Samsung is known worldwide for producing high-quality TVs. So naturally, their TV accessories are also generally reliable, though they experience their fair share of issues. In this guide, we’ll look at how to troubleshoot your Samsung TV’s remote control.
Your Samsung TV remote might stop working, or the TV might not respond to any key presses. That could happen with or without its red light blinking, each signifying a different root cause. You might also find that only one function on the remote fails, such as the volume controls. Lastly, a ‘Not Available’ message might appear when you use the remote.
Let’s look at why these issues happen and what you can do to resolve them.
Samsung TV Remote Not Working (Red Light Is Blinking)
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Why this happens: Suppose you try to use your Samsung TV remote, but it does not work. Not only does it prevent you from changing the channels or adjusting the volume, but none of the functions is working. Yet, the red light blinks every time you push a button on the remote.
If that’s the case, then there are two possible reasons:
- Obstruction: If the red light blinks when you use the remote, that means the device has power coming from the batteries and is indeed transmitting a signal. So, the first reason why nothing happens is that there’s an obstruction in front of the TV’s receiver.
Check in front of your TV to ensure that there aren’t any devices, boxes, or other objects in the way.
- Remote Not Paired: Samsung TV remotes must be paired with the TV before they can function correctly. The remote has likely come unpaired from the TV. So, even though it has power (hence, the red light) and transmits a signal, the TV’s receiver will not recognize it.
How to fix it: To fix this, first clear any obstructions in front of your TV’s receiver. That will include other devices, boxes, and any sort of device that blocks the remote’s signal. You must have a clear line of sight between the remote and the receiver.
Next, pair and sync the remote to the TV once more. Here are the steps to do that:
- Press and hold the Back button and Up button at the same time.
- Hold those buttons for 10-20 seconds until you hear/see a prompt.
- The TV will pair and sync with the remote.
Please note that the precise steps can differ between Samsung TV models and their remotes. So, be sure to refer to your user manual if the method above doesn’t work. You may have to press and hold two different buttons for your model.
Also see: How to reset ceiling fan remote?
Samsung TV Remote Not Working (No Red Light Blinking)
Why this happens: In the section above, we explored a Samsung TV remote not working despite its red light blinking. But what if the same issue happens, but the red light doesn’t blink it all?
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Well, the most likely reason for this is that the remote does not have any power. That means the batteries are most likely dead and need to be recharged (if they are rechargeable) or replaced.
Before you do that, here’s an additional troubleshooting task just to be sure:
- First, take your smartphone and open up the camera app.
- Then, point the camera at the front tip of the remote and push some of its buttons.
- Usually, you would see the infrared light coming out of the remote. However, if that light, too, is not coming on, that’s added confirmation that the batteries are dead.
How to fix it: When the batteries are completely dead, the only solution is to replace them with new ones. Just be sure that you align the battery’s terminals with those on the remote correctly to ensure that they’ll work as they should.
Samsung Remote Volume Not Working
Why this happens: If your Samsung TV remote is working fine except for the volume settings, then there are two possible reasons:
- Outdated Firmware: The functionality of smart devices like your Samsung TV is controlled by built-in software, commonly known as ‘firmware’. It can also suffer from software glitches (or ‘bugs’) that prevent it from working correctly. In this case, the fault caused by the glitch is that the TV doesn’t respond when you try to adjust the volume using the remote.
- Soundbar Issues: If you’re using a Samsung Soundbar as your TV’s primary speaker, then the issue could be that your remote is not set up to adjust the volume on the soundbar. Unfortunately, the pairing of your remote to both the TV and the soundbar simultaneously isn’t automatic and must be done manually for some TV models.
How to fix it: Regardless of which issue might be causing this problem, it’s always an excellent idea to keep your TV’s firmware up to date. So, make that your first step in resolving this issue.
To update your Samsung TV’s firmware, follow these steps:
- First, go to the Settings menu on your TV.
- Next, select Support and go to Software Update.
- After that, select Update Now and follow the on-screen instructions. The update process will take a few minutes.
- To make things easier in the future, enable Auto Update on the same menu. Then, whenever new updates become available in the future, your TV will download them automatically.
Next, it’s time to set up your TV remote so it can control your soundbar and adjust the volume. You can also do this on the Settings menu by enabling the Universal Remote option. Doing this will allow your TV remote to control the soundbar directly and adjust the volume as you please.
Samsung TV Not Responding To Remote
Why this happens: If your Samsung TV is not responding to the remote, first go through all of the troubleshooting steps mentioned above. Ensure that the battery has power and that the remote is transmitting its infrared signal from the front tip. Also, ensure that nothing is blocking the TV’s signal receiver.
When your Samsung TV fails to respond despite everything else in good working order, the remote is not paired with the TV. That means the TV simply does not recognize the remote and will not respond to it.
How to fix it: To pair your remote to your TV, follow these steps:
- First, press and hold the Back button and Up buttons simultaneously.
- Then, hold those buttons for 10-20 seconds until you hear/see a prompt.
- The TV will pair and sync with the remote.
As mentioned earlier, these steps might differ slightly depending on your Samsung TV model. For instance, you might be required to press and hold a different pair of buttons. To be sure, please refer to your user manual.
Samsung TV Says Not Available When Using Remote
Why this happens: When your Samsung TV continually displays an error message claiming that a function isn’t available, that’s, unfortunately, a sign of an internal hardware issue.
In this case, your first troubleshooting task would be to perform a reset to see if the TV will work again. To do that, follow these steps:
- First, unplug the TV from its power source and leave it for one hour.
- While the TV is still unplugged, press and hold the power button on the TV unit (not the remote) for 60 seconds.
- As you’re pressing that button, plug the TV back into a wall socket. Then, continue holding the power button on the TV unit for another 60 seconds.
If that reset process does not help and the error message continues, that’s a sign of an internal problem. For instance, there might be a faulty control board, or the components have experienced excessive wear and tear.
How to fix it: Unfortunately, this problem requires professional attention. A qualified technician will be able to recommend repairs. However, if the TV has been in use for many years and is no longer worth repairing, you will likely be better off investing in a newer, more recent model Samsung TV.
Samsung TV Buttons Not Working
Why this happens: Samsung TVs have control buttons built on the unit itself. These buttons are meant to provide you with control if your TV remote stops working. You’ll find them under the TV or at the back, depending on the model.
If these buttons do not work when you press on them, the issue has nothing to do with your remote control. Instead, this is an internal fault that’s causing the TV not to recognize any button presses.
For instance, there might be an internal glitch caused by excessive residual electric charge or simply a glitch at the software level.
How to fix it: There are two solutions to this issue. The first is to discharge the excess residual electric charge and perform a cold boot, while the other is to reset the TV to factory settings.
To perform a discharge, follow these steps:
- While the TV is on, press and hold the Power button on the remote until the TV turns off and on again. Remember: hold the Power button down throughout the entire process.
Alternatively, you can also turn the TV off and disconnect it from the wall socket for 30 seconds. Then, reconnect it to its power supply.
Also see: What Is Sanitize On Samsung Dryers And How Does It Work?
