, motor neurone disease etc

I have discovered another issue this morning as had turned off my mother's tablet so when it was turned back on I still couldn't access it because TeamViewer host had shut down. I've tried giving it full access to battery which I thought meant it would start up but this doesn't seem to work. Other than requesting it be left in standby mode you have any ideas?

Thanks for your time

JeanK

Thank you @Please_help_1, for coming back and for explaining the situation in more detail. And no worries at all about the reply button. 😇

Your reasoning makes complete sense, and imo, we've identified the biggest challenge here with TVs: anything that requires local interaction of the remote user (in this case, your mother), quickly becomes a blocker, especially when accessibility is involved.

You’re absolutely right that casting is often not possible, especially with Linux‑based TV models.

A smart screen unfortunately won’t give you the same experience as a tablet:

They are not designed for full remote control via TeamViewer
Persistent unattended access is usually not supported
Interaction is often limited to voice or very basic touch input

So while they can be useful for simple scenarios, they’re not a good replacement for a tablet when you need to remotely control your mother's device.

Important note about Android tablets & smart displays

This is a very important point.

On some Android‑based tablets or smart displays, there is no dedicated TeamViewer manufacturer add‑on available. In those cases, TeamViewer uses the Universal Add‑On instead.

What this means in practice:

The Universal Add‑On requires user interaction
Even if TeamViewer Host is running, the user must confirm the remote control session locally
This can result in a confirmation pop‑up on the device at the start of each session

So while unattended access is supported on many Android tablets, it depends on the device model and available add‑on. TeamViewer explains this behavior here:

Remote control an Android device via unattended access

Given everything you’ve described, your proposed approach is actually the most reliable:

Using an Android tablet (screen lock disabled) or use the existing TV for live Freeview

Why the tablet still wins (with the right model)

If you choose a well‑supported Android tablet (one with a dedicated TeamViewer manufacturer add‑on rather than the Universal Add‑On), you get:

Persistent unattended access
No session approval prompts
Immediate support when needed
A much calmer experience for both of you

That said, it’s important to be transparent about one limitation in a Community context:

We’re unable to provide a concrete list of tablet models that include a dedicated TeamViewer add‑on.
In the TeamViewer Community, we can’t recommend or advertise specific manufacturers over others. As a result, add‑on availability needs to be checked on a per‑device basis.

If a device does not have a dedicated add‑on and instead relies on the Universal Add‑On, your mother will still be required to confirm the remote control session, even if TeamViewer Host is running in the background.

And on a personal note, it’s genuinely wonderful to see how thoughtfully you’re using TeamViewer to support your mother remotely. It's inspiring to see TeamViewer put to such meaningful use. 🤩

Please keep me updated about how you approached this and if I can help you further!

/JeanK

Please_help_1

Apologies I posted a comment then saw was actually a reply button. Thank you for your prompt response it's good to know that I'm doing all I can with the tablet and the TV as well.

After a little thought thought I have concluded that I would probably struggle to even get my mother to give me permission to control the television as it would involve her using the remote and finding the right button. I've actually bought a seven button remote and she's even struggling with that

I think my solution is either to purchase a TV that I can cast to from the tablet I can't do this currently as the bravia TV is Linux based and I spent an unhappy half hour trying to connect to it. Possible alternative would be a smart screen although this would lose the freeview television. Would I be able to control a smart screen the same way as I do a tablet? I could then potentially leave my mother with her current TV for live channels and when she'd like something off catch up TV I can turn on the smart screen?

Thanks again

Please_help_1

Thank you for your prompt response at least I know now I wasn't doing anything wrong with my Panasonic television. I have seen that some TVs come with TeamViewer pre-installed does that mean they are licenced? Otherwise what would a licence cost? Thanks again

JeanK

Hi @Please_help_1,

Thank you for your detailed message and for explaining your situation so clearly.

I'll try to answer as direct as possible to all your questions:

Android tablet lock screen

Android TV / Smart TV control with TeamViewer

TeamViewer’s remote control functionality for Android TV devices is more limited than for phones or tablets, and behavior can vary by TV model and Android version.

You can find the official, supported setup and limitations here:

Remotely control a Sony Bravia TV

What you can and cannot do

Based on current capabilities:

Switch TV on/off ➜ ❌ Not possible
Change volume ➜ ✅ Yes
Change Freeview / TV channels ➜ ✅ Yes (where supported by the TV)
Open apps ➜ ✅ Yes
Access websites ➜ ✅ Yes (via a browser app on the TV)

The blue pointing hand you’re seeing indicates that TeamViewer is sending remote input, but on some TVs the interaction is limited to pointer-based navigation rather than full remote control.

Permission prompts

Yes, that is expected behavior.

Supported Android TV versions and licensing

To get the best possible level of control, the TV must meet the following requirements:

Android TV version: Android 13 or newer
Licensing:
- Available only for licensed TeamViewer customers who have purchased the Mobile Device Support (MDS) add-on, or
- TeamViewer Tensor license holders

Without the correct license or Android version, functionality will be very limited.

I hope I have covered your questions.

Let me know if you have any further questions! I'll be happy to assist. 🙂

/JeanK

New feature spotlight

Learn more about the latest feature we’ve released.

Learn more

Tip of the month

Discover quick, practical tips to get more out of TeamViewer each month.

Learn more