There's no clean built-in way to connect a Hisense TV to Wi-Fi without the remote — Hisense never built one. But there are five workarounds that actually work, and at least one of them fits your situation. The fastest is the phone-hotspot trick. The most universal is the USB keyboard plug-in.
Why this is harder on Hisense than on other brands
Hisense's TVs run four different operating systems — VIDAA, Roku TV, Google TV, and Fire TV — and each has its own answer to the "no remote" problem. The thing they share: you cannot complete first-time setup with just the physical button on the TV. The button only handles power and basic input switching.
So your real question isn't "can I connect without the remote" — it's "what input device can I use instead of the remote?"
Method 1 — The phone hotspot trick
Best for: TVs that were already connected to a Wi-Fi network you remember the credentials of.
Why it works: Hisense TVs auto-rejoin any saved Wi-Fi network when they boot. If you create a hotspot on your phone using the exact same SSID and password as the saved network, the TV thinks it's home.
- Find out the saved network credentials.
- On iPhone: Settings → Personal Hotspot. iOS won't let you change the SSID directly, but General → About → Name lets you rename your iPhone to match.
- On Android: Settings → Network → Hotspot → set Network name and password to match.
- Power on the TV using the physical button. Wait 60 seconds.
- The TV should auto-join the hotspot.
- Connect another device to the same hotspot, install the phone remote app, pair, and use the app to switch the TV to your real Wi-Fi.
Method 2 — Plug in a USB keyboard
Best for: brand-new Hisense TVs or fully-reset TVs with no saved networks.
Almost every Hisense smart TV from 2018 onward accepts a USB keyboard. Once connected: arrow keys = directional pad, Enter = OK, Escape = back, letters/numbers = type into Wi-Fi password fields.
Find any USB keyboard. Wired is best. Plug into the TV's rear USB port. Power on TV. Use arrow keys to navigate to the Wi-Fi setup screen, type the password, hit Enter.
Method 3 — Plug in Ethernet
Best for: TVs that are physically near your router.
Every smart Hisense TV has an Ethernet port. Plug a cable from your router into the TV. The TV gets internet immediately, no setup required, and the phone remote app finds it the moment your phone is on the same network.
Method 4 — The Hisense RemoteNOW app
Best for: VIDAA TVs that are already on a different Wi-Fi.
If the TV is online — even if you can't change the network — you can pair the official RemoteNOW app over the same Wi-Fi as the TV, then use the app to navigate to Settings → Network and switch networks.
Method 5 — Buy a $5 universal remote
A varies universal remote from Walmart, Target, or Amazon will work in 30 seconds. You'll need the Hisense universal remote codes — most Hisense TVs use either 0073, 0095, 0156, 0182, or 0227.
FAQ
Can I connect a Hisense TV to Wi-Fi using just my phone?
Only if the TV is already online or if you can spoof its old Wi-Fi network with a phone hotspot.
Will any USB keyboard work?
Most do. Brand-name wired keyboards (Logitech, Microsoft, Dell) always work.
Does Hisense have a setup app for the TV?
The Hisense RemoteNOW app and our phone remote app work after the TV is online. There's no Hisense app that can complete a brand-new Hisense's first-boot Wi-Fi setup remotely.