After returning from a week-long business trip, I decided to ease off the work stress by watching a feel-good movie on my Samsung Smart TV. I picked up the remote and pressed the power button only to notice that my TV wasn’t turning on. Unsure what was wrong, I pressed the physical power button to turn on the TV.
However, even after several attempts at pressing various keys on the remote, I wasn’t able to control my TV. Though I got the TV to turn on, the remote was still unresponsive. I had solved the black screen issue by soft resetting my TV but I’d never faced any issue with the remote till now.
Annoyed, I switched to online forums and the official Samsung website for help. Most folks on relevant discussion threads suggested resetting the Samsung remote to get it working again. I spent some more time on the research to verify if resetting the remote actually works.
Here’s how I reset my Samsung remote and found some alternative ways to control the Samsung TV if the remote is not working:
To reset your Samsung remote, remove both batteries and press the power button for at least 8 seconds. Reinsert the batteries firmly and use the remote again.
Reset Your Samsung Remote
If your Samsung TV remote isn’t working properly or not responding to any commands, it may be due to a technical glitch or faulty batteries.
The best way to fix any issues related to the Samsung remote is by resetting it. Follow this procedure to soft reset your Samsung Remote:
- Remove both batteries from the Samsung remote
- Press and hold the power button for at least 8 seconds
- Finally, reinsert the batteries in the remote. Make sure that the batteries are correctly and tightly inserted
- Try using the remote to control your Samsung TV again
Perform An IR Signal Test
If the remote is still not working, try checking if the remote is sending an infrared (IR) signal.
Perform an IR signal test on your Samsung remote:
- Open the Camera app on your smartphone/ tablet
- Point the remote at your device’s camera
- Now press and hold the power button while the remote is pointing at the camera
- While holding the power button, check your device’s camera screen
- If your remote is sending an IR signal, the camera should display a colored light coming from the remote control
In case you don’t see the colored light, it’s possible that your remote isn’t functioning:
- Try removing the batteries and replacing them with fresh ones
- After the batteries are replaced, perform the IR test again
- If you still can’t see the colored light in the camera, you may need to get a new Samsung remote
Bonus Tip: Control Samsung TV Without a Remote
The most common reason why you’re trying to reset your Samsung remote is that you may not be able to control your Samsung TV. It’s possible that your Samsung remote isn’t working and you don’t have another one available.
If that’s the case, here are some effective alternatives to control your Samsung TV without using a remote:
- Use physical buttons on the Samsung TV
- Control the TV via the SmartThings app
Use Physical Buttons on Your Samsung TV
Most Samsung TVs have physical buttons that allow you to control several functions of the TV such as turning it on/off, changing the volume, changing source input, etc. Except for this, most Samsung TV models also allow access to the Smart Hub via, TV Menu and Settings as well.
Though the physical buttons allow different functionalities, they’re not suitable for regular use. These buttons can act as an emergency option in case you’ve got a non-functional remote. The location of physical buttons on your Samsung TV may vary based on the TV model. Refer to your TV manual for the exact location.
Here are the three main areas to check while trying to locate the physical buttons on your Samsung TV:
Back of the TV
Most Samsung TVs have a TV controller located exactly on the back of the TV. Run your fingers on the bottom right corner to locate the controller. This controller stick consists of up/down and left/right buttons with a center button. To turn on your Samsung TV, simply long-press the center button.
Under the Middle of the Front Panel
Some Samsung TV models have function buttons located in the middle of the front panel. You may be able to locate 5 different buttons to control your TV. Long press the center button to turn on the TV.
Some older Samsung TV models manufactured before 2018 have a single button controller located in the middle of the front bezel. Similar to the above set of buttons, long pressing the center button will turn your TV on.
Side of the Front Panel
Other Samsung TV models have the controller located exactly under the bezel, usually on the right-hand side while you’re facing the TV. Single press the button to open the TV menu and long press the center button to make a selection.
Use the SmartThings App
The best way to control your Samsung TV without a remote is by connecting the TV to your phone via the SmartThings app.
Here’s how to add your Samsung TV to the SmartThings app:
- Download and install the SmartThings app on your smartphone
- Launch the SmartThings app and turn on your Samsung TV (you can use the physical buttons as mentioned above if the remote is not working)
- Make sure that both the SmartThings app and your smartphone are connected to the same WiFi network
- Once the app is open, tap on the Add icon (+) and select Device
- From the list of devices, tap on TV and select Samsung
- Tap on TV again and select Start
- Select the location and the room you watch the TV in and click Next
- Your phone should be successfully connected to your TV. For models manufactured before 2020, you may need to enter a PIN to connect your TV
Once the connection is successful, follow these instructions to control your Samsung TV using the SmartThings app:
- Launch the SmartThings app on your mobile and tap on the TV device card
- You can scroll through several options including turning the TV on/off, Content Search, Remote, and Apps as well as other options
- Go to the Remote menu, to control the TV Channel, Volume, Home, and Settings
- In the Search menu, you can also search the TV content through the mobile keyboard and start content on TV by clicking on the phone
Get Your Remote Working Again
Resetting your Samsung TV remote can help fix several issues such as the remote not working, not responding to key presses, or technical glitches. Take the batteries out of the remote, and press and hold the power button for about 8-10 seconds. Reinsert the batteries but make sure that they’re tightly inserted.
If your remote doesn’t work even after resetting, perform an IR signal test on it using your phone’s camera app. If the colored light doesn’t appear in the camera, your remote might have stopped working.
There are some effective alternative ways to control your Samsung TV without using the remote. As an emergency solution, you can use the physical TV buttons usually located on the bottom right corner at the back of your TV.
For some other models, the location of physical buttons may vary. Check at the bottom of the front panel in the middle or the right-hand side.
As a reliable alternative, you can connect your TV to the smartphone through the SmartThings app and use your phone as a remote. If you’ve got a Samsung smartphone, you don’t have to set it up with your TV. However, if you’re using an iPhone or other Android device, install the SmartThings app on it and select your Samsung TV from the list of available devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I need to reset my Samsung remote?
There are several reasons why you may need to reset your Samsung remote. If your remote isn’t working properly or is unresponsive to any of the key presses due to a technical glitch, resetting it might help fix the issue. A reset is also useful in case you haven’t used the Samsung remote for a long time and it’s not responding at all.
How do I reset my Samsung remote control?
To reset your Samsung remote control, remove the batteries, then press and hold the power button on the remote for at least 8-10 seconds. Now release the button and reinsert the batteries. Make sure that the batteries are tightly inserted and the +/- side of the batteries are connected to their corresponding sides in the battery compartment of your remote. If the remote is still unresponsive, try performing an infrared signal test on your TV remote using the phone’s camera. If the camera doesn’t display any colored light, it’s time for you to get a new remote.
What should I do if my Samsung TV isn’t responding to any remote control?
If your Samsung TV isn’t responding to any remote control, check the batteries in the remote and make sure they’re installed correctly. Try resetting the remote and ensuring that it’s working properly by performing an infrared (IR) signal test on it.
If the remote is working correctly, you may also want to try soft resetting your Samsung TV. Unplug it from the power socket and wait for about 60 seconds. Meanwhile, press and hold the power button on your TV for about 30 seconds. Plug the TV back in and check if it is responding to the remote now.
Is there any way to control my Samsung TV without using a remote?
There are several ways in which you can control your Samsung TV without using a remote. As a temporary solution, locate the physical buttons on the TV. Usually, they’re located on the lower right corner at the back of your TV. On some older models, you may find the buttons below the front panel in the middle or right-hand side.
The easiest way to control your TV without using a remote is by connecting it to the SmartThings app via your smartphone. Simply add your Samsung TV to the SmartThings app and go to the remote option to start controlling it. Make sure that both your TV and smartphone are connected to the same WiFi network for SmartThings to work perfectly.