10 Best Ways To Fix Samsung Smart TV Remote Not Working Issue

Samsung has built quite the name for themselves as quality TV makers, and their Smart TVs have played a significant role in that reputation, bringing great features and convenience to your fingertips, all rolled into the television itself with no extra devices necessary.

Resetting is the easiest way to fix your Samsung smart TV remote:

  1. Remove the batteries from your remote
  2. Unplug the TV from the wall
  3. Wait 60 seconds
  4. Plug the TV back in
  5. Wait till the TV comes back on
  6. Put the batteries back in the remote, see if it worked

Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can try before you consign your remote to the trash. Keep reading to find out how to handle a Samsung Smart TV remote not working. Check out the most reliable Samsung remote controls on Amazon now!

Best ways to fix Samsung Smart TV Remote Issues

There are several reasons that may cause your Samsung Smart TV remote to stop working, ranging from the very obvious to the decidedly not obvious. We’ve pulled together some of the most common causes of this problem below.

For the start, here is a Samsung smart remote control manual,  which will provide you with detailed info on how to deal with your remote.

1. Check your Network

This can be a good starting point because without a proper Internet connection your Smart TV or remote will never work the way they should. Plus, plugging things in and out never hurt anybody, so let’s give it a go.

  • Unplug your modem, router, TV
  • Wait for about 1 minute
  • Plug them back in

2. Install the remote control app

This step alone won’t solve the problem, but if you can control the TV from your smartphone without any problems you can roll out the problem of the TV software.

3. Get a new WiFi module

Usually, it comes attached with the power button and IR sensor and can be the culprit. So when the WIFI module is not working, the TV seems to be stuck waiting for the network to respond.

They are very cheap, abound 10 dollars, and can help you pair your remote with the Samsung TV. Replace it with the new WiFi module and after putting it all back together, factory reset the TV.

4. Clean the IR sensor/remote

This solution is free and can be implemented very easily. Simply blow on the terminals of the sensor and the cable that connects to the board, they might get dusty and don’t receive the signal properly.

You can do the same thing with the sensor on your remote to make sure it is clean and ready to work.

5. Change flat batteries

We did say some of them were very obvious, and it doesn’t get much more obvious than flat batteries. If your remote isn’t working, the first thing to check is whether the batteries are out of juice. The easiest way to do this is to try another set of batteries in your remote that you know are good.

6. Check remote is paired

We know; the remote was paired before, why wouldn’t it be paired now? Unfortunately, in the world of technology, things like this can happen. If you are stumped as to why your remote isn’t working, and the batteries weren’t the issue, it is worth making sure the remote is still paired to the TV. Press and hold the Return and Play/Pause buttons for about 5 seconds. Your TV will begin syncing with the Smart Remote.

7. Check Your TV’s Software Updates

It takes two to tango, so it might be not your remote causing the issue, but the TV. The problem with the TV’s software might occur, so we should rule this one out by checking if there is something that needs doing. The process might differ from TV to TV, but here is a general guideline.

  • Go to Setting⇒All Settings/Support
  • Select Software Update
  • Select Network. Skip this step if it’s unavailable
  • Select Yes/OK to install the update

8. Check for Interference

If you have a Samsung Smart TV, your remote should be working via Bluetooth, but on the off chance that you have an infrared remote, make sure there are no obstructions between your remote and the TV receiver when you are using it.

9. Reset the TV

With any sufficiently complicated software, problems can develop from time to time, particularly if that software has been in use for long periods of time without a reset.

The software responsible for the “smart” part of your Smart TV is also susceptible to this kind of problem, so it may be worth giving it a hard reset before assuming your remote or TV is on the fritz.

To do this, you can simply turn the TV off and unplug it for a minute or two. This is usually a good starting point when trying to find the cause of a problem.

  • Press and continue holding the power button on your remote control for about 5 seconds until the TV restarts
  • If the problem persists, unplug the TV from the wall altogether. Then press the power button on the TV, and release it
  • Wait for 2 minutes, plug the TV’s power cord back in

10. Get a universal remote

Sometimes, even though it sounds a bit weird, an original TV remote can cause all the drama. Try getting a new remote, preferably a universal one, that might help you and only costs around 10 dollars. Check out the most reliable Samsung remote controls on Amazon now!

Naturally, the best way to fix your Samsung Smart TV remote will depend on the problem that is causing it not to work. If your batteries are getting low, you should be able to remedy the situation by changing them; however, you may need to pair your remote again.

As mentioned above, you may need to pair your remote anyway, even if the batteries were fine-sometimes these things happen.

Another thing to try when you are facing problems with your Samsung Smart TV is unplugging the set and leaving it for a minute or two. If you have tried all of the things mentioned here and above, there is a chance your remote is broken, in which case you may need to replace it.

What to do if Only the Power Button Works on the Samsung Remote

Having only the power button working is usually a sign that the remote has become unpaired from the TV. In this case, you will need to pair it again. The exact process may differ from TV to TV, but a common process involves:

  1. Turn the TV off,
  2. Disconnect it from its power supply for 15 sec.
  3. Power it back up and turn it on,
  4. Hold the “Back” and “Play/Pause” buttons on the remote for about 10 sec.
  5. If this works, you should see a message on the TV saying that it is pairing up with the remote.

This issue can also be caused by one of the buttons on the remote being stuck. That’s how you can fix that:

  1. Take the batteries out of your remote
  2. Hold down the power button for about 30 sec. to drain all excess battery
  3. Press every button in and out a few times, that should help to get rid of a stuck button.

What to do if Samsung TV is Unresponsive to Remote

If your TV is completely unresponsive to the remote and none of the above solutions have helped, that would, unfortunately, point to a problem with the hardware.

It is possible your TV could be at fault; however, it is more likely to be the remote itself. If you have a friend or family member with a Samsung Smart TV, consider borrowing their remote to make sure yours is faulty before spending any money on a replacement.

How to Reset Samsung Smart TV Remote

Sometimes, resetting your Smart TV remote can help to resolve certain issues. It is important to note that resetting your remote does not just mean removing the batteries-some information stored in your remote is persistent, meaning it will still be there after the batteries have been removed.

Resetting your remote is the same process we mentioned above, where you hold down the “Back” and “Play/Pause” buttons until your television gives you a message to say that it is pairing.

You may want to unplug your TV for a short time before attempting this, as a hard reboot should ensure no temporary software problems interfere with the process.

How to Pair Samsung Smart TV Remote

The pairing/reset process for a Samsung Smart TV remote is the same, so once again, you need to hold the “Back” and “Play/Pause” buttons until your TV recognizes the remote and gives you the message that it is pairing. Once that is done, your TV should be all paired up to the new remote.

Related Post: 7 Quick Ways To Fix The Home Button On Samsung TV Remote

Conclusions

Samsung’s smart TV remotes put a wealth of convenience at your fingertips, so it is understandably frustrating when they go bad. That being said, while hardware faults are not impossible, faults like this are often the result of a very fixable problem that will not require a new remote or a visit from a specialist.

Just remember to take your time and cover all the different possibilities, because you can guarantee that if you skip one potential fault, it will end up being that fault that is the problem.