Apple Inc. is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of consumer electronics and software solutions.
Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve “Woz” Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in 1974, the company is best known for pioneering the personal computer, the Smartphone and most recently the smartwatch.
Today, however, we decide to tackle the Apple TV, as we recently had an issue with the Apple TV Remote not working.
Let’s start by talking about the Apple TV Remote Control.
The Apple TV remote control is a remote operating device that controls the television’s entire interface.
The first three generations of the TV used Apple Remote as the primary device for controlling; it is also compatible with certain versions of the Mac, including desktop versions and portable laptops.
It isn’t compatible with all of them, however, as it primarily uses infrared technology to communicate with the devices, which isn’t a standard feature of all the Apple products. Originally released in October of 2005, it’s now the standard way to control your Apple TV.
The Apple TV Remote control is a sophisticated piece of technology. Although its design initially came flat, the recent versions have seen a bulge in the circle used to control the TV.
This is probably because it’s easier to use without looking at it. The newer versions have the pause and play buttons below the circle as opposed to having them inside it as it was seen in the previous models.
The circle icons have changed to dots as well – replacing the symbols for changing channels and adjusting volume up and down. In the past years, the Apple Remote has also come up with several versions.
In 2008, Apple released the Remote App, which allows you to control your TV with your iPhone or iPad. In 2015, the Siri Remote was released for the 4th generation TV, but this isn’t available in all areas since Siri has geographical limitations.
This defined itself different by communicating with the Apple TV (4th Gen) via Bluetooth instead of infrared, removing the need to point to your TV or give it a clear line of sight.
Today, however, we will be discussing the basic Apple TV remote control. Both the originator of the series and the easily the best for family use, this TV remote is the device without which you will be pretty much handicapped when using the TV.
After all, no one wants to get up and change channels all the time.
Complete Guide – How to Fix if Apple TV Remote not working
Despite it being an Apple product – famed for their peerless excellence – the Apple remote might not work the way you expect it to sometimes. Addressing this, we’ve written this guide.
There are many reasons why you might not be able to use the Apple TV Remote. Here’s a guide to show you the various situations and how you can deal with them:
- Lost My Apple TV Remote: This is one of the most common problems, especially in homes with children and pets.
There are few options in this situation since the Apple TV remote doesn’t have a tracking mechanism.
The first option – if you have an iPhone, install the Remote App from the Apple App Store, log in with your Apple ID and you should find your TV listed, connect to it and use as required. Second Option –Apple TV remote replacement, that’s right – no other option than buying a new one. - Apple TV Not Responding to Remote: Sometimes, your Apple TV just needs a reset; to do this, hold down the menu button with the down button for about 10 seconds.
The light will blink; at this point, unplug the TV and wait for a while. Plug it back in a few moments. The TV will be reset, and you should be able to use it again. - The Remote Could Not Connect to Apple TV: This happens quite often as well. If your Apple Remote can’t send signals easily to the Apple TV it’s paired with, try repairing it to make it work better.
Do this by holding down the menu and left button for a while to un-pair (you should see a notification on your TV) and then press the Menu and right to pair again. - Apple Remote Not Working: If your Apple remote isn’t working and you already tried the above step, it might me time to replace the battery for Apple TV remote.
Most likely, you won’t have much issue with this; just take your remote to the Apple store and buy a new remote. Then, go to the Genius bar or ask someone to help you plug it in. - TV Is Paired with a Different Remote: If the TV is paired with a different remote, this should be indicated when you try to use the remote in hand, and the Apple TV LED light flashes three times. In this case, the best thing to do is to pair and repair the TV remote control as discussed in point 3.
These are the possible reasons why your Apple TV remote control isn’t working. Failing these methods, it really might be time to get a new remote for your Apple TV.
If none of these work, in all probabilities it’s an issue with the hardware. Since not many people may really be able to handle that at home, it’s recommended that you take it to the Apple Store to see if they can do anything about it.
Most probably, though, you’ll end up replacing it if it’s really a hardware issue.
So, that’s it for our guide on how to fix the Apple TV remote not working. We hope you enjoyed it and found it useful. The Apple TV remote is a little delicate given its dimensions, so be careful with it or optionally buy yourself a bunch so that you don’t face these problems.
