The ‘Find my remote’ feature is coming to more than just Walmart’s Onn. 4K Pro

Tired of searching for your Google TV remote in the couch cushions? Google might finally have a solution for you with a new feature called “Find my remote.” While this feature has actually already made its debut on Walmart’s new Onn. 4K Pro streaming box, we hadn’t seen anything to suggest it would be available for any other Google TV remotes. But now, a recent Google TV update has revealed hidden code that will hopefully bring this much-needed feature to more devices.

At I/O last week, Google announced that Android 14 was heading to Google TV and were pushing an update to the emulator build. And hidden within that update, the folks over at Andriod Authority have uncovered references to this “Find my remote” feature, suggesting a broader rollout beyond just the Onn. 4K Pro!

This feature, as the name suggests, is pretty straightforward. It aims to help users locate their misplaced remotes with ease. A simple press of a button on your Google TV device will trigger a 30-second sound alert on compatible remotes, making them much easier to find. Then the alert can be silenced by pressing any button on the remote itself.

We’ve said all along this is going to be a killer feature on the Walmart Onn. 4K Pro streaming box since these slim streaming remotes always seem to find a way between your cushions. So after getting our unit in the office, we tested it out and it works perfectly. Pressing a button on the front of the Onn. box causes the remote to beep and flash a small LED light. No more tearing apart the living room searching for the remote!

The kicker here is that the hidden code matches the on-screen prompts already present in the Onn 4K Pro’s “Find my remote” menu settings. This leads me to believe Google is planning on rolling out this feature to all compatible Google TV remotes.

At this point, it’s unclear exactly if any older devices will get the Find My Remote feature. Older Google TV remotes without a built-in speaker can’t take advantage of this feature obviously, since they have no way to ring. And a flashing LED wouldn’t do you much good if the remote isn’t visible. Also, without a physical button on the streaming box to initiate this feature, you’d be left trying to navigate to the menu setting on your Google TV with just your phone. Because of these factors, I imagine this feature will get built into future devices and will not be added to any existing devices on the market.

As for future devices, there have been rumors of a new Chromecast with Google TV that includes a new remote that is all set for release and it would make sense that this device would launch with Android 14. So, with I/O behind us and Android 14 rolling out, hopefully a launch is imminent. For now, Walmart’s excellent Onn. 4K Pro is stealing the show.

While Google has yet to officially confirm the details, the discovery of this hidden code has certainly piqued my interest. This feature is a welcome addition for anyone who’s ever experienced the frustration of a missing remote – especially the slippery Chromecast with Google TV remote – and I’m glad that it’s not going to be exclusive to just one manufacturer. As we wait for more details, keep an eye out for further updates from Google on the official release and the new Chromecast with Google TV.