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An Amazon Fire TV device is great for accessing streaming services after a long day, but it’s the Fire TV remote that ensures you’re in control of the media. These remotes have many of the buttons you’d probably expect from a streaming controller, including navigate, rewind, fast forward, and play controls. However, those who own this accessory may have noticed a small hole on the front of their remote control. This may seem arbitrary, but it actually serves an important purpose.
The pin-sized hole on some Amazon Fire TV remotes is where the microphone is located, and it’s what helps users issue voice commands or communicate with Alexa. Since Assistant is an easy way to search or play content, among other features, being aware of the microphone’s location can be a good way to ensure the longevity of your device. Luckily, we can give you some tips to get your mic working properly.
While the Home button on your Fire TV remote may hide a useful feature, the controller’s mic isn’t necessarily supposed to be hidden. Instead, it sits on the front of your controller so it can properly pick up your voice. That being said, there are several Amazon Fire TV remote shortcuts that can be easy to miss if you want to get more functionality out of the device.
What to know about the Fire TV remote microphone
Just like knowing what the blue light on your Amazon Fire TV Stick remote means, knowing that the microphone is located just above the voice search button on some controllers can help maintain the functionality of your voice commands. Remember, you need to hold down the voice search button if you want to interact with the microphone, and speaking directly into it produces the best results.
If you want to make sure your remote control actually picks up your voice, you need to take care of the microphone. Given the size of the hole, you’ll especially want to make sure nothing is blocking it. If you’re considering a protective case for your accessory, make sure it’s not something that will obstruct the microphone hole. If you think there is dust or debris in the hole, try using some canned air rather than sticking something in it.
It’s also worth remembering that this small hole is not a reset button, which can be easy to confuse for those used to some electronic devices with recessed pinhole reset buttons. You definitely don’t want to stick a pin or paper clip into the microphone hole of a Fire TV remote. However, if you want to reset the accessory, this is done via the controller’s physical controls, and the corresponding Amazon support page provides guides for a variety of models.
