Gotechtor select and review products independently. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Xfinity Remote Not Working (Easy Fix!)

Published on

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Herby has a healthy obsession with all things technology, especially smartphones. He loves to rip things apart to see how they work. He is responsible for the editorial direction, strategy, and growth of Gotechtor.

Learn about Gotechtor

Xfinity is a major ISP and cable provider around the United States. Their latest X1 platform has vastly improved the user experience and added ample capability to their hardware.

However, like most functionalities, they are still susceptible to frustrating technical problems that make them difficult to use. 

One area with a significant number of reported issues is the Xfinity remote. When the Xfinity remote is not working, it can be very limiting in terms of what you can do with the service. This makes it frustrating, especially when you’re streaming your favorite show.

These problems can vary in nature too. Sometimes certain buttons don’t seem to respond, while the remote almost entirely loses function in other situations. 

Luckily, it’s easy to resolve most of the issues with an Xfinity remote. Let’s address some of the most common causes and fixes for an Xfinity remote that is not working.

Xfinity Remote Not Working

If your Xfinity remote is not working, you need to reset it. Press and hold the A (triangle) and D (diamond) buttons together for three seconds until the status light changes from red to green. Next, press 9-8-1. Upon resetting the remote, the LED will blink blue three times.

If it’s not working yet, don’t panic, there are several other proven steps to fix this issue. Follow every step below; I’m confident you’ll get your Xfinity remote working again.

Don’t throw out your remote until you try each of these fixes! We’ll begin with the easiest possible fixes and move on to more technical solutions.

1. Change Your Xfinity Remote Batteries

One of the most common problems with a not working Xfinity remote, or one that performs poorly, is the batteries.

replace Xfinity remote batteries
Replace your Xfinity remote batteries. Herby Jasmin/Gotechtor

If the batteries are dead or low, the remote will either not respond at all or respond poorly. To verify that this is the issue, the approach is entirely basic. Remove the batteries from the remote and replace them with brand-new substitutes. 

If you find batteries in your house that you have already used once or twice, do not use them because they have a short lifespan or, at worst, are dead and won’t work. If a new set of batteries fixes the issue, your remote woes are over.

2. Move Closer to the Xfinity Box

The remote is effective within a particular range of the Xfinity Box. Generally, the signal begins to degrade quickly if it is too far away (more than 20 feet). So if the distance is great, it may explain the remote not responding.

This is also a simple solution. All you need to do is move closer to the Xfinity box and see if the remote works. 

3. Check for Obstructions that Block IR Signals

The top of the remote communicates with the Xfinity box through a clear path of space between the two.

If something is in the way, the signal may not be able to clear the path, making it seem as though the remote is not responding to actions when it is trying to but is unable to do so.

Some common signal obstructions include doors, walls, furniture, and even certain electronics.

If there is a device or object between the Xfinity box and where you’re using the remote, try either moving it out of the way or leaning around it to establish a line of sight between the remote and the box.

4. Unpair and Re-pair Your Xfinity Remote

Many people have multiple Xfinity boxes in their residences, and each box has a corresponding remote. Each remote can be at most paired with one box that it is responsible for controlling.

Sometimes, a remote makes its way inadvertently to the incorrect box and, due to its similar appearance, is assumed to be the correct one. When used, it will not perform any or most functions, so there would seem to be a problem. 

If there is more than one Xfinity box in the home, try using the remote on the other box or the other remote in the box in question. If it works on one and not the other, it was a simple pairing mix-up at play.

5. Check for Stuck Buttons

Sometimes gunk and grime accumulate in the thin areas around the buttons and eventually cause the buttons to stay in a depressed or semi-depressed state.

check for stuck buttons on your remote
Check for stuck buttons on your Xfinity remote. Herby Jasmin/Gotechtor

This makes them unpressable to a large degree and often unable to perform their desired functions. If certain buttons are not doing what they should, this could be the problem.

A good troubleshooting test for this type of problem is to push on a button and watch for the small led light indicator at the top of the remote.

When buttons are normally pressed, the remote acknowledges that it knows of its activity with a flashing red LED light.

The button might be jammed if the LED light does not show up. At this point, you could push it several more times and shift it a bit around with your finger to try to dislodge it.

If you cannot, you can call Xfinity for a replacement or exchange the remote at one of the company’s many service centers.

5. Factory Reset Xfinity Remote

You may need to factory reset your remote, which means unpairing it and repairing it with your Xfinity box if none of the above issues are the culprits. This could take care of the issues with the remote.

Here are the steps to factory reset your Xfinity remote (common models).

Factory Reset Xfinity Voice Remote With Setup Button (XR11)

  1. Hold down the setup button for 5 to 10 seconds until the LED light on the remote goes from red to green, then enter 9-8-1.
  2. This will trigger a green LED light to blink twice to confirm you’ve entered the correct code and successfully reset the remote.

Factory Reset Xfinity Voice Remote With Setup Button (XR15)

  1. Hold down the triangle and diamond buttons (or A and D, respectively) until the LED light blinks blue three times.
  2. Once it turns green, enter 9-8-1. The green LED will blink two times to confirm you’ve entered the code correctly and successfully reset your remote.

Factory Reset Xfinity Voice Remote With Setup Button (XR2, XR5)

  1. Hold down the Setup button until the red LED turns green, then enter the code 9-8-1.
  2. Once the LED turns solid green, enter 9-8-1. The LED will blink three times in a blue color to confirm a successful reset.

6. Reset Xfinity Box

In a last-ditch attempt to fix the problem, if it persists, you can reset the Xfinity box itself by pressing and holding the reset button on the back for 5 to 10 seconds. You could also use the Xfinity app’s Xfinity My Account section’s long reset option.

7. Contact Xfinity Support

If none of the above took care of the issue, there might be a damaged internal component in the remote that causes it not to respond to button presses.

In this case, the remote is broken and needs to be replaced. You can contact Xfinity customer support, and they will mail you a new remote replacement or send you to a service center to exchange it for a working one.

Wrap-Up: Xfinity Remote Not Working

If your Xfinity remote is not working, you can try the above solutions to fix the issue.

You should first check the remote’s batteries and replace them if necessary. Otherwise, try resetting the remote or the Xfinity box. If the remote still doesn’t work with your TV, you can try pairing it again.

If none of these troubleshooting tips work, you’ll need to contact Xfinity customer support for assistance.

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Herby has a healthy obsession with all things technology, especially smartphones. He loves to rip things apart to see how they work. He is responsible for the editorial direction, strategy, and growth of Gotechtor.

Herby Jasmin

's latest stories

Leave a Comment

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Please read and understand Gotechtor's community guidelines before participating. So be respectful and constructive and keep on topic.