Need to get your entertainment on but tired of the Amazon Fire Stick remote not working right? Here’s a complete troubleshooting guide on how to fix what’s wrong and make the Fire TV Remote work every time.
Even before home entertainment became the wireless phenomenon that it is today, remote controls have always had a special place among households. The way traditional remote work is through infrared, but when you compare it to the modern standard of remote controls that are used with Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV devices, the technology is quite different. Since the Amazon Fire TV Stick remote works on low-power Bluetooth technology instead of Infrared, the ways to fix it are also widely different.
Reasons Why Amazon Fire Stick Remote Not Working
Whether the Fire TV remote stopped working abruptly, or never worked right out of the box, there are plenty of reasons that could cause this issue. Some of the common issues that users have reported and the reasons to why the Amazon Fire Stick remote isn’t working for you below, along with the ways to fix them.
Issue No. 1 – Battery Problem
While the technology that goes into the Amazon Fire TV Stick remote may be widely different from the traditional IR remotes, it still operates on standard AAA batteries. The most common issues that users face with the Fire TV remote is when the device is running on low battery. Unlike regular remotes that tend to work long-term even on low battery, the Bluetooth-based remote of Amazon Fire TV tends to go haywire when the battery runs low, causing it to malfunction or stop working entirely. Here’s what you can do to counter this problem:
- Remove the back of your Amazon Fire TV remote and pop out the batteries.
- Make sure that you reinsert them in the right order (+ and – side).
- If the batteries in your Fire TV remote are a few months old, try replacing them.
- Try using Alkaline batteries (1.5V) instead of the Rechargeable batteries (1.2V) for better performance.
If you’ve made sure that the batteries are inserted in the correct order and even tried replacing them, then the issue with the Amazon Fire Stick remote not working seems to do with something else.
Issue No.2 – Unsuccessful Pairing
On your regular TV remote, there is a set frequency for the IR remote and the receiver over which they connect and operate. As we have mentioned earlier, the remote you get with your Amazon Fire TV works differently since it is Bluetooth-based and not IR-based. This is why it first needs to establish a successful paired connection with the Fire TV Stick before you can begin using it.
- Connect the Fire TV Stick to an HDMI port at the back of your HDTV and plug in the MicroUSB cable to provide it power.
- Switch the HDMI Channel over which the Fire TV Stick is connected and wait for the Fire TV to boot up.
- Bring the remote closer to the Fire TV and then press and hold the Home button on the remote.
- Press and hold down the Home button for around 10 seconds and then release it.
- The Fire TV remote should now become responsive and you should be able to use it with your streaming device.
You may need to repeat the steps mentioned above a couple of times if it does not work right away. However, if this solution does not seem to work for you or does not work as you would intend for it to, continue below to resolve the Amazon Fire Stick remote not working issue.
Issue No. 3 – Poor Range
What makes the Amazon Fire TVStick remote effectively better than the good old IR remote is that since it is Bluetooth-based, you don’t need a clear line of sight between the remote and the device plugged into the back of your HDTV. However, just like every other wireless connectivity technology out there, Bluetooth also has a definitive range, after which it either works less than optimally, or not at all.
- If you’re operating the remote in a large room, try moving any obstruction between the TV and the Fire TV Stick remote.
- Try moving closer to the back of your TV where the Fire TV Stick and connected to see if it works in close range.
- Use the extension cable that is provided with the Amazon Fire TV to bring the dongle out from behind the TV, which improves connectivity with the remote.
- If the HDTV is placed in an enclosure or cabinet, open it and see if the remote works to find out if obstruction is the problem here.
Issue No. 4 – Interference
If all of the issues that have been highlighted above don’t seem to be the problem, then there could be more to the problem here. While Bluetooth technology does have a wide range of benefits over the traditional Infrared, it is also prone to interference when it comes in proximity with any other connectivity technology. The elements mentioned below have been known to interfere with the effectiveness and range of Bluetooth:
- Microwave radiation (microwave oven)
- Wireless speakers (Bluetooth channel interference)
- Unshielded coaxial cables
If you have either of these devices in close proximity to the TV and Fire Stick, then remove them from the vicinity and try operating the remote again. However, if this does not seem to correct the problem of Amazon Fire Stick Remote not working, there may be only one solution left.
Issue No. 5 – Faltering Remote
While the Amazon Fire TV along with its remote is built to last, it is a piece of technology that can always face issues. If you’ve had the Fire TV Stick long enough, there are chances of mishandling and breakage, even if it may not seem obvious, or maybe you just got a shorter end of the stick with a malfunctioning remote. Either way, replacing the Amazon Fire TV Remote with an official one may be your only hope.
Buy AmazonFire TV Stick 4K with all-new Alexa Voice Remote, streaming media player Fire TV Stick Remote
Remember, you will need to pair the new remote again with your Fire TV Stick, so all you need to do is follow these steps to do it:
- Connect the Amazon Fire TV Stick to the HDTV and turn it on.
- Bring the new remote closer to the Fire TV.
- Press and hold the Home button on the remote.
- Keep holding down the Home button for around 10 seconds and then release it.
The new Amazon Fire TV Stick remote should now be paired with your streaming device and ready for use.
Bonus: Use the Amazon Fire TV App
While the Amazon Fire TV remote is a fine accessory, it does not beat the simplicity of having a wireless remote app built into your phone. The official Amazon Fire TV App takes a page out of the book of Apple TV, bringing full-fledged controls for navigation though a virtual remote control.
The app comes with touch navigation that makes it a breeze to get through the menu, along with features such as Alexa voice command, playback controls, virtual keyboard, and quick access to your favorite apps and games that are installed on the device. All you need to do is install the free Amazon Fire TV App on your Android or iOS device, pair it with your Amazon Fire TV Stick and you’re set.
Get Amazon Fire TV App for Android
Get Amazon Fire TV App for iOS
Final Words
There can be plenty of reasons behind the Amazon Fire Stick Remote not working, and we’ve tried to diagnose each and every one of them above. However, we do recommend that you try out the Amazon Fire TV App even if you do have a fairly functional remote, since it makes the navigation a lot simpler. If you’ve faced plenty of issues with the Fire TV remote not working and were successfully able to work around it, be sure to help your fellow users and mention it in the comments section below.
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Mukund says
March 28, 2019 at 3:58 pmVery very bad amazon stick .new battery only one day working .Return bitten not working .Time west purchase of amazon stick