Samsung is known for building quality TVs, bringing incredible features and the utmost convenience to your fingertips. I don’t doubt that at all, but I suddenly ran into a problem with my Samsung remote.
I found my Samsung TV remote not working or pairing, and it was just not fun to have it unresponsive when I just wanted to watch some TV. But before I even got frustrated, I did these easy troubleshooting methods that got my Samsung remote to function again!
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Samsung TV Remote Not Working
If your Samsung remote stops working, take the remote batteries out, disconnect your TV, and wait a minute. In the meantime, press the power button on your TV remote and hold it for a few seconds. Now, replace the remote batteries with the ones and plug your TV back in. Hopefully, your remote should start working now.
This trick will resolve 80% of the issues with your Samsung TV and remote. However, resolving the 20% issues is pretty tricky but possible. Before resorting to Samsung support, here’s a list of proven fixes to try.
1. Try Resetting Your Samsung Remote and TV
First, take the remote batteries out, unplug your Samsung TV from the power outlet, and wait for a full minute.
Remember, the key here is to let your Samsung TV rest for a minute or two.
Once the time is up, reconnect your TV and let it load up to the home screen. After that, place the remote batteries back in and check if it’s working.
If it isn’t, then remove the remote batteries again, press the power button on your remote, and hold it for a full minute.
This will reset your TV remote and drain any stored power left inside it. Then put the batteries back in and check if the remote starts working.
2. Replace Dead or Weak Remote Batteries
The performance of batteries can depend on various factors like temperature, brand, and damage.
Accidentally dropping your TV remote can be enough to damage its batteries, for instance. Using a pair of batteries from lesser-known brands is often more prone to rusting or leaking than others.
So, it’s best to check the remote batteries first.
Make sure to inspect the bottom and top of the battery for any green coloring, crystallized granules, or chalky white powder. If you notice something on both terminals, this is a sign of corrosion and could be due to damaged batteries, old batteries, or defective batteries.
If you notice corrosion on both terminals, remove the remote batteries immediately and dispose of them carefully. After that, clean the terminals of your remote using cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol, and be sure there’s no sign of corrosion.
Finally, put a new pair of batteries into your remote and check if it works.
I did take this Samsung TV remote not working or pairing as a sign to change my batteries to new ones, so that’s what I did!
3. Unpair and Re-Pair Your TV Remote
If your Samsung remote not pairing, try unpairing and re-pairing the remote to your TV. Over time, these remotes often get disconnected from the TV, so pairing them together again will do the trick.
Usually, the TV and remote will sync automatically after a software update or when turned on, but you may need to pair them manually at times.
This often happens after an electric surge or a sudden power outage during a storm. So if that happens, do the following:
- First, turn on your TV and point the remote towards it.
- Hold the Play/Pause and Return buttons on your TV remote for 5–10 seconds.
- Your TV should automatically start pairing with your remote.
- Once paired, check the remote by pressing the menu buttons and see if your TV responds.
4. Make Sure the Remote’s IR Sensor Is Functional
Your TV and remote both communicate using an infrared beam. If it’s not working on your remote, it could be the culprit behind a non-working TV remote.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to see if the IR on your remote is functional by checking it through your phone camera.
- First, launch the camera app on your phone and focus on your remote IR.
- Press any button on your remote.
- A functional remote will blink a red light whenever you press a button, and you can notice it through the camera screen.
- If you don’t get any red light, you may have a defective remote, or its batteries are dead.
5. Remove All IR Sensor Obstructions
Obstructions between your TV and remote are often the culprits behind blocking the exchange of infrared signals.
Since your TV comes with an IR sensor and the remote uses infrared beams to communicate, it should be able to receive and send signals without obstructions.
Blockages can include large speakers, furniture, electronic signals like Bluetooth, and walls.
If you notice an obstruction between the TV and your remote, try changing your location and pointing the remote towards the IR sensor of your TV.
Sometimes the problem can be resolved by simply sitting in a different spot or moving a piece of furniture or two.
6. Update Your Samsung TV Software
Samsung keeps on releasing software updates for its smart products. Most of these updates are installed automatically, but sometimes you need to update your TV manually.
So, if your TV runs on older updates, you may notice your TV and remote failing to use some services, being slower than usual, or working oddly.
Old software can cause issues like the Samsung smart remote not working with your TV, or it may select the wrong menu option. When that happens, do the following:
- Go to Settings from the drop-down menu.
- Open the Software Updates > Network option.
- If there’s an update available, install it now.
- Once installed, the TV will restart automatically.
- Now, press a series of buttons on your remote and see if the issue is resolved.
7. Download the Samsung Remote Control App
This step won’t resolve the issue with your remote, but you can control your Samsung TV using the mobile app. That means you can quickly resolve the software issue using your smartphone.
8. Reset Your Modem or Router
Every smart product by Samsung requires a stable internet connection to function correctly, so if you’re struggling to stay online, this may cause connection issues between your TV and remote.
Network problems can occur due to aged routers/modems, ISP issues, or when many devices are connected to the same internet bandwidth at your home.
To check your internet connection, reset your modem or router. Here’s how.
- Unplug your TV from the power outlet.
- Turn off your modem or router and unplug it for 30 seconds.
- Plug the modem/router back in and let it connect to the internet.
- Once connected, check if your smart TV and remote are running properly.
9. Configure the Remote’s Touchpad
Over time, everything wears out with repeated daily use, and Samsung smart touch remotes are no different.
With time, these remotes may become uncalibrated or lose their sensitivity.
To fix this problem, you can manually recalibrate your remote. Here’s how.
- Press the number key and hold it for 4-5 seconds.
- You’ll know when the calibration starts, and it’ll take about 2-3 minutes to finish.
- Once done, the LED light on your remote will blink twice.
- Now, test the sensitivity of your remote and see if the problem is resolved.
After recalibration, you may have to repeat the process from time to time, depending on the usage of your Smart Touch remote.
What to Do if My Samsung TV Becomes Unresponsive to Its Remote
If your Samsung TV not responding to remote commands and not a single fix has resolved the issue, you may have an issue with the hardware.
In some cases, the issue is with your TV, but often it’s with the remote. So, if you have a family member or friend who owns a Samsung Smart TV, try borrowing their TV remote to ensure yours is defective before buying a replacement.
How to Reset a Samsung TV Remote
Sometimes, resetting your Samsung TV remote is the best option to resolve almost every issue. However, remember, we’re not talking about taking the batteries out to reset your TV remote, as some information is persistent. That means it will stay even when the batteries are removed. So, to fully reset your TV remote, follow the steps below.
- Press the Play/Pause and Back buttons until you see a pop-up on your TV saying the pairing process has started.
- Make sure to unplug your TV before resetting your remote, as a hard reset should not have temporary software issues interrupting the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
There could be several reasons why your Samsung remote stops working. The most common issues include a faulty IR sensor, pairing issues, battery issues, or physical damage to the TV or remote.
To reset your Samsung TV remote, take the batteries out and press the power button for 10 seconds. After that, put the batteries back in and see if that resolves the issue. You can also check out the user manual to locate the battery compartment on your remote.
As mentioned above, take out the batteries and hold the power button for 10 seconds. It’ll soft reset your TV remote. Now, put the new batteries back in and check if it starts working.
On most Samsung TV models, the IR sensor is placed at the bottom right corner of the TV. In some cases, it can be at the bottom center. Now, press the Play/Pause and Return buttons on your remote for 4-5 seconds. Your TV will automatically start re-syncing your remote.
To unfreeze your TV remote, take out the batteries and press the power button for 5 seconds. This will drain any residual power left inside the remote. Now, insert the batteries and check if it solves the issue.
On most Samsung TV models, the remote IR sensor is placed at the bottom right side of the TV. If it’s not there, you can find it at the bottom center.
The Bottom Line
We know how frustrating it is to discover your Samsung TV remote not working in the middle of your watching experience. Fortunately, there are many fixes you can try to resolve this issue in no time.
- Try resetting your remote and TV
- Replace the dead batteries with new ones
- Unpair and re-pair your remote with the TV
- Check if the remote’s IR sensor is working
- Remove all obstructions between your TV and the remote’s IR sensor
- Update your TV’s software
- Reset your modem or router.
- Configure the Remote’s Touchpad
If you’ve tried every method above, your remote should start working again. If it doesn’t work, consider buying an affordable replacement on Amazon.
If you were able to resolve the issue with your Samsung TV remote, let us know how in the comments below!
