A wearable system for providing a virtual remote control in a mixed reality environment, the wearable system comprising: a mixed reality display for presenting a virtual image to a user; an outward-facing imaging system configured to image an environment of a user; and a hardware processor programmed to: recognize a physical remote associated with a parent device based at least partially on body pose or eye gaze of the user; the hardware processor is further programmed to generate a virtual remote based at least partly on specifications of the physical remote, the virtual remote comprises a virtual button (1266, 1700) associated with an active volume of space including an active surface configured to track the user's interaction with the virtual button, a trigger surface for triggering a user interface action, and a release surface; cause the display to render the virtual remote; cause the display to render a focus indicator (1262a, 1262b, 1262c), the focus indicator connecting the virtual remote with the parent device, such that the focus indicator identifies that the virtual remote is associated with the parent device by visually connecting the virtual remote rendered by the mixed reality display with at least one of (i) the parent device as seen by the user through the wearable system, or (ii) the physical remote as seen by the user through the wearable system; identify an actuation of the virtual remote indicating an interaction with the parent device; transmit an instruction to the parent device causing the parent device to perform a function as if the physical remote is actuated; and cause the mixed reality display to generate a second focus indicator for the virtual button, upon actuation of the virtual button by the user when movement of the virtual button passes a threshold condition comprising at least one of a threshold position, a threshold duration, or a threshold velocity. a mixed reality display for presenting a virtual image to a user; an outward-facing imaging system configured to image an environment of a user; and a hardware processor programmed to: recognize a physical remote associated with a parent device based at least partially on body pose or eye gaze of the user; the hardware processor is further programmed to generate a virtual remote based at least partly on specifications of the physical remote, the virtual remote comprises a virtual button (1266, 1700) associated with an active volume of space including an active surface configured to track the user's interaction with the virtual button, a trigger surface for triggering a user interface action, and a release surface; cause the display to render the virtual remote; cause the display to render a focus indicator (1262a, 1262b, 1262c), the focus indicator connecting the virtual remote with the parent device, such that the focus indicator identifies that the virtual remote is associated with the parent device by visually connecting the virtual remote rendered by the mixed reality display with at least one of (i) the parent device as seen by the user through the wearable system, or (ii) the physical remote as seen by the user through the wearable system; identify an actuation of the virtual remote indicating an interaction with the parent device; transmit an instruction to the parent device causing the parent device to perform a function as if the physical remote is actuated; and cause the mixed reality display to generate a second focus indicator for the virtual button, upon actuation of the virtual button by the user when movement of the virtual button passes a threshold condition comprising at least one of a threshold position, a threshold duration, or a threshold velocity. recognize a physical remote associated with a parent device based at least partially on body pose or eye gaze of the user; the hardware processor is further programmed to generate a virtual remote based at least partly on specifications of the physical remote, the virtual remote comprises a virtual button (1266, 1700) associated with an active volume of space including an active surface configured to track the user's interaction with the virtual button, a trigger surface for triggering a user interface action, and a release surface; cause the display to render the virtual remote; cause the display to render a focus indicator (1262a, 1262b, 1262c), the focus indicator connecting the virtual remote with the parent device, such that the focus indicator identifies that the virtual remote is associated with the parent device by visually connecting the virtual remote rendered by the mixed reality display with at least one of (i) the parent device as seen by the user through the wearable system, or (ii) the physical remote as seen by the user through the wearable system; identify an actuation of the virtual remote indicating an interaction with the parent device; transmit an instruction to the parent device causing the parent device to perform a function as if the physical remote is actuated; and cause the mixed reality display to generate a second focus indicator for the virtual button, upon actuation of the virtual button by the user when movement of the virtual button passes a threshold condition comprising at least one of a threshold position, a threshold duration, or a threshold velocity.