Beam help and manual

Questions and answers

Which TVs does Beam work with?

Beam supports LG webOS, Samsung Tizen and legacy Samsung, Philips JointSpace, Roku, supported Sony BRAVIA sets, VIZIO SmartCast, Sharp AQUOS sets with IP control switched on, Hisense VIDAA, Panasonic VIERA sets from 2011 to 2023, and certified Android TV or Google TV devices with Google services. The phone and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Sharp ships IP control switched off, so it has to be turned on in the TV's own settings before Beam can see the set at all. IR-only televisions and no-GMS AOSP sets are not supported, because they expose no compatible local network control protocol.

Why can't Beam find my TV?

Check that your phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network rather than an isolated guest network, that the TV is powered on, that Beam has local network permission, and that network or mobile device control is enabled in the TV's settings. A reachable TV with no supported discovery service or control port may be IR-only.

Do I need to create an account?

Yes. Beam requires an account, and you sign in with Apple or Google before using the remote. TV discovery, pairing, and commands still happen directly over your local Wi-Fi rather than through the Beam backend.

How does pairing work?

Pairing depends on the TV platform. LG and Samsung generally use approval on the TV. Philips, Sony, VIZIO, Hisense and Android or Google TV show a pairing code, which you can type in or scan with the camera, and so do Panasonic sets from 2018 on. Roku, Sharp and older Panasonic sets need no pairing code at all. Saved pairing stays on this device so Beam can reconnect without repeating the normal pairing flow.

Which features are free?

Core D-pad, volume, mute, channel, back, and home controls are free. Trackpad, keyboard, quick launch and photo casting require Beam Premium, and a rewarded ad can open them for a limited time. Every advanced feature also depends on what the connected TV protocol supports.

Can I send photos to my TV?

Yes, where the TV supports it. Google TV, Android TV, VIZIO and Sharp sets take the photo over Chromecast built-in, and many LG, Samsung, Sony and Philips sets take it through the TV's own DLNA renderer instead. Either way the TV pulls the photo from your phone over your Wi-Fi. The photo is never uploaded to Beam.

Is there an Android version?

Beam is an iPhone and iPad app, available on the iOS App Store. There is no Android version, and none is planned for the near future.

What data does Beam collect?

Technical diagnostics start enabled to help discover and support TV models, investigate failures, and improve reliability. You can disable future diagnostic upload and sharing in Settings while bounded local capture continues. Beam also uses AdMob for ads, RevenueCat for subscriptions, and Sentry for reliability. TV commands, pairing secrets, keyboard or TV text, and photo content are not included in diagnostics. See the Privacy Policy for complete details.

TV List

LG

webOS

Samsung

Tizen and legacy

Google TV

Android TV

Roku

ECP

Philips

JointSpace

Sony

supported BRAVIA

VIZIO

SmartCast

Sharp

AQUOS, with IP control on

Hisense

VIDAA

Panasonic

VIERA

Fire TV, Apple TV, IR-only televisions, and Android-based TVs without Google services are not supported.

The full TV List gives each platform a row, with how it pairs and what to switch on at the TV first.