What Causes an Apple TV Remote to Not Work?
When an Apple TV remote stops working, it’s usually a battery problem or a connection problem. The battery in the remote may be too weak or worn out, or there may be some issue that’s preventing the remote from connecting to the Apple TV. The remote may need to be paired, there may be a source of interference that you’ll have to remove, or either the remote or Apple TV could have suffered a hardware failure.
How to Fix an Apple Remote
If your Apple TV remote isn’t working, plug your Apple TV into power, turn on your TV, and switch it to the HDMI port that your Apple TV is connected to. You can try each of the following fixes to get your Apple TV working again:
How to Charge an Apple TV Remote
Both versions of the black Siri Remote and silver Apple TV Remote that first came with the Apple TV 4K can be charged. They both charge using a lightning cable, and you can use the lightning cable that came with your Apple TV or with any of your other Apple devices. Press and hold the TV/Control Center button (box with a line under it) and Volume Down for at least five seconds. Then release the buttons, and wait for a Connection Lost message to appear on your TV. If you see a Connected notification appear on your TV after the remote restarts, it should start working again. Here’s how to charge an Apple TV Remote:
How to Change the Battery in an Apple TV Remote
Older Apple TV remotes have replaceable batteries instead of built-in rechargeable batteries. If you have the white Apple Remote or the aluminum Apple Remote that only has a circle button, menu button, and play/pause button, you can replace the battery.
White Apple Remote
Here’s how to replace the battery in a white Apple Remote:
Aluminum Apple Remote
Here’s how to replace the battery in an aluminum Apple Remote:
