Are you currently facing any trouble with your Firestick remote? Are you at your wit’s end while trying to figure out the issue with your Firestick remote? We have good news for you. Our experts have prepared a detailed blog on how to solve Firestick remote not working issue.
Firesticks use remotes that are a bit different than most of the conventional remotes you have around your house. Since these remotes use Bluetooth technology for communication with the mother device, thus these ones are faster and versatile than the ones you’re used to. This technological implementation makes it harder to figure out why your remote suddenly stopped working.
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Reasons Behind Your Firestick Remote Not Working
There can be a few things that can cause problems leading to remote malfunction in your Firestick. And, when it happens, it can be quite frustrating. Firesticks don’t work with cheap generic remotes. Each different Firestick producing company has a specific remote, which can be hard to find another.
Thus you have no choice but to repair the current one. Here are the most common reasons for a firestick remote not working issue.
1. Dead Batteries
This is the most occurring reason behind a firestick remote going wrong. Firestick remotes are typically loaded with a set of AAA batteries. Each set can work up to two years before getting low on energy. And, when people face a dead battery situation, they forget that it’s been long enough since the last battery change and assume the remote is having internal issues.
There is another thing related to batteries that can cause an unresponsive remote. It is the proper placement of batteries. Improperly inserted new batteries can lead to an unresponsive remote.
2. Unsuccessful Pairing
Just like every other Bluetooth device, firestick remotes also need to be paired with the Firestick before starting to use it. And this pairing process sometimes fails. So, you’ll have to make sure the remote is properly paired with the mother device before looking for any other fault.
To check the pairing, turn off the Firestick and turn it back on again. If no remote is paired, then it will show a notification on your tv asking you to pair your remote.
3. Distance
Firestick remotes are operated through Bluetooth connection instead of infrared rays. Thus these remotes have a hypothetical range of 30 feet. However, the actual figure is not that high. So if you’re operating the tv from a far distance, you might experience no response from your tv.
4. Obstructions
Again, Bluetooth remotes can overcome smaller obstructions. Unlike traditional remotes, you do not need to point them towards your tv. However, if the obstruction is as thick and robust as a concrete wall, you will experience Firestick remote not working problem.
5. Internal Damage
Being prone to damage is a trademark of all electronic gadgets. Firestick remotes are not different from that. Suppose you dropped a glass of water on it or threw it on a hard, uneven surface, it can start showing problems due to internal damage.
If you have internal damage, it can be both a costly and time-consuming repair job at the same time. So, pray for this thing to never occur with your remote.
How to Fix Firestick Remote Not Working Problem?
Those were some common reasons behind issues that a firestick user may face. Now it’s time for the solution to Firestick remote not working problem.
1. Check the Batteries
Firestick remotes are one power-hungry accessory. After using multiple firesticks for quite some time and having run into battery draining issues in most remotes more than a few times, we can safely assume that when the remote stops working, chances are the batteries might have run out of charge.
Here is how you can check whether it’s the batteries that are causing the problems. For that, you’ll need two sets of alkaline batteries (probably of AAA type).
- Open the back cover of your Firestick remote.
- Inspect the batteries properly. Check whether they are installed in the right direction or not. If they are installed backward, take them out and put them in the correct manner.
- If the existing batteries are installed in the right way, take them out.
- Put a new set of batteries and try the remote to see it’s working or not.
- If not, then put in another set of batteries.
- If the remote is still not working after trying two different sets of batteries, then the problem might not lie in the battery department. In this case, try out our other fixes.
If you have any issues with your existing batteries, they will be solved with the installation of new batteries. This is the easiest fix of all. Hopefully, your problems will be resolved with it. If not, then don’t worry. We have prepared some more troubleshooters for you.
2. Re-Pair Your Remote
Generally, the out-of-the-box remotes come pre-paired with the main firestick devices. If it is not properly paired, you’ll have to Manually pair it with the device. In another case, if you recently bought a replacement remove, it has to be paired with your Firestick.
Check your remote’s pairing status now. If it is paired, unpair it manually and repair it again. Here is how to unpair a remote with a firestick.
- Go to the settings page from Firestick’s home page.
- Navigate to Bluetooth Devices & Controller option.
- Upon entering, you’ll see all the paired devices. A firestick can be paired with up to 7 devices. Find out your existing remote from the list.
- Press option where you’ll see an unpair option. Press it to unpair your remote.
Now follow these steps to repair the remote with your Firestick.
- Plugin your Firestick in your tv and switch it on.
- Wait for few minutes for Firestick to boot up and get connected with wifi.
- Hold the remote to a near position to the Firestick.
- Press and hold your remote’s home button for at least 10 seconds.
- Release the button pressing and check if the remote is working or not. You’ll see a prompt on your tv screen asking to pair the remote. Press ok to pair it.
If you don’t see any trigger on your Firestick’s user interface even after pressing the home button for 10 seconds, then your remote might have other issues. In that case, try out our next troubleshooter.
3. Remove Physical Distance & Obstructions
A firestick remote uses Bluetooth connectivity instead of an infrared connection. Thus, a direct line of sight is not needed between your remote and your Firestick. There is no need to even point the remote towards your Firestick. The actual orientation of your remote doesn’t affect the strength and quality of the Bluetooth connection.
A Bluetooth device like the Firestick remote has an official range of around 30 feet. In reality, a lot of factors can reduce this range.
Physical obstructions between your remote and your Firestick can reduce the effective range of your remote drastically. That is why removing obstructions and operating the remote from close proximity is required sometimes.
Here’s how you can check if any obstruction or physical distance is causing the problem or not.
- Take your remote within 1-2 meters of your tv.
- Relocate any obstruction between your Firestick, and you’re remote.
- In those TVs where the HDMI port is on the backside, you’ll have to use an extension dongle along with your Firestick to keep it out of the backside of the TV. Else the remote will not have access to the Firestick.
- If your TV is inside of an entertainment unit cabinet, your remote might find it difficult to establish a connection. Remove the TV from the enclosure and check if it is working or not.
You can skip this part if you have neither long-distance nor any obstruction between your remote and your Firestick. Move on to the next fix.
4. Resolving Compatibility Issues
This isn’t for those people who are having issues with the in-box remote. We are talking about those remotes that were bought separately later. Having compatibility issues with third-party remotes is quite common in firesticks.
Firesticks also support many third-party controllers which can be alternatively used as a remote for interaction with the Firestick.
So, if you are planning to buy one, make sure the product is designed to be compatible with your particular Firestick. Once you buy a remote that has compatibility issues with your Firestick, it can not be fixed. You’ll have to buy another one.
The best option to make sure you are getting a fully compatible remote is to buy the same company’s product that made your Firestick. For example, if you own an Amazon FireTV Stick, you should buy an original Amazon-made remote to eliminate compatibility issues altogether. These remotes can be more expensive than China-made generic remotes, but with these, you won’t be regretting your buy.
5. Use Fire TV App
Amazon FireTV Stick is undoubtedly the most popular Firestick across all markets. This workaround is for Amazon FireTV Stick users.
If you are facing any serious internal issue with your FireTV Stick remote, you can alternatively use the Fire TV app which has an in-built virtual remote that works via wifi.
This app is available in both the Play Store and App Store, which means most smartphones can download this app. In order to use it, you will have to connect your phone and your FireTV Stick to a single wifi connection. The following are the links to download the app.
- Click here to download the Fire TV app for Android
- Click here to download the Fire TV app for iOS
- Click here to download the Fire TV app for Kindles
Here the complete process of using your phone as a remote in six simple steps.
- Plug your FireTV Stick in your TV and turn it on to boot up.
- Download & install the Fire TV app and open it after installation.
- Sign in using your Amazon account credentials within the remote app.
- Choose your own Firestick from the list of devices available on the app.
- An auto-generated code will appear on your TV. Put it on your Fire TV app to pair it with your FireTV Stick
- That’s it, try using your phone to control your TV from now on.
This app will only work with Amazon-produced FireTV Sticks. If you own another company’s Firestick, like Google Chromecast, then, unfortunately, the Fire TV app will not be a suitable replacement for your remote.
6. For Damaged Remotes
If you have tried all the fixes and could not get your remote working by this point, then it might be some internal electronics error that is causing this trouble. If your remote has any technical glitch, you can do one of these two things:-
- You can visit an expert, show him the remote, and let him take care of it. Broken remotes can be fixed with proper replacement parts.
- You can buy a new one. Third-party remotes can be as low as $10. And, you’ll find plenty of different options in the online marketplace.
Note: Do not try to fix your damaged remote by yourself if you don’t have the proper knowledge. Some jobs aren’t meant for everyone. Repairing electronic gadgets is one of them.
Final Thoughts
Drained or damaged batteries cause most of the remote non-working issues we face. And, solving battery issues doesn’t involve rocket science. It is always better to keep a set of spare batteries with you in case of an emergency.
Hopefully, our guide has been helpful to you in eliminating your Firestick remote not working problem. Keep following our site to get more informative and accommodating blogs. If you experience any new and different trouble, we would like you to write it to us in the below comments section. Thanks for reading!