How to Pair an Apple Remote to Your Apple TV

The fastest way to pair an Apple Remote

To pair an Apple Remote to your Apple TV, hold the remote within a few inches of the Apple TV and press and hold both the Menu and Right buttons together for about three seconds. The Apple TV will show a pairing screen, and once the remote connects, you can release the buttons. The whole process takes less than a minute and works whether you are setting up a new Apple TV or adding a second remote to an existing one.

If the pairing screen does not appear, make sure your Apple TV is powered on and that you are using the correct remote model for your device. The pairing method differs slightly between the older Siri Remote (the one with a clickpad) and the newer Apple Remote (the one with physical buttons), but both follow the same basic hold-and-wait approach.

Key Takeaways

Press and hold Menu and Right buttons together for three seconds while holding the remote close to your Apple TV.
The Apple TV will display a pairing confirmation on screen when the connection is successful.
You can pair multiple remotes to a single Apple TV, and each one will work independently.
If pairing fails, restart your Apple TV and try again with the remote held directly in front of the device.

Pairing the newer Apple Remote with physical buttons

The newer Apple Remote, released in 2021 and later, has a row of physical buttons across the top instead of a clickpad. To pair this remote, position it within a few inches of your Apple TV and press and hold the Menu button (the one with three horizontal lines) and the Right arrow button at the same time. Hold both buttons for about three seconds until you see the pairing screen appear on your television.

Once the pairing screen shows up, release the buttons. Your Apple TV will confirm the connection within a few seconds, and the remote will be ready to use. If you do not see a pairing screen, check that your Apple TV is turned on and try again, this time holding the remote even closer to the device.

Pairing the older Siri Remote with a clickpad

The Siri Remote, which came with Apple TV models from 2015 to 2021, has a large clickpad at the top instead of buttons. To pair this remote, hold it near your Apple TV and press and hold the Menu button (located at the top left of the clickpad) and the Bottom button (at the bottom of the clickpad) together for three seconds. The pairing screen will appear on your television when the connection is recognized.

Release the buttons once you see the pairing confirmation. This remote model is less common now, but the pairing process works the same way on any Apple TV that supports it. If you have an older Apple TV and are unsure which remote model you own, check the shape of the top surface — a flat clickpad means you have the Siri Remote, and a row of buttons means you have the newer model.

What to do if your remote will not pair

If the pairing screen does not appear after holding the buttons, the most common fix is to restart your Apple TV. Unplug the power cable from the back of the device, wait about 10 seconds, and plug it back in. Once the Apple TV has finished starting up, try pairing the remote again using the same button combination.

Make sure you are holding the remote close to the Apple TV — within a few inches of the front of the device. If you are too far away, the connection will not register. Also check that the remote has fresh batteries by pressing other buttons to see if they respond. If the remote is completely unresponsive, replace the batteries and try pairing again.

If pairing still fails after a restart and fresh batteries, try unpairing the remote first. Go to Settings on your Apple TV, select Remotes and Devices, then Bluetooth, and look for your remote in the list. Select it and choose Forget This Device, then attempt to pair it again from the beginning.

Pairing a second or replacement remote to the same Apple TV

You can pair multiple remotes to a single Apple TV, which is useful if you have one remote in the living room and another in the bedroom, or if you need a backup. The process is identical to the first pairing — straightforward hold the new remote near your Apple TV and press and hold Menu and Right (or Menu and Bottom for the older Siri Remote) for three seconds until the pairing screen appears.

Each remote will work independently with your Apple TV, and you do not need to unpair the first remote before adding a second one. If you are replacing a lost or broken remote, you can pair the new one without removing the old one from your settings. However, if you want to remove an old remote that you no longer use, go to Settings, select Remotes and Devices, then Bluetooth, and choose Forget This Device next to the remote you want to remove.

Identifying which remote model you have

The easiest way to tell which remote you own is to look at the top of the device. The newer Apple Remote has a row of physical buttons: Menu, Home, Play/Pause, and arrow buttons. The older Siri Remote has a large flat clickpad with a Menu button at the top left. Both remotes have a white or black finish and are roughly the same size, so the button layout is the clearest difference.

You can also check your Apple TV settings to see which remote model is connected. Go to Settings, select Remotes and Devices, then Bluetooth, and look at the name of your connected remote. It will say either "Apple Remote" or "Siri Remote" depending on which model you have. Knowing which remote you own will help you use the correct button combination if you ever need to pair it again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pair a remote from an older Apple TV to a newer one?

Not always. The Siri Remote (2015–2021) will not pair with Apple TV 4K (3rd generation, 2022) or later models. The newer Apple Remote works with Apple TV 4K (2nd generation, 2021) and later. Check your Apple TV model and remote model to make sure they are compatible before attempting to pair.

How close does the remote need to be to the Apple TV during pairing?

Hold the remote within a few inches of the front of your Apple TV — typically no more than 6 inches away. The closer you are, the more reliable the pairing will be. Once pairing is complete, you can use the remote from across the room.

What if I lose my Apple Remote?

You can purchase a replacement Apple Remote from Apple's website or an electronics retailer. Once you have the new remote, pair it using the same button-hold method. You do not need the old remote to pair a new one.

Do I need to unpair my old remote before pairing a new one?

No. You can pair a new remote without unpairing the old one. Both remotes will work with your Apple TV at the same time. If you want to remove the old remote from your settings, go to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth and select Forget This Device.

Why does my remote keep disconnecting from my Apple TV?

A disconnecting remote usually means the batteries are low. Replace them with fresh batteries and try again. If the problem continues, restart your Apple TV and re-pair the remote. If disconnections persist, the remote may have a hardware issue and may need to be replaced.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.