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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-02-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001630923</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUGHES LOUIS SYLVESTER</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>201 EAST SANDPOINTE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>8TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA ANA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92707-6708</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Rt to Buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>65.54</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-02-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2015-02-12</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10095</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>65.54</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2016-02-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-02-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10095</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10095</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 33.33 percent vesting  on the first anniversary of the grant date and then 8.33 percent each quarter for the next 8 quarters, and an expiration of seven years from the date of grant or earlier under certain circumstances.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Exercise Price determined in accordance with the terms of the Company's applicable Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Louis S. Hughes by Natalie Cernosek, pursuant to Limited Power of Attorney dated January 14, 2015(attached)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-02-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
