So you’re a happy user of the Amazon Firestick, and you can’t wait to sit down, grab your remote, put on your favorite streaming app, and escape into that world.
But in a frustrating scenario, you find your Firestick remote not working. You’re not a dummy, of course. It must be the batteries (because that’s usually the reason), so you swap them out for a pair of fresh ones.
Sadly, you find the Firestick remote not working after changing the batteries. This is not something you expected.
But don’t worry. While the battery swap is typically the answer, it isn’t the only troubleshooting solution to your remote malfunction.
Let’s cover a few other methods of how to fix a Firestick remote once the battery swap yielded nothing.
How to Fix Firestick Remote Not Working After Changing the Batteries
If your Firestick remote isn’t working after changing the batteries, the most common reasons are probably software issues, incorrect pairing, bad battery terminal connection, or a broken remote.
Here are some things you can try to fix when your Firestick remote is not working after changing the batteries:
1. Re-Pair the Firestick Remote
If the battery swap doesn’t pan out, the first thing to try is to re-pair the remote with the Firestick.
As long as your Firestick is connected to both the TV and its power source, you can use the following steps to perform this action quickly:
- Open the back cover of the remote
- With it off, hold the Home button down for roughly 10 seconds, releasing it when you see an LED light flashing on the remote, indicating that it has entered “discovery mode”
- Now wait, and the remote will try to pair with the Firestick automatically. You will know it did so successfully once the LED light turns solid.
2. Avoid Any Interferences
The remote needs to have a direct line of sight to the Firestick to be able to functionally control its actions.
This is something many users take for granted as they try to use the remote from a neighboring room or around obstructive pieces of furniture.
You should make sure that there are no obstacles between the Firestick and the remote. This includes any cabinet doors of the entertainment sector around your Firestick or even the body of the TV.
If it’s partially obstructed, test the remote from various angles to see if it works.
3. Verify You Are Using the Correct Remote
Some users have more than one Firestick device in their home, but with the remotes looking the same, it is easy to mindlessly walk into a different room with the wrong one.
Then the first one mistakenly exits the room with another visit, and before you know it, there are now two remotes that won’t function as they are out of proximity to their designated Firestick device.
This is more likely to happen than one might suspect, so try more than just the one remote you have on hand.
4. Restart Your Firestick
Most electronics experience glitches of some sort at one time or another. In many of those situations, the key to fixing them is simply rebooting the device.
This extends to electronic peripherals such as Firestick remotes. While you don’t have a working remote to perform the restart via menu-guided options, you can unplug the Firestick for 15 to 20 seconds and plug it back in.
This tip is useful for fixing problems like when your Firestick is frozen. Once it has had a chance to fully load and arrives at the main user interface, check to see if the remote works.
5. Restart Your Firestick Remote
If restarting the Firestick didn’t work, you can also give a remote restart a shot. The way to do this is to remove the remote’s batteries for about 10 seconds and then put them back in.
At this point, you will want to hold down the Back and Home buttons together for about 10 seconds, then release them when the light starts to flash quickly.
Give the remote a few seconds to connect to the Firestick device. You will see it indicated by a steady LED light.
6. Clean Your Firestick Remote Battery Terminals
If restarting your Firestick remote didn’t fix the problem, you may have a bad battery terminal connection.
This usually happens when the contact springs are corroded from a battery leak. You’ll need to clean your remote battery terminals to restore the connection.
But first, you’ll need a few supplies:
- Protective gloves
- Safety goggles or other eye protection
- Cotton swabs or Q-tips
- White vinegar or lemon juice
- Rubbing alcohol
- Microfiber cloth
Once you’ve gathered the needed supplies, follow the steps below to clean your Firestick remote battery terminals.
- Put a pair of gloves and safety goggles on.
- Grab a cotton swab, soak it in vinegar or lemon juice, and scrub the terminals with it. This will neutralize the acid from the battery.
- Next, grab another clean cotton swab and soak it in isopropyl alcohol. Clean the terminals with it to remove any residue from the lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Once you’ve cleaned the terminals, wipe them down with the microfiber cloth.
Let the battery terminals dry completely before replacing the batteries and turning on your Firestick.
7. Reset Your Firestick Remote
If restarting the Firestick remote didn’t work, you can try resetting the remote. By doing this, you will not just refresh the connection but also restart the remote’s internal software.
To reset your Firestick remote, follow these steps:
- Hold down the Home + Back + left side of the navigation ring together for about 10 seconds.
- When you see that the LED light on top of the remote starts to flash quickly, release the hold.
- Give the remote about a minute to reset.
- The remote should pair automatically with the nearest Firestick at this point.
8. Reset Your Firestick
Sometimes, when your Firestick remote is not working, the Firestick device might be the culprit. If the above troubleshooting steps prove ineffective, resetting your Firestick is a viable solution.
Performing a factory reset on your Firestick will wipe all its data, restoring it to its default condition during its initial unboxing.
Although it may be a bit of a hassle, a factory reset effectively addresses issues such as when your remote is not working.
For step-by-step instructions, check our guide on how to reset your Firestick.
9. Replace the Remote Or Use the Firestick App
If all of the above solutions fail you, it is possible that the remote is damaged and no longer works.
If you don’t see any LED light activity in the above steps after you’ve put in fresh batteries, that will be your biggest clue.
Luckily, you can use the Fire TV app on your smartphone, which is available for both iOS and Android platforms.
You can use this app to navigate the Firestick interface and every streaming app exactly like a remote.
As long as your phone is intact, the remote in the app will not need battery replacements. If you prefer a physical remote, you can find an inexpensive replacement (about $10) on Amazon.
Wrap-Up: Firestick Remote Not Working
Experiencing issues with a Firestick remote not working after changing batteries is annoying, but the troubleshooting methods above can resolve the problem.
The most basic solutions are likely to be the most effective, but there is an outside chance of needing a new remote. Then again, once you use the Fire TV app, you may not ever need an actual Firestick remote!
I hope this assisted you in fixing your Firestick remote not working issue. If you fixed the problem with any other solution, please share it in the comments section.
