The Amazon Fire TV operating system is one of the most popular broadcast entertainment platforms in the world. You can find Fire TV built into a number of devices, including Fire TV, the Fire TV Stick line, and the Fire TV Cube. Besides using Alexa voice commands, the main way you’ll interact with the Fire TV OS is with your Fire TV remote, whether it’s one of the older generation remotes or the older ones. recent Alexa voice remotes. So, what do you do if your Fire TV remote stops working?
Your first urge might be to buy a new remote (or throw your faulty remote out the window), but before you start spending your hard-earned money, let’s take a moment to troubleshoot the problem.
Whatever problem you’re having with your Fire TV remote, chances are you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the most common Fire TV remote problems faced by users around the world. We’ll also tell you what you can do to fix them.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends
Use troubleshooting mode
Before we even get into the nitty-gritty of troubleshooting and repairs, we’d like to draw attention to the fact that most Fire TV remotes actually have a troubleshooting mode. It’s nothing fancy, but if the little LED at the top of your remote blinks when you press the blue Alexa button, your remote might be troubleshooting.
With us so far? Now here’s what you need to do to enter troubleshooting mode:
Step 1: press the Rewind And RIGHT navigation buttons at the same time and hold them for 3 seconds.
2nd step: press the Menu button. The LED at the top of the remote should light green, telling you that you have entered troubleshooting mode.
Step 3: Press any button on your remote and the LED will light up in different colors to indicate what type of problem your remote may be experiencing. We’ve also listed each color/flash code below:
- Red (slow flash): low battery
- Red (fast flashing: a general error indication
- Orange: Your Fire TV remote is not paired with a Fire TV device
- White: Your Fire TV device may be turned off
- Blue: no problem
Step 4: To exit troubleshooting mode, press and hold Play pause And Up navigation buttons at the same time and hold them for 3 seconds.
Step 5: press the Menu button to turn off troubleshooting mode. Then remove the batteries from your remote control and put them back in.
Reset your Fire TV device
One of our go-to solutions for most device troubleshooting and repairs is to reset your device. After all, nothing is more effective than forcing your AV devices to cool down and think about what they’ve done.
For most Fire TV devices, you can restart them simply by unplugging them and plugging them back in after a few seconds. Or you can do it from your Fire TV’s menu.
Step 1: Go to Settings on your Fire TV device.
2nd step: Select the My Fire TV option, then select Reboot.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends
How to Reset Most Fire TV Remotes
This should work for Alexa Voice Remote Pro, the third-generation Fire TV remote, and the second-generation Alexa Voice Remote Lite.
Step 1: The first thing you’ll need to do is unplug your Fire TV device from the power and HDMI input of your TV, then wait 60 seconds. If you’re using a Fire TV-powered smart TV, simply unplug it from the power outlet it’s connected to.
2nd step: Grab your Fire TV remote. press the LEFT navigation button, the Menu button and the Back at the same time and hold it for 12 seconds.
Step 3: Release the buttons, then wait 5 seconds. Now remove the batteries from your remote control.
Step 4: Plug your Fire TV device back in and wait for the “A remote cannot be detected” screen to appear. Now put the batteries back into your remote control.
Step 5: press the Home button. If the LED light flashes blue, your remote has been successfully paired with your Fire TV device. If there is no pairing, press and hold Home button for 10 seconds.
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Resetting the Basic Edition remote
Step 1: Press and hold the Home button. While holding down, press the key Menu button three times.
2nd step: Let it go Home button. Then press the Menu button nine times.
Step 3: Remove the batteries from the remote control. Now, unplug your Fire TV device from power and HDMI, then wait for 60 seconds.
Step 4: Put the batteries back in your remote, then reconnect your Fire TV device. When the home screen appears, press and hold Home button for 40 seconds.
Step 5: After about 60 seconds, your remote should be paired.
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Resetting Alexa Voice Remote (1st Generation)
Step 1: Unplug your Fire TV device from power and HDMI, then wait 60 seconds.
2nd step: press the LEFT navigation button and Menu at the same time and hold them for 12 seconds.
Step 3: Release the buttons and wait 5 seconds.
Step 4: Remove the batteries from the remote, then plug your Fire TV device back in and wait for the screen saying a remote cannot be detected.
Step 5: Put the batteries back into your remote, then press the button Home button.
Step 6: If your remote is still not paired, press and hold Home button for 10 seconds.
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Replace the batteries
Nothing screams “remote misbehavior” like a few dead batteries. As we mentioned in the Troubleshooting section, if the light on your Fire TV remote is slowly blinking red, it means the batteries are low.
And while it may seem obvious, make sure you install the batteries correctly. When placed incorrectly, it may appear that the batteries appear to be in good condition, so take an extra second or two to check.
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Bluetooth and interference
Unlike traditional infrared remotes, a Fire TV remote forms a Bluetooth link between the controller and the host device. This Bluetooth A to B pairing should be valid up to 30 feet, but that’s not always the case. Often, walls, floors, ceilings, small appliances, and other Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connected devices can cause interference.
If your Fire TV remote has lost connection to a Fire TV streaming device or smart TV, take a look at your entertainment space. If there are devices you can move without messing up your daily AV setup, try moving one or more devices to a new location.
You can also try adding a
Fire TV add-on
to your AV setup. Sometimes when a Fire TV streaming device is hidden behind your TV (like most Fire TV Stick lines), the remote may have trouble connecting properly.
Check for damage
Unbeknownst to you, your Fire TV remote could be physically damaged. Dropping it a few times probably won’t do much, but if your controller is prone to drops and you have hard floors, it’s possible it’s taken too many hits.
Cosmetic damage to a section of the remote control could also be the cause of problems that are not in that same area.
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Ensure compatibility
Whether your remote is damaged beyond repair or lost, there may come a time when you need to buy a new Fire TV remote. And if you bought the wrong model for the Fire TV device you’re using, the remote won’t work.
If you’re not sure which version of the Fire TV Stick you have, you can log in to your Amazon account to check. To do this, go to your Amazon account Manage your content and devices dashboard. All registered Fire TV devices (including Amazon Smart TVs and Fire TV Smart TVs from brands like Toshiba and Insignia) will appear under All devices.
A new Alexa Voice Remote Pro is compatible with the following Fire TV devices:
- Fire TV Cube (3rd generation)
- Fire TV Cube (2nd generation)
- Fire TV Cube (1st generation)
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd generation)
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st generation)
- Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd generation)
- Fire TV Stick 4K (1st generation)
- Fire TV Stick (3rd generation)
- Fire TV Stick (2nd generation)
- Fire TV Lite stick
-
Fire TV (3rd generation, hanging design)
-
Fire TV Omni QLED Series
- Omni TV Fire Series
- Fire TV Series 4
-
Fire TV Series 2
-
Toshiba Smart 4K UHD TV – Fire TV
- Toshiba Smart HD 1080p TV – Fire TV
- Toshiba Smart 4K UHD with Dolby Vision – Fire TV
- Insignia 4K UHD Smart TV – Fire TV
- Insignia Class F20 Series Smart HD 720p – Fire TV
A new Alexa voice remote (3rd generation) is compatible with the following devices:
A new Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced is compatible with the following devices:
Update software
Last but not least, it’s always a good idea to make sure your Fire TV product’s software is up to date. Although the latest Fire TV OS patch may not include controller fixes, it may include upgrades to Bluetooth technology or other engineering items that may affect the connection between your Fire TV remote and its host device.
To check for a software update on your Fire TV, go to Settings > My Fire TV Or Device and software. Then select About > Check for system update.
Use the Fire TV app
In case your remote is totally broken, or you just want a second way to control your Fire TV device, you can always download the Fire TV app (for iOS and Android devices) for your smartphone or tablet.
As long as you connect your mobile device to the same Wi-Fi as your Fire TV device, the Fire TV app can work as an alternative remote control for your Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, or Fire TV-powered smart TV.
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