Google TV

It’s gotten way easier to buy a spare remote for Google TV, but you should be wary

Ben Schoon | Apr 10 2024 - 9:01 am PT

For the longest time, getting a spare remote for Android TV or Google TV was a big hassle but, over time, it’s gotten a whole lot easier.

Back in 2019 and prior, buying a spare remote for an Android TV device like the Nvidia Shield was not particularly easy. Options were slim and, while they worked, the quality was often lacking and the usability wasn’t nearly as good as a proper replacement.

When Google launched the Chromecast with Google TV in 2020, the company had the foresight to also almost immediately start selling a replacement remote on the Google Store.

Getting a more generic remote that works with other devices, though, was pretty hit or miss. On Android TV brand, Mecool, has been selling replacement remotes from its website for a while, and for just $17. But both in that case and in Google’s, getting those remotes quickly is not really an option, and if it is, it’s quite expensive.

At this point, though, spare/replacement remotes for Google TV devices are widely available through Amazon and Walmart.

There are a lot of options through these retailers, some of which are clear, low-quality knock offs. From the looks of it, though, there are some options out there that aren’t total trash.

One listing on Amazon for just shy of $18 offers Google’s reference design remote, optimized for Walmart’s Onn streaming devices. Reviews are a bit mixed, with a negative being that IR apparently does not work. But this should function as a spare remote, should you be caught in a situation where the main remote is lost or broken. A similar remote is available through Walmart’s website, this time with the “Onn” logo printed on it, though this is not officially sold by Walmart.

There’s also a clone of the official Chromecast remote on Amazon for $14, a fair bit less than Google’s official option, which has Prime shipping. This is not an official remote, but it’s a pretty close copy from the looks of it, and reviews of the remote seem satisfied with the functionality.

You should absolutely be wary buying any Google TV replacement or spare remote from a third-party seller online. The only official means of purchase that are readily available today are, as mentioned, the Chromecast remote on the Google Store, and Mecool’s replacement remote on its store. But these third-party options are more quickly available in a pinch, and sometimes more cost effective too. It’s great to see that as an option, but be careful, and don’t waste your money.