TV Remote Not Working? 5 Fixes to Try Before Buying a New One

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Your TV remote is not working: no button responds, or the TV reacts late. Most of the time the cause is the batteries, an obstacle in front of the sensor or, for a Bluetooth remote, a lost connection with the TV.

Allow about 15 minutes to try everything.

Common symptoms and causes

• No button responds: dead or badly seated batteries, or an infrared signal blocked by an obstacle.
• The TV reacts slowly or erratically: low battery, especially on rechargeable Samsung remotes.
• Menus respond, but power and volume do not: on Google TV, those buttons use infrared and must be set up again.
• The remote’s light comes on, but the interface does not move: the Bluetooth connection is down.
• The pointer of the LG Magic Remote disappears: lost Bluetooth connection or interference from a Wi-Fi router, according to LG.

An infrared remote sends an invisible light that has to reach the sensor on the TV. A Bluetooth remote uses radio: it must be paired, meaning linked once and for all to the TV.

The diagnosis is not the same.

Before you start

• Identify your remote: battery-powered infrared, battery-powered Bluetooth, or rechargeable like the Samsung SolarCell (solar panel and USB-C port).
• Note the brand and model of the TV, printed on the label on the back.
• On Google TV, check which device you have: Chromecast with Google TV or Google TV Streamer.
• Have new AAA batteries and a smartphone with a camera ready.

Warning: never pierce, bend or heat a lithium battery. A swollen battery cannot be recharged and goes to a collection point. Work on a non-flammable surface and do not open a SolarCell remote, as its lithium battery is built in.

Warning: if alkaline batteries have leaked, do not touch the residue with bare hands and wash your hands afterward. Never mix new and used batteries. Take used batteries to a collection point.

Solution 1: replace the batteries or recharge the remote

For a battery-powered remote:

1. Take the old batteries out of the remote.
2. Install new AAA batteries.
3. Follow the + and − markings at the bottom of the compartment.

The TV should react as soon as you press a button.

Need AAA batteries? Here is a pack of alkaline batteries that will serve every remote in the house.

Duracell Plus AAA (LR03) alkaline batteries, pack of 24

1.5 V batteries for remotes, clocks and small everyday devices. A pack of 24 covers every remote in the house.

• AmazonSee at Amazon

Samsung SolarCell remotes are all Bluetooth and rechargeable, while other Bluetooth models from the brand still use batteries. Low battery? The response becomes slow or erratic.

1. Plug a USB-C cable into the port under the remote.
2. Check that the red light comes on: it is charging.
3. Leave the remote alone while it charges.
4. Unplug the cable when the red light goes out.
5. Check the battery level on the TV, in Settings > All settings > General and Privacy > Remote (the wording may vary by model).

The level shown should have gone up. Between charges, keep the solar panel exposed to light.

Tip: if the battery will not charge, change the cable and plug it into a stable power source. The manual gives the battery type, usually lithium-ion, sometimes NiMH. Store the remote away from heat.

Solution 2: test an infrared remote with your phone

The eye cannot see infrared. A phone camera can.

1. Open your smartphone’s camera.
2. Point the front of the remote at the lens.
3. Press a button while watching the phone screen.

A flashing light on the screen proves the remote is sending a signal. No light with new batteries: the remote is probably faulty, so go to solution 5 or see the retailer.

Tip: if nothing shows up, repeat the test with the front (selfie) camera. On some phones, the rear camera filters out infrared.

If the signal goes out but the TV does not react, clear the path:

1. Remove any objects between the remote and the TV.
2. Move lamps and electronic devices placed right next to the TV: they disturb infrared.

The TV should respond when you point the remote at it.

Good to know: a soundbar placed in front of the TV often hides the infrared sensor, located at the bottom of the screen.

Solution 3: restart the TV and re-pair a Bluetooth remote

Restart the TV

1. Unplug the TV from the wall outlet.
2. Wait 1 minute.
3. Plug the TV back in and turn it on.

Samsung TV remote not working: Smart Remote and SolarCell

1. Turn on the TV.
2. Point the remote at the TV.
3. Hold Return and Play/Pause for at least 3 seconds.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen.

The TV should then obey the buttons. The combination varies by model: according to user reports, some use Return and a color button.

If a SolarCell still does not respond:

1. Hold Return and Enter for more than 10 seconds to restart it.

If nothing changes, reset it. This erases its pairing, which you will have to redo.

1. Hold Return and Mic for more than 3 seconds, until the MIC light goes out.

Then pair it again as described above. On a battery-powered Smart Remote, take out and replace the batteries before trying again.

Google TV remote not working (Chromecast, Google TV Streamer)

1. Unplug the Chromecast or Google TV Streamer for 1 minute, then plug it back in.
2. Take both batteries out of the remote.
3. Put the batteries back and watch the light: two blinks mean the remote is working.
4. With no blink, remove the batteries and put them back in less than 2 seconds.
5. If the light stays off, install two new 1.5 V AAA batteries.
6. If the remote does not reconnect on its own, hold Back and Home for 3 seconds to start pairing.

The remote should control the Google TV interface again.

As a last resort, reset the remote. This erases its pairing, which you will have to redo.

• Chromecast voice remote: remove the batteries for 5 minutes, then hold Home while putting them back. Keep the button pressed until the light stays on, and release when it pulses.
• Google TV Streamer remote: hold Mute and Select. The light blinks white and a countdown sounds around 10 to 12 seconds: hold until the white light is steady, 12 seconds at most in general.

Good to know: if the menus respond but power and volume do not, the problem comes from infrared. Set those buttons up again in the Google TV settings, in the remotes and accessories section, under the button setup option.

Slow response? Move the remote closer, move the Wi-Fi access point away from the streamer, or relocate the Chromecast with an HDMI extender.

For an Amazon remote, follow our guide to troubleshoot a Fire Stick remote. For a Roku player, see how to reset and re-pair a Roku remote.

LG Magic Remote not working

LG documents the procedure for its projectors. On TVs, it depends on the remote model: check the manual.

1. Replace the batteries: dead batteries block the Magic Remote.
2. On the documented models, hold Back and Home for about 5 seconds to delete the pairing.
3. Press the wheel (OK) to pair the remote again.

The pointer should reappear on screen. If it disappears again, LG points to a lost Bluetooth connection or interference from a Wi-Fi router. Register the remote again, then contact LG support if the problem continues.

Solution 4: control the TV from your phone

A phone can fill in while you sort things out. On a Samsung TV:

1. Press the control button on the TV, located under the screen or at the back depending on the model.
2. In the menu that appears at the bottom of the screen, hold the remote icon to show a QR code.
3. Scan this QR code with the phone’s camera.

The SmartThings app remote should open on the phone.

You can also add the TV in SmartThings: tap + at the top right, then Add device and Scan nearby. Choose the TV, enter the PIN code shown at the top right of the screen and confirm (the labels may vary). You need Android 11 or iOS 16 at minimum, and Samsung lists only some 2025 models among the compatible TVs.

On Google TV, the phone acts as a virtual remote, for example to start pairing a new remote. According to the specialist press, this virtual remote does not pair on some devices.

Solution 5: replace the remote

1. Order an original remote from the manufacturer’s spare parts service, the Samsung parts store for a Samsung TV.
2. With a universal remote, program it with the codes for your TV’s brand.

The TV should respond to the main buttons. A universal remote does not carry over everything: on a Samsung, the microphone, motion detection and battery indicator stay unavailable.

If yours is lost or broken, here are two universal remotes to compare.

If nothing works

Stop trying if the camera shows no blinking with new batteries, or if pairing fails after a reset. Check that the TV software is up to date. Then contact the retailer, the manufacturer’s customer service or an authorized repairer, in or out of warranty.

Have these at hand:

• the model and serial number of the TV, on the label on the back;
• the model of the remote;
• the purchase date, for the warranty;
• the attempts already made (batteries, camera test, pairing).

For a cable or satellite box remote, see our article on Orange set-top box problems and their solutions.

Take better care of your remotes: our toolbox

A few simple accessories to keep your remotes working and replace them without stress.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my TV remote not working with new batteries?

First check the battery direction, then make sure nothing blocks the view of the TV. Then run the camera test: with no blinking, the infrared remote is probably faulty. A Bluetooth remote may also have lost its pairing and needs to be linked again.

How can I tell if an infrared remote is sending a signal?

Film its tip with a smartphone camera while pressing a button. A flashing light on the screen proves the signal is going out. With no light and new batteries, the remote is probably faulty.

How do I reset a Samsung or LG remote?

On a Samsung SolarCell, hold Return and Mic for more than 3 seconds, until the MIC light goes out, then pair it again. On the documented LG projectors, hold Back and Home for about 5 seconds, then press the wheel. For an LG TV, the procedure depends on the Magic Remote model: follow the manual.

Can I control my TV with my phone?

Yes, with the app from the manufacturer or the platform. On a Samsung, the QR code shown via the TV’s button opens the SmartThings remote. On Google TV, the phone acts as a virtual remote, with pairing failures reported on some devices.