Use your teleprompter's Bluetooth remote in the browser
The remote in the box often works only with the maker's app. The Best Teleprompter learns any Bluetooth remote that your browser can read: you press each button once, and it's saved to your account.
1. Pair it with the device that shows the text
Turn the remote on and pair it in the Bluetooth settings of the phone or tablet inside the teleprompter, not the camera. The page can't pair it for you; once it's paired, the browser can read it.
2. Teach it your buttons
- On that device, open the app, tap "Set up this device" and go to the Remote step.
- Press any button so the browser wakes the remote up.
- Press the button you want for Pause / resume, then Forward, then Back. Faster, Slower, Back to start, Next section and Previous section are optional.
- Test each button, then save. The remote works on any device you sign in to.
No remote? A keyboard or a presentation clicker works without teaching: Space or Enter pauses and resumes, the arrow keys and Page Up / Page Down move between sentences, [ and ] move between sections, and Home goes back to the start.
3. Record without touching the screen
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pause / resume | Starts the countdown, pauses and resumes. In voice mode, pausing turns the microphone off. |
| Forward | Jumps to the next sentence. Voice following continues from there. |
| Back | Goes to the start of the sentence, or of the one before if you're at the start. |
| Faster / Slower | Changes auto-scroll speed by 10 words a minute. In voice mode, your voice sets the pace. |
| Back to start | Goes back to the first word, ready for another take. |
| Next section / Previous section | Jumps between the parts of your script that start with a # title. |
Remote modes, and which one to use
Many teleprompter remotes have more than one mode, switched by a button or by holding two buttons for a few seconds (see the remote's manual). Each mode looks different to the browser.
| Mode | What the browser sees |
|---|---|
| Game controller | Buttons and a joystick |
| Keyboard or page turner | Key presses: arrows, Page Up / Page Down, Space, Enter |
| Mouse | Clicks and the scroll wheel. A click on the screen does nothing during a take unless you taught it. |
Not sure which mode yours is in? Just teach it: the app tells you what it found. Where we tested a remote is in the table below.
On iPhone and iPad
- Use Safari. The Best Teleprompter works there, with your voice, auto-scroll and your remote.
- Set Auto-Lock to Never while you record (Settings, Display & Brightness, Auto-Lock), so the screen doesn't turn off.
- For full screen, tap Share, then "Add to Home Screen", and open The Best Teleprompter from there.
- Keep the page in front. A notification or another app takes the remote away until you come back and tap the screen.
When the remote doesn't respond
Nothing happens when I press a button
Check three things: the remote is paired in the device's Bluetooth settings; it's in a mode the browser reads; and the page is in front, not behind another app.
One press jumps two sentences
Some remotes send two signals per press. Teach that button again: the app records both signals and counts them as one press.
A button clicks the middle of the screen
During a take, the on-screen buttons stay hidden, so a click from the remote does nothing unless you taught it.
The remote stopped in the middle of a take
The page lost focus, usually because of a notification or another app. The take keeps going; tap the screen and the remote works again.
Remotes we tested
We name a remote only after testing it ourselves, on the device and browser listed. Others can work too: teaching it shows you whether your browser reads it.
| Remote | Device and browser | How it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| Ulanzi RT02 remote (MOCUTE-052 chip, AUTO mode) | Android with Chrome | As a game controller. Every button, the joystick and the trigger can be taught. |
Remote questions
Do I need the app that came with my teleprompter?
No. Pair the remote in your device's Bluetooth settings and teach it in The Best Teleprompter, in the browser.
Which remotes work?
Any Bluetooth remote that your browser can read: game controller, keyboard or mouse. We name only the remotes we tested, with the device and browser we tested them on; for others, the teaching step shows whether your browser reads yours.
Does it work on iPhone?
Yes, in Safari. Teach your remote in the Remote step: if Safari reads it, it works. The remotes we tested, and on which devices, are in the table on this page.
Does the Ulanzi RT02 remote work?
Yes on Android with Chrome, where we tested it: it shows up as a game controller and every button can be taught. We haven't tested it on other devices.
Is the remote part of Pro?
No. The remote, the keyboard keys and auto-scroll are in the free plan.
Can I use a keyboard or a presentation clicker?
Yes, with no setup: Space or Enter pauses and resumes, the arrow keys and Page Up / Page Down move between sentences, [ and ] move between sections, and Home goes back to the start.