How to reset an Apple TV remote

If you own an Apple TV, one of our picks for the best streaming devices, you probably use the dedicated Apple TV remote to control it. This sleek, slim remote is super easy to use, ultra small (so easy to lose too!) and has only the key buttons you need with no other complicated options to confuse grandma when she’s at home and wants to watch her daytime soaps.

Sometimes the remote control may lose connection or become unresponsive. Maybe it works technically but some cuts or some buttons don’t work. Another reason you may want to reset the remote is if you sell the Apple TV or give it to a friend or family member. Don’t worry, it’s probably easy to get it working again. First, you can fix some common problems. If none of these methods work, you can reset the remote to make it work again or return to the original settings for a new user.

If you have a first-generation Siri Remote or later, unplug Apple TV for at least six seconds, press the TV/Control Center and Volume Down buttons for five seconds, and wait for a disconnect message to appear. From there, press and hold Back or Menu and Volume Up at the same time for five seconds to re-pair the remote to the Apple TV. For aluminum or white Apple TV remotes, point it at the TV and press Menu and Home for six seconds. When the status light starts flashing, press and hold Menu and Right for six seconds to reset. This should completely reboot the system and remote control connection.

You can also restart the remote itself by pressing and holding the TV/Control Center and Volume Down buttons for about five seconds, until the Apple TV status light turns off and on. Release the buttons and wait up to 10 seconds, then press any button. If you see “Remotely Connected” appear on the screen, you have resolved the issue. Otherwise, you can try re-pairing the remote.

To re-pair the remote, point it at the Apple TV, about three inches from the device. Press and hold the Back or Menu button next to Volume Up for five seconds. You may be asked to position the remote on the Apple TV to complete the pairing process, so make sure there is space to do so. You can unplug, wait up to 10 seconds, then plug the Apple TV back in, then try again if it doesn’t work the first time.

There are many reasons why your Apple TV remote may be unresponsive, such as lack of power, signal loss, or Bluetooth pairing issues. Before performing a reset, eliminate these problems first. Go to Settings, Remote & Devices, Remote, and Battery Level to check the remote’s battery. If you have an old Apple TV remote and the battery needs replacing, remove the battery cover with a coin (aluminum models) or paper clip (white models) and insert a new one. If you have a newer remote control with a built-in rechargeable battery, charge it. Even if the battery is fine, go to Settings, System, Restart and reboot the entire system to resolve a potential signal loss or Bluetooth pairing issue.

If you try to pair again using the instructions above and it doesn’t work, signal strength may be the issue. Go to Settings and select Remotes & Devices, then Remote from your Apple TV. It’s worth noting that this method works on Apple TVs with tvOS 18.0 or later. On this page you can see the Bluetooth RSSI signal strength indicating whether it is weak or strong. You may need to move closer to the Apple TV to boost the signal and remove anything that might be blocking the path between the remote and the media streamer. If you notice that the signal is getting stronger, you may need to reposition the Apple TV.

A last resort if the remote still doesn’t work is to try a full factory reset. This will erase all your settings, content, downloaded apps and personal account information. It’s like starting all over again with a new product. You can also consider using a mobile device like your iPhone or iPad as a remote control for the Apple TV. In fact, it’s a good way to reuse an old iPhone, using it as a dedicated Apple TV remote. Scroll down from the top right of the mobile device’s screen to open Control Center, and you’ll see a small remote icon for controlling a connected Apple TV.

Otherwise, look into warranty coverage or repairs if you think the remote has malfunctioned or no longer works. You can also connect to Apple Support for further assistance. Don’t forget to make sure the Apple TV software is also updated to the latest tvOS, or upgrade to a newer model like the Apple TV 4K if you think it’s time.