Sony Smart TV Remote Doesn't Work: 4 Easy Ways to Fix it
You can fix this by power cycling your TV
3 min. read
Updated on
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team Read more
Key notes
- If your Sony Smart TV remote is not working, it might be because of weak batteries.
- You can fix this issue by simply removing external devices connected to your TV.
Sony’s Smart TVs come with a smart remote control that can be used to control your Setup box etc. Sometimes, the remote control may stop working. Several users have reported Sony smart TV remote doesn’t work issue in the tech forums.
Troubleshooting this issue is easier than it may appear. Follow the steps in this article to know how to get your remote working now.
Why is my Sony Smart TV not responding to my remote?
Below are some of the factors that might cause your Sony TV remote to stop working:
- Issues with the remote: In some cases. this problem might be due to problems with your remote. This might be due to battery problems or other factors.
- Boot issues: If it is just a few of the buttons on your Sony Smart remote are not working, it might be a boot issue. You need to reboot your TV to fix this.
How can I fix my Sony Smart TV remote if it doesn’t work?
1. Reboot and wait
If only a few buttons of the Sony remote don’t work, it is due to the boot process. Sony recommends that users wait for a few minutes for all the remote control functions to start working.
Before proceeding with other troubleshooting tips, please check the batteries. Dead batteries are a common cause of partially functioning or dead remote control. Place the batteries according to the polarity and try again.
2. Check TV operations / reset Android TV
- Make sure that your TV is functioning properly using the buttons on the TV. Press any of the buttons and check if you are able to control the volume and menu etc.
- If the TV is functioning properly, jump to the third fix.
- If the TV button is not working, make sure the lights on the TV are on.
- Perform a power cycle by pressing the Power button for 5 seconds until the message Power off appears.
- Wait for the TV to restart. That should complete the power cycle. Use your remote again and check for any improvements.
3. Troubleshoot remote control
- If the issue persists, troubleshoot the remote control using these steps.
- Clean the remote control terminal. The remote control battery terminals can accumulate dirt over time. Remove the battery lid and roll the batteries with your thumb.
- Remove external devices connected to the computer. External devices like hard drives, gaming consoles, and even streaming devices can create issues.
- Remove all the connected devices one by one. Then start connecting them again and check if the remote control starts functioning.
- If the remote control starts working, then you may have an external device to troubleshoot.
4. Verify the remote control IR blaster
- Remote controls use an Infra-Red blaster to transmit signals. You can easily verify if the remote control is sending an IR signal.
- Take a smartphone with a camera. Open the camera app.
- Point the end of the remote control with the IR emitter at the camera.
- Press the power on button on the remote control if you see a light on the phone screen if the remote control is sending IR signals.
With this, we can conclude this guide on how to fix your Sony Smart Tv remote if it doesn’t work. You should be able to solve the problem with the solutions therein.
If your Sony TV is not responding at all, check our detailed guide to fix it.
Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.
