LG TV Remote On The Fritz? 11 Simple Fixes To Try

Is your LG TV remote acting up?

You’re trying to change the volume, or select an app, or maybe you can’t even turn on the TV, because the remote just won’t cooperate. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.The pointer might be drifting all over. No matter the specific problem, you might feel it’s time to try some percussive maintenance.

While this is a very frustrating issue, there are some very simple things we can do to try narrowing down and resolving the issue. So before hitting the remote, we’ve got everything you need to get this fixed right here in this article.

In short these are the steps we’ll try to fix it:

• Replace the batteries.
• Power-cycle the TV.
• Re-pair the remote (depending on the model).
• Update the TV.
• Replace the remote.
• Reset to factory settings.
• Repair the TV.

Fixing An LG TV Remote

Here’s a few quick tricks to try fixing that LG remote.

1. Open the battery door, pop out the batteries, and roll them around in your hands.

• This might generate a little more charge and get the batteries to give a little more juice.

2. If you have an android phone; Open the camera app, point the remote directly at the camera, and press the power button.

• If the remote is working you should see a red light shine on the camera from your phone screen.
• If you see a red light and the power button doesnt turn the TV on/off, then you know the issue is with the TV not the remote.
• This won’t work on an Iphone because they don’t show IR.

3. Unplug other devices that may produce IR. This can be anything that produces visible light or something like a microwave or a smart speaker or even another remote. Make sure to turn off the lights in the room as well. This is to reduce potential IR interference.
4. If you have a “Magic Remote”, try a standard LG remote. You can pick up generic ones for a very low cost.

We’ll get into some more as we discuss the solutions.

7 Ways To Fix The Remote

If you haven’t tried troubleshooting first, you should at least try the second tip. It’s important to figure out if it’s the TV or the remote. You won’t want to spend your time looking into the wrong thing.

Remember when testing to always use both the power button and the home button on the remote.

1. Replace the batteries.

You may have already tried this one. But in case you haven’t yet, go ahead and try some new batteries. If you have another device with the same type of battery you can try those too if you know they work.

2. Power cycle the TV.

Turn the TV off and unplug it from the wall. Wait 2 minutes, so the power fully drains from the TV. Plug the TV back in and try it again.

3. Re-pair the remote (depending on the model).

If the power button works but no other button works, you’ll need this step.

There are two different types of LG remotes; there is the basic remote and the “Magic Remote”. The basic remote doesn’t pair to the TV, so this step doesn’t apply for those.

The “Magic Remote” will have a scroll wheel in the middle just like a computer mouse has. It also offers an on-screen pointer, provided it’s working of course. If this is the remote you have, re-pairing is very simple just follow these steps:

1. Grab your TV remote
2. Press and hold the Home and back button until the power light should light up (These may be written out or shown as symbols).
3. Point the remote at the TV and press the Select button(the wheel)
4. The power light should flash and turn off.
5. Try the remote again. Testing power and home.

4. Update the TV.

This may seem odd considering the remote doesn’t work. However, this is still an option.

• You can try:
  • A standard remote to navigate the menus.
  • The navigation button, located on the TV. It will be on the back or the bottom, usually the bottom center or the back bottom-left corner.
  • Putting the “Magic Remote” into pairing mode, without pairing it. When in pairing mode the remote should act as a standard remote.\

• If these don’t work you can perform a manual update.

• For this method you will need a computer and a blank flash drive. You will also need to know your model number, which is found under “About this TV”. Click here to visit the official LG website for your TV’s latest firmware. This will also provide step by step instructions to perform this task.

5. Replace the remote

All else fails, get a brand new remote. While the “Magic” remote is only sold by LG, and can be a bit costly, the standard remote can be generic and inexpensive. Go ahead and pick one up. At the very least it will tell you if the problem is the remote or the TV.

6. Factory Reset

This is the ultimate start over, there’s no going back. Though this may be the only way forward, if nothing else is working. Although the remote may not be working you should still be able to access the menus by using the navigation buttons. The navigation button is located on the back or the bottom, usually the bottom center or the back bottom-left corner.

Note that factory resetting your TV will erase all of the data on your TV, including your apps, settings, and recordings. If you can, be sure to back up any important data before you reset your TV.

• Go to Settings > General > Reset to Initial Settings. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset.

7. Repair the TV

Still no luck? That’s a real bummer. 

Hopefully the button on the TV still works so you can at least turn it on/off and watch something through an external device. No matter, if you made it this far it may be time to call for some help. 

The issue most likely lies with one of two boards on the TV, the IR/button board or the main board. Depending on the model of TV and its age this, replacing the main board may be more expensive than its worth. 

However, the IR/button board is likely the least expensive component, and very easy to replace.

• Due to the high voltage capacitors located in the TV, we cannot recommend that you open your TV. If you touch the wrong thing you could get severely injured.
• Find a local TV technician near you.

Contact LG for support.

In the end, if you’ve tried everything else and are still having the problem. You may need to reach out to LG. The TV may still be under warranty. They often cover a remote replacement, or it may need a board replaced.

You can find their help and additional resources here: https://www.lg.com/us/support/contact

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