Pair an Apple remote with an Apple TV

Pair an Apple remote with an Apple TV; You can stream your favorite content, mirror a FaceTime call, play games, and more without connecting a phone, tablet, or PC to your TV. It’s like an iPhone interface for your TV, really, you just need that annoying remote to work properly. Apple has decided to make its remote controls easy to use, but you can still run into problems. Fortunately, this guide will show you how to pair an Apple remote with an Apple TV, as well as how to use alternatives to the bundled device.

A Note About Remotes

The remote control that comes with the Apple TV 4K unit has two names: Siri Remote in regions that support Siri, and Apple TV Remote in regions that don’t. The original remote that came with the Apple TV 4K model has a white ring around the Menu button. When Apple updated the Apple TV 4K in 2021, it replaced the remote with a new silver version with improved Siri capabilities, so Apple TV 4Ks can have any remote depending on their model.

Meanwhile, the model that comes with the Apple TV HD is a previous generation model. Its general appearance and functions are identical, but it does not have the same white ring.

Third- and second-generation Apple TV units come with the same Apple Silver remote (note the name change). The first-generation Apple TV package comes with a bulky white remote also called the Apple Remote.

If the Apple TV unit does not turn on when you press the Menu or Home button on the remote, make sure the remote does not need to be charged. The remote itself doesn’t have a battery level indicator, so you might have missed the low battery pop-up on your Apple TV screen.

Apple’s remote uses that annoying Lightning to USB-A cable; Hope you didn’t accidentally throw it away if you upgraded to an iPhone with USB-C. Plug it in with a USB-A wall charger for at least 30 minutes and try using the remote to turn the Apple TV unit back on.

When you want to pair the Apple TV Remote with your Apple TV, instead of a Siri Remote, there are a few things to keep in mind. You may need to pair a new Apple TV remote, in case the old remote gets damaged or the Siri remote’s battery dies. Pairing a remote with your Apple TV helps it automatically respond to your commands to operate Apple TV. Multiple unpaired Apple TV remotes can interfere when trying to control an Apple TV within the same range.

How to setup a New Device

When you set up a new Apple TV and turn on the box, the Apple Remote that comes in the box should pair automatically as soon as you press any of the buttons. If the Apple Remote stops working, it likely has run out of power and needs to be charged for 30 minutes via a USB to Lightning cable plugged into a USB outlet.

But if that doesn’t fix the problem, it’s best to pair the device with your Apple TV again. This article shows you how. The following instructions will also be helpful if you need to pair a new replacement Apple Remote in case the one that came with your Apple TV stops working completely or is damaged beyond repair.

Also, at the end of this article, we’ve included a quick tip for pairing your Mac with an Apple TV remote, to control things like iTunes, VLC, and Keynote.

Remember that you can always check the remote’s battery level in the Apple TV settings by following these steps:

1 – Choose and press the touch pad to open the Settings app.

2 – Select Remotes and Devices.

3 – Choose the remote that will allow you to see the actual battery percentage. Make sure it has enough battery to work. how to pair apple remote with tv settings select 768×432

4 – Pair the remote again – Make sure your Apple TV is turned on. You should see a small white LED on the front. If not, unplug the power cord, wait 6 seconds, then plug it back in. You should now see a bright white LED.

5 – Make sure your TV is turned on, set to the correct HDMI port, and showing the Apple TV home screen. 6: Stand at least 3 inches away from the Apple TV unit, point the remote at the TV, then press and hold the Menu and Volume Up (+) buttons for 5 seconds.

7 – If prompted, pass the remote control over the Apple TV device.

8: Unplug the Apple TV unit, wait 6 seconds, then plug it back in.

9: Repeat steps 2-4. If after trying all these steps, your Apple TV remote still doesn’t control your Apple TV, it might be faulty. Unfortunately, this means you’ll have to call Apple Support and/or visit the nearest Apple Store.

Apple TV HD (fourth generation)

The previous generation remote for Apple TV HD is almost identical to the one that came with the fourth generation Apple TV 4K unit. Again, the only obvious differentiator is that there is no white ring around the Menu button. However, the instructions for pairing the remote are exactly the same.

Apple TV (third generation)

The third-generation Apple TV contains an aluminum Apple remote control with a non-rechargeable coin-cell battery. Try to replace this battery if your pairing steps failed and the battery information constantly shows a dead battery.

Apple TV (second generation)

The second-generation Apple TV uses the same Apple Silver remote as the third-generation Apple TV unit.

Apple TV (first generation)

The process of removing and adding this remote is the same as the 2nd and 3rd generation aluminum remotes.

Use an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch

If you’ve lost your remote you can still use the default Apple TV remotes in Control Center on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch (that way, you don’t have to). get a new remote). The company added this feature in iOS 11, but didn’t discontinue Apple’s Remote app until late 2020. To access these controls, follow these steps:

1 – Swipe down from the top right corner where the LTE, Wi-Fi, and Battery icons are located. Tap the Remote icon displayed in Control Center.

2: When the Apple TV remotes open on the screen, make sure your Apple TV device appears on top

3 – If you are using the Apple Remote for the first time, follow the instructions

4 – If you don’t see these controls on your device, try the following: Touch to open the Settings app. Tap Control Center.

Configure a universal remote

Not interested in purchasing a replacement Apple Remote? You can control your Apple TV with almost any infrared remote. The only downside is that you’ll need a working Apple Remote, iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch to access the Apple TV settings. Here’s where to add a third-party remote:

Here is where to add a third party remote:

1 – Select and press the touch pad to open the Settings app.

2 – Select Remotes and Devices.

3 – Select Learn Remotely.

4: Select Start to get started and follow the instructions on the screen.

If you have a Logitech Harmony universal remote, you can even download remote codes for your Apple TV without using the Learn Remote feature.

That said, if you’re having trouble signing in, here are a few things to check first.

1: Charge the remote. While remotes should come with a 50% to 75% charge, they can lose charge over time. So charge the remote by connecting it to a Lightning cable, then to a USB port or wall charger and wait a few minutes.

2: Update Apple TV. When Apple released the new Siri Remote 2021, you could use it on existing Apple TVs via a software patch, and it may be for you. Then let your Apple TV update and reboot if it hasn’t already.

3: Manually resynchronize the remote. Sometimes you just need to manually get the TV to view the remote. If you need to do this on the last Siri Remote, press and hold the back button (<) and the volume up button (+) at the same time for 6 seconds, then you should see a message in the upper right corner to bring your remote next to the Apple TV to sync it.
If you are using the old black Apple TV remote, you need to press and hold the “Menu” and Volume Up (+) button at the same time for 6 seconds, then move the remote closer to the TV box to sync when fast.

How to Control Your Mac With an Apple Remote.

Apple used to include a small white or silver infrared remote with some Macs, allowing Mac users to remotely control things like Keynote presentations and iTunes media. When newer Macs no longer included an IR receiver (indicated by a black line on the front edge of the body), Apple stopped including these remotes, but Apple TV owners can optionally use their Apple TV remote to control your Mac, thanks to a third party. macOS Bluetooth utility called SiriMote from Eternal Storms Software.

SiriMote is not available on the App Store, but you can download it directly from the Eternal Storms website [Direct Link]. After downloading SiriMote, drag it from your Downloads folder to your Applications folder, then launch the app and follow the on-screen instructions to pair your Apple Remote with your Mac.

Here is how to pair Apple TV remote alternatively

1. When using your 4th generation Apple TV remote or Siri remote, make sure you stay within Bluetooth range. It is recommended to have a clear path between the remote and your Apple TV for best signal reception.

2. Make sure your Apple TV remote is charged for at least 30 minutes via a USB wall charger/Lightning USB cable.

3. After pointing your Apple TV remote control within 3 inches of the Apple TV. Place the remote on the Apple TV, in case you are prompted to complete the pairing.

4. Unplug your TV from the wall and wait 6 seconds. Reconnect them and verify that the connection has been established.

How to Unpair Apple TV Remote

If the status light (LED) on your Apple TV rapidly blinks three times when you press the buttons on the remote, no response on the screen. You need to unpair the Apple TV remote and pair a new Apple TV remote to control your Apple TV.

Here’s how to unpair the Apple TV remote from your fourth-generation Apple TV:

1. On your Apple TV, go to “Settings”, then tap “General”.

2. Click “Remote Controls” in the main menu of Apple TV and select the one you want to unpair, then press “Unpair Apple Remote”.

3. After unpairing the remote from Apple TV successfully, you can find the broken link icon on the remote icon on your Apple TV. This Apple TV can now be successfully paired with a new Apple TV remote or Siri.

Extra Tip: Fix Apple TV Stuck Issue with Tenorshare ReiBoot

The best part of this app is that it can recover your Apple TV from a stuck script. Whether in recovery mode, Apple logo or Airplay mode, Tenorshare ReiBoot can save your tvOS effectively. System repair and stuck issues with your Apple TV can be resolved without costing you data loss.

As Tenorshare ReiBoot is an effective solution to fix all iOS issues. You can use it to fix your unresponsive Siri Remote and access your Apple TV smoothly. In addition to fixing major iOS issues, Tenorshare ReiBoot can help your iOS device get out of or into recovery mode with just one click. It is compatible with most of the iOS device models. The software is available for both Windows and Mac computers. It can bring your device back to life if it is stuck on Apple logo, recovery mode, disabled/frozen screen or black screen including 50+ iOS issues.

Conclusion

You should know that it is not possible to link multiple Apple TV or Siri remotes to one Apple TV. You need to reset an Apple TV remote or move it out of Bluetooth range while pairing a new remote with Apple TV. If you are facing iOS related issues or if your Apple TV gets stuck in the middle. You can always turn to Tenorshare ReiBoot and get things done smoothly without any issues or data loss.