How to Pair and Unpair Apple TV Remote: Step by Step Guide!, by 360 Reader on YouTube. 3 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Move within a few feet of the Apple TV and point the remote at the front of the box. Pairing works best up close with nothing blocking the signal.
Charge the remote first if it is a Siri Remote. Plug it into a Lightning cable for about 30 minutes, since a dead battery is the most common reason pairing fails.
Press and hold the Menu and Volume Up buttons together for about 5 seconds. On older silver remotes, hold Menu and the center button instead.
Watch the TV screen for a pairing message or a prompt asking you to confirm the remote. Release the buttons once it appears.
Test the remote by pressing a direction on the touch surface and opening an app. If nothing happens, repeat the button hold once more.
To unpair, open Settings on the Apple TV, then go to Remotes and Devices. Select your remote from the list.
Choose Unpair or Remove Remote and confirm. The Apple TV stops listening to that remote until you pair it again.
If the remote still will not connect, restart the Apple TV from Settings, System, Restart. Then try the pairing button hold again.
Tips and common mistakes
Hold the buttons for the full 5 seconds; letting go early is the usual reason pairing fails.
Keep the remote within a few feet of the Apple TV during pairing, then move back to your seat.
If you have several Apple TVs, unpair the remote before moving it so it does not control the wrong box.
Replace the battery in older silver remotes before assuming the remote is broken.
Questions
Why does my Apple TV remote not connect?
Most pairing failures come from a low battery or from releasing the buttons too soon. Charge the remote, hold Menu and Volume Up for 5 seconds, and restart the Apple TV if it still fails.
Can I use one remote with two Apple TVs?
A remote stays paired to one Apple TV at a time. Unpair it from the first box in Settings, Remotes and Devices, then pair it with the second one.
Does unpairing delete my settings?
No. Unpairing only stops the remote from controlling that Apple TV. Your apps, accounts and preferences stay as they are.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
