<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-01-25</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000101984</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UEIC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001428264</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kopaskie Mark S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6101 GATEWAY DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CYPRESS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90630</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive VP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Rt to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>24.91</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-01-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2010-01-25</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17600</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>24.91</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-04-25</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-01-25</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>17600</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>84800</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Employee Stock Option (Rt to Buy) grant to Reporting Person in accordance with one of Universal Electronics Inc's various Stock Incentive Plans which provides for ratable vesting each quarter for three years after one year following the date of grant and an expiration of ten years from the date of grant or earlier under certain circumstances.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Mark S. Kopaskie, by Richard A. Firehammer, Jr., pursuant to Limited Power of Attorney dated February 25, 2008 (attached)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
