LG ThinQ

LG ThinQ Review: The Only Full Remote for LG Appliances, and a Fragile One

2.4 GHz only, 10 meters: why ThinQ often won't connect

Every connected LG appliance registers over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only. LG's US setup guide says to pick a network without 5G or 5GHz in its name, keep the router within 10 meters of the appliance and switch off mobile data on the phone while pairing. Routers that broadcast both bands under one name are a common trip-up: one Play reviewer in September 2026 had to type the network name by hand to re-register a direct-drive washer. Location access is requested to find Wi-Fi networks during registration, and the Play permission list also names home location, weather and location-based Smart Routines. Of the 150 newest English Google Play reviews, posted September 23 to October 1, 2026, 70 gave one or two stars. By our count, 19 of those describe devices that would not pair, dropped offline or vanished after an update, and six could not sign in.

Remote Control mode, Smart Diagnosis and ThinQ UP on the machines

On LG front-load washers, remote start needs a step at the machine: you first hold the Remote Control button on the machine for 3 seconds; the panel then locks except for Power and Remote Control, and only the app can start the cycle. Without that step the app shows the remaining time and can switch the washer off, nothing more. Smart Diagnosis checks a product's status and may use the phone's microphone to do it, and the Chat with LG assistant handles troubleshooting through to scheduling a repair. ThinQ UP, folded into the ThinQ PLAY menu in 2025, downloads new functions to appliances launched from 2022 onward, such as a dry-only dishwasher cycle, a pet-hair care cycle and custom end-of-cycle melodies. For LG TVs the app doubles as a remote, and sets on webOS 3.5 or later can be switched on from the phone; older ones only switch off.

Matter through an LG hub, plus Alexa, Google and Samsung links

ThinQ can add Matter-certified devices from other brands by scanning their QR code or typing the setup code. LG's instructions for using a TV as that hub add three conditions: the TV must support the hub feature, the Matter device and TV must share a network and a home in the app, and both must use the same LG account. Without an LG hub there is no Matter control in the app. The LG ThinQ skill for Amazon Alexa covers nine product types, from washers and ranges to robot cleaners and webOS TVs, though LG says only basic features are supported on Alexa speakers, and LG's US site says ovens and ranges also answer to Google Assistant. In August 2023 LG announced that ThinQ would control Samsung and Vestel washers, dryers and dishwashers through the Home Connectivity Alliance, naming the US among the target markets.

What LG collects: sensor data, an 18+ policy and ad-partner sharing

LG's US privacy policy, effective April 29, 2026, covers the app, the ThinQ ON hub and connected appliances. Through the app LG may collect each device's operating status, settings, software version, sensor readings and location. The policy says LG does not sell data for money, yet it may share contact, demographic, device and online-activity data with advertising partners, which state laws can treat as sharing; opt-outs go through a web form or the Global Privacy Control signal. Voice recordings from voice-enabled products may be kept for one year. Apple's label lists identifiers used to track you, and the Google Play form lists eight data types shared with third parties for analytics, including location and voice recordings. The policy also says the services are meant for adults 18 and older, while both stores rate the app suitable for all ages.