I grabbed my Apple TV remote, ready to relax after a long day. I pressed the volume button, but nothing happened. I tried again. Still nothing. My TV wasn’t muted, and the volume worked fine with the regular remote. I sighed, feeling that familiar frustration when technology stops working for no reason.
I checked the batteries, but my remote was fully charged. I restarted the Apple TV, hoping for a quick fix. No luck. At this point, I knew I had to figure out what was wrong. If you’re dealing with the same issue, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered.
Read more: Ultimate Guide on Apple
Table of Contents
My Apple TV Remote Stopped Controlling Volume—Here’s How I Fixed It
I was ready to watch my favorite show, but the volume wouldn’t budge. Before panicking, I tried restarting my remote, and it worked. Here’s how you can do it too.
- Press and hold the TV/Control Center button and the Volume Down button at the same time.
- Keep holding for about five seconds, or until the status light on your Apple TV blinks off and back on.
- Let go of the buttons and wait for a “Remote Disconnected” message on the screen.
- After a moment, a “Remote Connected” message will appear, and your remote should work again.
This quick fix is recommended by Apple Support and solves most minor issues.
Apple TV Remote Volume Not Working: I Fixed It This Way
Restarting didn’t work for me, so I checked my settings. A small change made all the difference. Try this if your remote still isn’t controlling volume.
- Open Settings on your Apple TV.
- Select Remotes and Devices, then tap Volume Control.
- Choose a different option, like TV via IR instead of Auto.
This small tweak helped my remote communicate properly with my TV. If it doesn’t fix yours, don’t worry—there’s another step to try next.
Re-Pairing My Remote Fixed the Connection Issues
If the remote still isn’t working, pairing it again might do the trick. I did this, and my remote started working right away.
- Hold the remote three inches from the Apple TV.
- Press and hold the Back (or Menu) button and Volume Up for five seconds.
- If prompted, place the remote on top of the Apple TV to complete pairing.
This refreshes the connection between your remote and Apple TV. It worked for me, and it might work for you too.
My Remote Still Won’t Control Volume? I Checked This Setting
I was about to give up when I realized my TV settings might be the issue. It turns out HDMI-CEC plays a big role in volume control. Here’s what I did.
- Checked if my TV supports HDMI-CEC and made sure it was turned on.
- Looked for different brand names like Anynet+ (Samsung), BRAVIA Sync (Sony), or SimpLink (LG) in the TV settings.
- Confirmed that my Apple TV was plugged into an HDMI port that supports HDMI-CEC.
Once I enabled this, my volume buttons started working again. If yours doesn’t, try the next step.
My Remote Couldn’t Control Volume, So I Taught It How
When nothing else worked, I found a hidden feature that let my Apple TV remote “learn” my TV’s volume settings. Here’s how I set it up.
- Opened Settings on my Apple TV.
- Selected Remotes and Devices, then tapped Volume Control.
- Chose Learn New Device and followed the instructions using my TV’s original remote.
This allowed my Apple TV remote to mimic my TV remote’s volume controls. It finally worked, and I didn’t have to replace anything!
My Remote Still Won’t Work? I Checked for Blocked Signals
I was about to reset everything when I noticed something simple. My soundbar was blocking the TV’s sensor. Here’s what I did to fix it.
- Cleared any objects between the remote and the TV’s IR sensor.
- Made sure I wasn’t pointing the remote at an angle.
- Moved other electronics away in case they were causing interference.
After this, my remote worked instantly. If yours doesn’t, the battery might be the issue.
My Remote Was Acting Up, So I Checked the Battery
I didn’t realize my remote’s battery was low until it stopped responding. A quick charge brought it back to life.
- Plugged my Siri Remote into a USB wall charger for at least 30 minutes.
- For older Apple remotes, I replaced the CR2032 or CR2025 battery.
This solved my problem, but if yours is still not working, try restarting the Apple TV.
How to Restart Apple TV Remote: It Fixed Everything
Sometimes, the issue isn’t the remote—it’s the Apple TV itself. A quick restart can clear glitches.
- Unplugged my Apple TV from the wall outlet.
- Waited at least six seconds before plugging it back in.
After restarting, the volume worked fine again. But if you’re still stuck, there’s one last step.
iPhone Apple TV remote volume not working: What I did to fix it
The volume buttons just stopped working. I had to figure this out fast.
- Check if the soundbar uses IR or HDMI-CEC: Not all soundbars respond to the same method.
- Make sure HDMI-CEC is enabled on the TV: This setting lets your Apple TV control volume over HDMI.
- Ensure soundbar is connected via HDMI ARC or optical: If it’s not, volume control might not work.
- Point the iPhone directly at the soundbar if using IR: It won’t work otherwise.
- Restart the Apple TV and soundbar: Sometimes, they just need a fresh start.
- Update the Apple TV software: A glitchy update can break volume control.
- Check iPhone Remote app settings: Make sure volume control is toggled on.
- Test with physical Siri Remote if you have one: This helps rule out hardware issues.
- Unpair and re-pair the remote in Settings: Go to Settings > Remotes and Devices.
- Reset HDMI connection by unplugging for 10 seconds: Plug it back in and test again.
How to control volume on Apple TV remote app: Here’s how I made it work
My app looked fine, but volume buttons didn’t do anything.
- Swipe down in Control Center and open Apple TV Remote app: That’s where it starts.
- Check if volume buttons on iPhone respond when pressed: Look for feedback.
- Connect your Apple TV to your soundbar using HDMI ARC: That allows volume control through HDMI.
- Enable HDMI-CEC on your TV: This lets the Apple TV send volume commands.
- Try turning the volume up or down using iPhone’s physical buttons: It should sync.
- If not working, update both iPhone and Apple TV: Fixes bugs that may break the link.
- Go to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Volume Control: Choose “Auto via HDMI.”
- Restart your TV and soundbar: A reboot sometimes makes the remote app work again.
- Make sure your soundbar supports HDMI-CEC or IR control: Some older ones don’t.
- Test another remote to check if soundbar itself is the issue: Helps isolate the problem.
Apple TV remote stopped controlling volume on soundbar: Here’s what finally worked for me
It was working just fine—then one day, silence.
- First, check batteries or charge on Siri Remote: A dead remote won’t send signals.
- Ensure volume control is set to “Auto via HDMI” or “IR” in settings: Wrong setting = no volume.
- Confirm soundbar input is HDMI ARC or optical: Regular HDMI may not pass volume control.
- Turn off and unplug Apple TV, TV, and soundbar for 30 seconds: This resets the connection.
- Recheck HDMI-CEC is turned on in your TV settings: It often gets reset after updates.
- Test volume using the iPhone Remote app too: Useful backup while troubleshooting.
- Go to Settings > Audio Output and pick the soundbar again: It can switch automatically sometimes.
- If using IR, make sure Siri Remote points directly at soundbar with clear line of sight: Obstructions block the signal.
- Try resetting remote pairing under Settings > Remotes and Devices: Helps fix weird bugs.
- Update all devices—TV, soundbar, Apple TV: Compatibility matters more than you’d think.