With the new Apple TV 4K now in customers' hands, some users are reporting issues when trying to control video with the redesigned Siri Remote.

Siri Remote 2 how to scrub Feature copy
Specifically, some users are complaining that using the circular gesture on the new clickpad ring to fast-forward or rewind paused video isn't working as expected. Rather than scrubbing through video continually in the direction of the gesture, the video scrubs back and forth in opposite directions.

From what we've been able to work out, the problem seems to relate to a subtle additional gesture that users are missing out, either because it isn't very intuitive or Apple doesn't demonstrate it particularly well in the marketing material.

siri remote clickpad video scrubbing
Try following these steps to get it working. We've italicized the crucial gesture that users appear to be omitting.

  1. First, pause the video by pressing the Play/Pause button, or by pressing the center of the clickpad ring. (A small preview thumbnail will appear above the playback timeline at the bottom of the screen.)
  2. Swipe left or right across the clickpad to scrub backward or forward in time. For more granular control, rest your finger on the outer edge of the clickpad ring until a ring icon appears on-screen, then trace a circle with your finger around the clickpad ring in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
  3. To begin playback at the new position, press the center of the clickpad.

You should find this method works with Apple's own apps, but we've found inconsistencies in its functioning with third-party apps, especially those that don't use Apple's native playback UI. For instance, it worked for us in Netflix, but the Disney+ app had persistent issues responding to the circular gesture.


It could be that some third-party apps need updating before they recognize the new clickpad ring on the second-generation ‌Siri‌ Remote, so hopefully any niggles will be smoothed out soon.

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

Top Rated Comments

femike Avatar
51 months ago
Is the Apple TV team so small that they didn't have time or care to test it out? They had 6 years to update this remote.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
omglolbbq Avatar
51 months ago
Apple need to enforce the use of standard UI components the same way they do in CarPlay so that features work consistently across the system and the user doesn’t have to learn ten different interfaces.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shasterball Avatar
51 months ago
The redesigned remote is 90% of the reason people are buying this thing. Apple appreciated this as they already sell the 2nd gen remote as a standalone. After all these years, and knowing the main desire to upgrade, why is the design still awkward?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
srbNYC Avatar
51 months ago

I miss being able to jump forward/back 10 seconds at a time by clicking on the right/left edge of the old remote. With the new remote, the video pauses and waits for me to scrub... scrubbing is less precise and requires more of my focus.
Use the left and right buttons for that; same functionality as the previous remote's touchscreen-edges.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xak444 Avatar
51 months ago

and everyone was so excited about this new remote ... hmmm ...
People will never be happy no matter what you do
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joediianni Avatar
51 months ago
Honestly… Third day into all new Apple TV’s in the house. I miss the old remote. The old gesture section was more like an extension of the iPhone and felt natural. This new one is large, clunky, button driven, I don’t know… Feels like it went back in time so far.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...