To start with, the ‘IR’ in IR blaster is the acronym for infrared. Previously, this feature was very instrumental in sharing files with older phone models. In addition, this feature was used for internet connection between older phones and a computer or PDA. In fact, this feature was commonly known as IrDA. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have however replaced this feature. Currently, older flagship phones such as those made by Samsung, come with IR blasters. In fact, the IR blaster resembles the transparent infrared LED on your normal remote control and is located on the top section of your phone. With this feature in place, you will be able to use your older Samsung model to control other devices such as set-up boxes, TVs, and air conditioning units via infrared rays. As a result, your Samsung phone will double up as a universal remote control. In this article, we shall outline how the Samsung phone with IR blaster works, and the various Samsung models that come with this feature, among other finer details.
What Does An IR Blaster Do?
Like we have said above, the IR blaster allows you to command various home appliances or devices the way you please. This is because your phone will actually double up as a universal remote. Whether you have a TV or a setup box, be sure that you will have an easy time controlling them. However, these devices have to be compatible with IR remotes.
When using the IR blaster to control your devices, you will send commands through infrared rays to the device you intend to control. As a result, you will eliminate the hustle of Bluetooth pairing process. In fact, you can use the IR blaster to control devices that do not come with wireless or Bluetooth connections. This has made many homeowners enjoy unmatched convenience.
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How Do I Know If My Phone Has An IR Blaster?
Here are a few tips that can help you establish whether your phone came with an IR blaster or not:
1. Try to locate the IR LED/Infrared
In most cases, the above-mentioned feature is located on the top section of your phone. Typically, the IR LED is small in size and does not glow. In fact, it resembles the infrared LED on your remote control, which is mostly transparent in nature. If you spot the IR LED on your phone, chances are that your device has an IR blaster. Thankfully, this feature is not difficult to locate.
2. Check your phone’s manual
Besides the above-mentioned tip, consider checking your phone’s manual. Chances are that this feature has been mentioned somewhere in that manual. In case there is a mention of this feature, know that your phone has an IR blaster. On the other hand, if this feature is not present on that manual, know that your device does not have this feature at all.
3. Visit the manufacturer’s site and check the specification of your phone
In case you do not have the phone’s manual close to you, feel free to visit the manufacturer’s site and check whether this feature is mentioned there or not. If the phone came with the IR blaster, chances are that this feature has been mentioned on the manufacturer’s site.
4. Visit the Google Play Store and download the IR Test app
Besides the above-mentioned methods, you can visit the Google Play Store of your device and then download the IR Test app on your device. Once you install this app, open it and then allow it to run a few tests on your device. After a few minutes, you will be able to establish whether your device supports or has the IR Blaster or not.
On the other hand, if the feature is missing, be sure your device does not have it. If you are not satisfied, visit 3rd party sites such as GSMArena.com to determine whether your phone has the IR blaster feature or not.
Does Samsung Have IR Blaster?
Yes. Although Samsung ceased producing phones that come with the IR blaster, some flagship phones have this feature. Typically, the models that were released between 2013-2015, most of them came with this feature. To put this into perspective, all the models from the S4 to the S6 series came with this feature. The only S6 model that does not have this feature is the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+.
List Of Samsung Phones With IR Blaster
Some of the Samsung phone models that boast of having the IR Blaster include:
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4
- Samsung Galaxy S4
- Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
- Samsung Galaxy S5
- Samsung Galaxy Note 3
- Samsung Galaxy S6
- Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini
- Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
- Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
- Samsung Galaxy S6
List Of Other Phones With IR Blaster
- Vivo X70 Pro Plus
- Huawei P50 Pro
- Poco F3 series
- Xiaomi 12 Pro
- Xiaomi 11T series
- Poco X4 Pro
- Redmi Note 11 Pro and 11 Pro Plus
- Poco M4 Pro
- TCL 10 Pro
- Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G
- Huawei P30 Pro
- Huawei Mate 10 Pro
- LG G5
Can I Install IR Blaster On My Phone?
Unfortunately, this is not possible. This is because the IR Blaster is not software but hardware. In most cases, the devices that possess this feature usually come with it from the manufacturer. If you want to use your Samsung device as a remote control, it ought to have an infrared port.
With this feature in place, you can go ahead and visit the Google Play Store, download and install the remote-control app on your device. After that, you will be able to use the IR Blaster to command various devices in your home.
Is IR Blaster Harmful?
Not really. If your device has an IR Blaster, it will work like a normal remote control. The normal remote controls usually have IR LED; a human eye cannot see that as its wavelength is beyond the ideal visible light range. As a result, the signal from the IR blaster will not affect your body in any way. Even if you are exposed to it for longer periods, be sure that you will still remain safe and sound.
Can I Use My Phone As A Remote Without IR Blaster?
Yes. If your device does not have the IR blaster, be sure that you can still use your device to command some home devices such as your TV. Here, you can consider obtaining an external IR blaster and then download one or two IR-compatible TV remote apps on your device. Thereafter, configure the network settings the way you please.
More importantly, remember that the external IR blaster should be connected to your device’s IR port. Typically, this port is mostly either the charging port or the headphone jack port. By doing so, you will be able to use your device as a universal remote control.
Does IR Blaster Work With Any TV?
Well, this feature works well with modern TVs. These include Smart or Android TVs. If you have this TV model at home, be sure that you will be able to control it using your phone if at all it has an IR blaster. Such TVs usually work well with the IR blaster as they come with built-in universal System Blasters from the manufacturer.
