TV remote not working? Quick fixes
Most dead remotes come down to batteries, something in the way, or a remote that has lost its connection to the TV. Work through these fixes in order; they take a few minutes and need no tools.
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Fix it, step by step
- 1
Put in fresh batteries
Replace all of them at once, with the same type, and check the + and − ends. If the contacts look crusty, clean them with a dry cloth first. - 2
Check that the TV responds at all
Press the power button on the TV itself. If the TV doesn't react to its own buttons either, the problem is the TV or its power, not the remote. - 3
Test the infrared light with a phone camera
Point the remote at your phone's camera and press a button. A flashing light on the screen means the remote is sending. If the main camera shows nothing, try the front camera; some cameras filter infrared. Bluetooth remotes won't show a light at all. - 4
Clear the line of sight
An infrared remote needs a clear path to the sensor on the front of the TV, usually along the bottom edge. A soundbar, decorations or strong sunlight on the sensor can block it. - 5
Reset the remote
Take the batteries out, press and hold the power button for about ten seconds, then put the batteries back. It clears a remote that has got stuck. - 6
Pair it again
Many smart TV and streaming remotes use Bluetooth and must be paired with the TV. The TV's manual gives the button combination; you usually hold it near the TV while you press it. - 7
Restart the TV
Unplug the TV from the wall for a minute and plug it back in. A full restart clears a TV that has stopped listening.
When it's time for a new remote
If none of that works, the remote is probably broken, after a drop or a spill for instance. A replacement from the TV maker is the safest choice; an infrared universal remote also covers the basics on most TVs. Until it arrives, the TV's own buttons and your phone will do.
Your phone as the backup remote
Rimokon turns your iPhone or Android phone into a remote for the TVs in your home. It reaches the TV over your Wi-Fi rather than infrared, so there's no line of sight to block and no batteries to run out, and it works from any room the Wi-Fi reaches.
It needs the phone and the TV on the same Wi-Fi. It works with Google TV and Android TV, Apple TV, Samsung, LG, Sony, Fire TV, Roku, Philips, Panasonic and VIZIO, but not with every TV: Hisense VIDAA, Titan OS and the newest Fire TV Sticks (Vega OS) aren't supported yet. See which TVs work.