Support

Frequently asked questions

The app cannot find my TV.

Work through this list in order:

• Same network: your iPhone and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi. A guest network, a 5 GHz / 2.4 GHz split with client isolation, or a VPN on your iPhone will all break discovery.
• Local Network permission: open iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and make sure Zapster is switched on. Discovery does nothing without it.
• TV awake: some TVs stop answering discovery when they are fully off. Turn the TV on and scan again.
• Roku: in the TV's settings, System → Advanced system settings → Control by mobile apps must be set to allow network access.
• Add it by hand: if your router hides devices from each other, tap Add TV by IP address and type the address shown in your TV's network settings.

Which TVs are supported?

Roku and Roku TV (including TCL, Hisense, Sharp and Philips Roku models), Samsung Smart TV on Tizen from 2016 onwards, LG webOS, and Vizio SmartCast. Android TV and Fire TV devices appear in the scan results but are labelled "Pairing coming soon" - they cannot be controlled yet. The App is not affiliated with any of these manufacturers, and which buttons work depends on what your model exposes.

How do I pair with my TV?

It depends on the brand, and it only happens once:

• Roku: no pairing at all - just connect.
• Samsung: a prompt appears on the TV; choose Allow. The token is then saved on your iPhone.
• LG webOS: a pairing request appears on the TV; accept it.
• Vizio SmartCast: the TV shows a 4-digit PIN; type it into the App.

If you declined the prompt, use Forget on the TV in the device list and connect again to get a fresh prompt.

Buttons do nothing, or the connection keeps dropping.

Usually the TV's IP address changed. Open the device list, pull to rescan, and tap the TV again - or use Forget and reconnect to store the new address. A DHCP reservation for your TV in your router keeps this from recurring. Also check that your iPhone has not switched to cellular or a VPN, and that the TV is not in a deep standby mode that ignores network commands.

The power button does not turn my TV on.

A TV that is fully off cannot answer a network command, so the App wakes it with a Wake-on-LAN packet instead - and that needs the TV's MAC address. Samsung and Roku hand theirs over automatically on the first connection; for other brands you may need to add it in the TV's entry in the App. Your TV must also have its own wake-on-network setting enabled (names vary: "Wake on LAN", "Wake on Cast", "Mobile power on"), and some models only support it over Ethernet.

The app launcher is empty or an app is missing.

The grid is built from the list of installed apps your TV reports, so it only ever shows what that TV actually has. Some models report nothing at all, in which case the grid stays empty and you can still launch apps with the d-pad. Artwork comes from the TV too; where it serves none, the App shows a brand colour and initials.

How do I cancel my subscription or free trial?

Subscriptions are managed by Apple, not inside the App. Open iOS Settings → your name → Subscriptions, choose Zapster Universal TV Remote and tap Cancel Subscription. To avoid being charged after the 3-day free trial, cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends. You keep Premium until the end of the current period. Deleting the App does not cancel the subscription. Apple's step-by-step guide: support.apple.com/HT202039.

How do I restore my purchase on a new device?

Make sure the device is signed in with the same Apple ID you used to buy Premium, then go to Settings → Premium → Restore Purchases (the button is also on the Premium screen). Subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are both restored this way. If nothing is restored, check your Apple purchase history to confirm which Apple ID the purchase belongs to.

How do I get a refund?

Because Apple processes every payment, refunds are also handled by Apple. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in with your Apple ID, find the Zapster purchase and choose "Request a refund". We are not able to issue refunds ourselves.

What does Premium include?

The free version includes every supported TV brand, discovery, the full remote, the app launcher and 30 key presses per day. Premium unlocks unlimited key presses, the Home Screen widgets and the Siri shortcuts. It is offered as a weekly subscription at $4.99 with a 3-day free trial, a yearly subscription at $24.99, or a one-time lifetime purchase at $29.99.

My widget does nothing, or shows the wrong TV.

Widgets are a Premium feature and act on the TV you picked for them. Open Settings → Widget configuration in the App, choose the TV and, for the medium widget, the app tiles. Then long-press your Home Screen, tap +, search for Zapster and add the small or medium widget. A widget button still needs your iPhone to be on the same Wi-Fi as the TV.

How do I use Siri?

Say, for example, "Turn off the TV with TV Remote", "Mute the TV with TV Remote", or "Turn up the TV with TV Remote". There is also a Launch TV App action you can drop into any Shortcuts automation. Siri shortcuts are a Premium feature and act on the TV chosen in Widget Setup.

Does the app send anything to the internet?

No. Zapster has no server and no account. Discovery and every command stay on your local network, and your saved TVs, their IP and MAC addresses and their pairing tokens never leave your iPhone. See the Privacy Policy for the details.

How do I remove a TV and its pairing?

Swipe or long-press the TV in the device list and choose Forget. That deletes its entry and its pairing token from your iPhone. Some televisions also keep their own list of paired devices - remove it there too, in the TV's own settings, if you want no trace left.

How do I change the app language?

Go to Settings → Language and pick one of the 14 supported languages. The interface and the widgets switch immediately.

I found a bug.

Please email us with your TV brand and model, what you were doing, what happened, and your iPhone model and iOS version. A screenshot or screen recording helps a lot. We read every report.