Last updated: May 6th, 2026 at 11:00 UTC+02:00
SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships, we may earn a commission.
A new way to control Samsung TVs without a remote.
Reading time: 2 minutes
Max Jambor / SamMobile
The One UI Tizen 9 update has recently rolled out to 2023 Samsung TV models in more regions. Along with it, Samsung introduced a redesigned UI and a couple of new features, one of which is Pointer Mode.
Galaxy Watch users with Samsung TVs running Tizen 9 or later can use Pointer Mode to control their TVs using hand gestures. But how exactly does this feature work? More importantly, does it need a camera?
Samsung’s older Gesture Interaction feature for 2022 TVs did require a camera to detect hand movements, making it somewhat similar to Microsoft’s Kinect technology.
So, when Pointer Mode was announced, some people assumed it would work the same way as the old Gesture Interaction feature. But there are key differences, one of which is that a camera is no longer required.
Pointer Mode takes a different approach, and instead of a camera, it uses the Galaxy Watch’s built-in motion sensors to track hand movement and translate it into on-screen actions. You can move your hand to control a cursor on the TV screen and perform gestures to select items, go back, scroll through pages, and more.
If you want to try Pointer Mode, you can launch it through the SmartThings app on your Galaxy Watch. The feature includes a quick tutorial that walks you through the available gestures before you start using it.
There are a few requirements. You’ll need a Galaxy Watch 4 or newer model, along with a Samsung TV that has shipped with or received the Tizen 9 update (or later). Your TV must also be registered in SmartThings, and you need to be signed in to the same Samsung account on both devices.
You may also want to wear your Galaxy Watch on your dominant hand for a better Pointer Mode experience. To do that on your Watch, open Settings > General > Orientation.
If your TV is eligible for Tizen 9 but hasn’t received the update yet, you can check manually. Press Settings on your TV remote, then go to All settings > Support > Software update > Update now.
Mihai is a blogger and column writer at SamMobile. His first Samsung phone was an A800 which took a lot of beating, and a part of him still misses the novelty of the clamshell design. In his free time, he enjoys watching shows, documentaries, and stand-up comedy; listening to music, taking walks, and occasionally playing old(er) video games.
