Apple TV Remote Not Working? How to Fix - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple TV Remote Not Working? How to Fix

by

Sometimes the Apple TV Remote or Siri Remote can become unresponsive or lose its connection to the ‌Apple TV‌ for no obvious reason. This article outlines what you can try to get it working again.

apple tv 4k siri remote
Usually when the remote that comes with Apple's set-top box stops functioning properly, it's either due to a hardware fault and the remote needs replacing, or the battery just needs recharging via the supplied Lightning or USB-C cable.

Occasionally though, some users run into persistent connection issues. It's an annoying bug that rears its head now and again, but there is a way to restart remotes for ‌Apple TV‌ devices which can sometimes fix the problem.

The following steps show you how it's done.

How to Restart Siri Remote and Apple TV Remote

  1. Press and hold the TV button and the Volume Down button at the same time. Keep holding both buttons for about five seconds, or until the status light on your ‌Apple TV‌ turns off and on again.
  2. Release both buttons, then wait five to 10 seconds for a Connection Lost notification to appear in the corner of your TV screen.
  3. Wait while the remote restarts. You should see the Connected remote notification appear on the screen, after which you can use your remote again.

apple tv restart remote

That's all there is to it. If the restart process doesn't fix connection issues experienced with your ‌Siri‌ Remote or ‌Apple TV‌ Remote, it's time to contact Apple support.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

General visionOS watchOS and tvOS Betas Feature Redux

Apple Releases First watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5 and visionOS 26.5 Betas

Monday March 30, 2026 10:38 am PDT by
Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 betas for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple launched the 26.4 versions of each platform. The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required. There's no word on...
Cape Fear 2026

Apple TV Teases New 'Highly Anticipated' Psychological Thriller Series

Tuesday March 31, 2026 6:31 am PDT by
Apple today released a teaser trailer for Cape Fear, a new "highly anticipated" psychological thriller series starring Amy Adams, Patrick Wilson, and Javier Bardem. The first two episodes of the 10-episode limited series will premiere on Apple TV on Friday, June 5, and one new episode will follow every Friday through July 31. In the series, Apple says a storm is coming for happily married...
apple tv 4k new orange

Apple Says Three More Products Are Now 'Vintage' or 'Obsolete'

Tuesday March 31, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple today added the MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) to its "vintage" products list, meaning the device is now only eligible for repairs at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers if parts remain available. The MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017) was the final MacBook Air model released before Apple redesigned the laptop and gave it a Retina display in 2018. Apple also added all iPad...