The basics: pairing and turning on your TV

Your Apple TV remote works right out of the box, but you need to pair it to your Apple TV box first so they can communicate. Hold the remote about 6 inches from the front of your Apple TV and point it directly at the device. Press and hold the Menu and Home buttons together for about 5 seconds until you see a pairing message on your TV screen. Release the buttons and wait for the pairing to complete—this usually takes less than a minute.

Once paired, the remote is ready to use. To turn on your Apple TV, press the Menu button or the Home button. The device will wake up and display the home screen. If your remote stops responding, the batteries may be low—the remote uses two AA batteries, and you can check the battery level by going to Settings > AirPlay and HomeKit on your Apple TV and looking at the remote battery indicator.

Key Takeaways

  • Pair your remote by holding Menu and Home together for 5 seconds while pointing it at your Apple TV box.
  • The Home button takes you to the main screen, and the Menu button goes back one screen or exits an app.
  • The touchpad at the top of the remote lets you navigate by swiping, and you press it to select what you want.
  • The Siri button (microphone icon) lets you search for shows, control playback, and ask questions by speaking aloud.
  • If your remote stops working, check the battery level in Settings and replace the AA batteries if needed.

Moving around the screen with the touchpad

The large flat area at the top of your remote is the touchpad, and it is how you navigate everything on Apple TV. Swipe your finger up, down, left, or right on the touchpad to move through menus, highlight different apps, or scroll through lists. The movement on your TV screen follows your finger movement on the remote—swipe down to go down, swipe left to go left, and so on.

To select something you have highlighted, press down on the touchpad (not swipe—actually press it). This is how you open apps, play a show, or confirm a choice. You can also click the edges of the touchpad: click the left edge to go back, or click the right edge to move forward in some apps. The touchpad is sensitive, so you do not need to press hard—a light touch works best.

Using the Home and Menu buttons

The Home button is the one with a house icon, usually at the bottom of the remote. Press it once to go back to the main home screen from anywhere in Apple TV. Press it twice quickly to see all your open apps and switch between them—this is useful if you want to jump from one app to another without going all the way back to the home screen.

The Menu button (the one with three horizontal lines) takes you back one screen at a time. If you are deep in a menu, pressing Menu repeatedly will walk you back step by step. It also pauses video playback and brings up playback controls. In some apps, Menu does different things—for example, in the TV app it might bring up a sidebar menu—so the behavior can vary depending on what you are watching or using.

Controlling video playback

When you are watching a show or movie, press the touchpad to bring up the playback controls. You will see a progress bar, a play/pause button, and a timeline of the video. Press the touchpad again to play or pause. Swipe left on the touchpad to rewind 10 seconds, or swipe right to skip forward 10 seconds—this is faster than using the progress bar for small jumps.

To jump to a specific point in the video, swipe up or down on the touchpad to make the progress bar larger, then swipe left or right to move through the timeline. When you find the spot you want, press the touchpad to play from there. The playback controls disappear after a few seconds of no activity, so you can watch without the menu in the way.

Using Siri voice control

Press the Siri button (the microphone icon, usually at the bottom of the remote) and speak what you want to do. You can search for a show by name—say "Find The Office"—and Siri will show you where it is available. You can control playback by saying "Play," "Pause," "Skip forward," or "Rewind." You can also ask questions like "What is the weather?" or "What time is it?" and Siri will answer on your TV screen.

Siri also works with HomeKit if you have smart home devices set up. You can say "Turn off the lights" or "Set the temperature to 72 degrees" and control your home from the Apple TV remote. Release the Siri button when you are done speaking—you do not need to hold it the whole time. If Siri does not understand you, try speaking more clearly or use different words.

Troubleshooting a remote that is not responding

If your remote stops responding, the first thing to check is the battery. Go to Settings > AirPlay and HomeKit on your Apple TV and look at the remote battery level. If it is low, replace both AA batteries with fresh ones. Make sure you insert them in the correct direction—the positive end should face toward the top of the remote.

If the batteries are fine, try re-pairing the remote. Hold Menu and Home together for about 5 seconds while pointing the remote at your Apple TV. If that does not work, restart your Apple TV by going to Settings > System > Restart. You can also try moving closer to the Apple TV or removing any obstacles between the remote and the device—the remote uses infrared, so it needs a clear line of sight to work properly.

Customizing your remote settings

You can adjust how your remote works by going to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Remote on your Apple TV. From here, you can change the click sounds, adjust the sensitivity of the touchpad, or turn on the remote's light (which helps you find it in the dark). You can also pair additional remotes if you have more than one Apple TV or want a backup remote.

If you want to use a different remote altogether, Apple TV works with many third-party remotes, including some universal remotes and gaming controllers. You can pair these the same way you pair the Apple TV remote—by holding the pairing buttons on the third-party remote while it is near your Apple TV. Check the instructions that came with your remote to find the pairing button combination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my iPhone or iPad as a remote instead?

Yes. Open the Control Center on your iPhone or iPad, tap the Remote icon, and select your Apple TV from the list. Your device becomes a remote with a touchpad and buttons. This works over Wi-Fi, so you do not need a direct line of sight like you do with the physical remote.

Why does my remote keep losing connection?

This usually means the batteries are dying or there is interference between the remote and the Apple TV. Replace the batteries first, then make sure nothing is blocking the path between the remote and the device. If you have other infrared devices nearby (like a cable box), they can sometimes interfere—try moving them away from your Apple TV.

How do I find my remote if I lose it?

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can use the Find My app to locate your remote if it has been set up with your Apple ID. You can also use your iPhone as a remote instead by opening Control Center and tapping the Remote icon. If you cannot find it, you can order a replacement from Apple or use a universal remote that supports Apple TV.

Can I use voice control without saying "Hey Siri"?

Yes. Just press the Siri button on the remote and speak your command—you do not need to say "Hey Siri" first. The button press tells Apple TV you are about to give a voice command, so it listens right away.

What should I do if the touchpad is not responding to swipes?

Try cleaning the touchpad with a soft, dry cloth—dirt or moisture can block the sensor. If that does not work, restart your Apple TV by going to Settings > System > Restart. If the touchpad still does not work, you may need to replace the remote or use your iPhone as a remote while you order a new one.