It is frustrating to find that your Android TV remote suddenly stopped working and you have no clue why.
Though once in a while buying a new remote for your TV is not a deal-breaker, it would be great if you could fix it and prevent that smaller dent in your monthly budget.
There are multiple reasons why your Android TV’s remote may stop working.
here I have listed a few most probable causes and the steps to fix them.
Batteries of the remote may have died(gone bad)
Batteries of your TV remote may have worn out. It seems obvious but many times we overlook the simple things. The remote batteries may die anytime without any prior indication, always have a pair of spare batteries so you can switch them and check if remote start working.
Do not use a combination of new and old batteries together. Always replace both batteries.
Many times we just plug the batteries in reverse directions so the remote does not work, make sure you are inserting them properly.
Stuck/jammed button on your remote is causing it to malfunction.
During regular use, a remote button may get partially stuck or jammed in the socket and keep getting pressed. It will not just continuously drain the power, but it will also stop the remote from working properly.
It is pretty easy to find if any single button on your remote is stuck. Make sure you have working batteries in the remote and point it to the TV and you will know; for example, suppose the volume up button is stuck whenever the remote is pointed towards the TV, the TV’s volume will start increasing.
The easiest solution to fix it is to re-adjust the button position and get it unstuck from the socket. In most of the single button jammed conditions, it is visibly stuck. you can just fix the button by applying pressure on the opposite side of the stuck part and trying to move it. It will unstuck.
If not visible, spanking the remote with your hand works great for a single button.
Things get weird when multiple buttons are jammed inside without any visible indications. There may be oil, coffee, or soda residue or even lint lurking inside the remote body, and it is making those buttons jammed/pressed and causing the malfunction.
- The easiest way to fix it is to remove the batteries
- Start pressing all the buttons of remote one by one.
- Spank the remote with your hand multiple times.
- Repeat the process at least two to three times(at least 3 minutes which also resets power-cycle)
- Re-insert the batteries
- Check if the remote still does not work, and repeat the same for two-three times
The IR blaster of your remote may get blocked by sticker or tape by mistake.
Kids are fond of watching TV shows. They will watch TV when studying, making crafts, and drawing, we cannot always stop them from doing so.
It is also very common for kids to stick some stickers on the remote’s front IR Blaster(small LED on front) or stain it with paint, oil, or slime putties. All these things will block or distort the remote signals.
So the signals do not reach the TV properly. In some cases, it may also work inconsistently. Check and remove any such things and clean the LED with IPA 70(IsoPropyl alcohol 70%) or Rubbing Alcohol. It should be fixed.
TV’s IR receiver is blocked
Similar to the above case, something may have been blocking the way of remote signals. Even a small object like a pen stand can directly block the signal’s path so the signal does not reach from the remote to the TV’s IR receiver.
In case you are not sure about the IR receiver’s position, You can easily find the location of the TV’s receiver on its panel near the power button or on the side frame of most TVs. If you cannot find it or you are unsure, a simple search with your TV’s model name will help you.
Like the previous case, there might even be a sticker that was placed by mistake in front of the TV’s sensor. Remove any such obstacle and check if it is working.
Reset the Remote’s power Cycle
Hardware works weirdly in real-world situations. Things like oil, moisture, long runtime, and temperature changes are some of them.
Like any electronic device, even your remote has few microchips and many small components. These components are designed to work continuously for long periods but may get overheated sometimes and the remote may become unusable.
In some cases, your remote circuit may have hanged (like your mobile phone)/get in a loop, or have some static charges built up that may get your remote’s circuit into an inconsistent state. That may lead it to hang and not respond.
The simplest solution is to remove the battery, press and hold the power button for 20 seconds, and repeat that one more time, alternatively you can also press and hold many buttons together so any extra residual energy stored in capacitors gets discharged.
Now, make sure to insert working batteries in the remote and check if it starts working. In more than 50% of cases, this should fix the problems.
Android TV’s Remote may have been unpaired
It is pretty common for the new remotes to get unpaired from TV and we have no idea what is happening.
You might have accidentally unpaired your remote by mistake (you sat on it, or mistakenly pressed the reset button too long). you may not realize it, but it is a very common occurrence.
In this case even though your remote is fine it is not able to send the right signals to your TV. Just re-pair your remote as per your TV’s instruction manual and check.
Moisture or Dirt may have trapped inside the remote
Over the time, the dust gets collected on the remote and some of it slips into the remote internals via button sockets and gets collected on the circuit and forms the dust patches.
These dust patches are mostly harmless but they can hold the moisture. That is what happens in the humid seasons, the high humidity of air gets trapped into these dust patches and creates an internal short-circuit that stops the remote from working properly.
Similarly, if you spill water or some liquid on the remote or use it with wet hands, the same problem occurs.
The simplest solution is to use a hairdryer to heat it for at least 5 minutes with medium heat settings, alternatively, you can also put it in the sunlight for 30 minutes to an hour. Most of the moisture will get evaporate and the remote will start working again.
The Remote’s IR blaster may stop working
Remote uses infrared rays to send the signals to the TV. We cannot see infrared signals but our mobile camera of capable of capturing infrared lights.
Just hold your remote pointing at your mobile camera, press the buttons of the remote, and check if you can see the LED light got lit or not. If you see your LED not working, you should probably get a new remote.
Reset your TV (Power cycle)
Like any other electronic device, even your TV is prone to accommodate static charge and may also get power cycle malfunctions.
You can fix it by power cycling the TV. It is a simple step-by-step process.
- Just switch off the power plug of the power line of the TV and remove the power cable from the socket.
- Wait till all the lights go off.
- Press and hold the power button of your TV for 30 seconds and release it.
- Repeat this one more time, It will drain all the power from the internal capacitors.
- Re-plug it and check.
Oil/Carbon may get trapped over the circuit
Oil may routinely slip into the remote buttons while eating and drinking when using the TV remote.
That oil gets partially trapped on the circuit board of your TV remote and makes the remote malfunction.
Open the remote with a screwdriver or a plastic pick tool based on your remote. Check the circuit for any such dust or oil residue, clean it with alcohol(IPA 70), and check if it is working properly or not.
The battery terminal of your remote may get dirty
It may not even come to your mind, but over time your remote’s battery terminals (The springs at both sides of your battery fixing position) may get dirty.
If you have had any battery leaks in the past, it may also rust the terminals partially. Just try to clean it with vinegar and rubbing alcohol, scratch the contact with some metallic wool or a nail filer.
Re-insert the batteries and make sure you are doing it correctly(+ pole to the flat side of the terminal and – pole to the springy side of the terminal) Check if remote is fixed or not.
Other attached devices may interfere with Remote functions
According to the Sony forum, there are many variables in the remote’s possible malfunctions and one of them is interference with other devices.
Try unplugging all the unnecessary devices from the TV like USB sticks, Google Chromecast Dongle, Bluetooth receiver, HDMI receivers, external hard disks, etc. Again reset the TV power cycle and recheck if the remote is working properly or not.
Conclusion
There are occasions when we cannot DIY repair or fix the remote immediately and also you may not have the spare remote. here is some temporary mitigation that may help you for the time being.
Use the Remote App on your Android Phone to control the TV
You can easily mitigate it temporarily by using any Android Remote app with the phone’s inbuilt IR blaster support and buying a new one the next day.
Use The wireless app of your TV provider to access your TV
If you are using an Android smart TV, most of the chances are that it supports WiFi connectivity.
Connect your TV to the local WiFi network or alternatively, you can use your mobile hotspot connection to connect to the TV over the network.
Download your TV provider’s app from the app store, pair your app with the TV, and start using it.
As I have shown you we can easily fix the Android TV remote in most common cases. It is worth buying a new remote if the same problems happen again and again.
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