Philips TV Remote Not Working? Do THIS...

Your Philips TV remote not working is one of the more annoying TV problems.

Getting up and crossing the room to change the channel makes you feel like a kid again, and I don’t want that.

Luckily, it’s usually very easy to fix a Philips remote, whether the standard, Android or Roku models, with just a few minutes of your time.

Because there can be a number of different reasons for your Philips remote to stop working, there’s potentially a number of different solutions that will fix your remote.

So in that regard, I’ve compiled every working fix for both Philips standard and Philips Android / Roku TV remotes in this guide, ordered from the simplest to most complex.

Simpy follow the steps in order and I’m confident you can get your TV remote working again.

Philips TV Remote Not Working?

If your Philips TV remote is not working, remove the batteries, clean the battery contacts with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol, hit the remote against your palm a few times then try new a new set of batteries in the remote.

This should solve most problems, but if this doesn’t work, then follow the complete set of troubleshooting steps below to fix an unresponsive TV remote. You should take a look at the linked guide if your Philips TV won’t turn on.

1. Put New Batteries in Your Remote

The most common reason why your Philips remote doesn’t work is that the batteries are dead or dying.

This might seem like an obvious point, but it always pays to try changing your batteries, preferably first trying them in an appliance that you know works, so that you can confirm that they hold charge.

You can also try cleaning the battery contacts in the remote. As batteries age, they can leak and cause corrosion within your remote’s contacts.

A quick dab of 99.9% isopropyl alocohol is usually enough to remove any gunk that would otherwise prevent the batteries making a proper contact within your remote.

2. Buttons Could Be Stuck

If your Philips TV remote buttons are not working, but you are sure the batteries are ok, then try removing the batteries, holding down the power button for 10 seconds to drain any residual power, then forcefully mash every button on the remote, slapping it against your palm a few times.

You might have to repeat this several times.

You will also need to put quite a bit of force into pushing the buttons. Don’t be afraid of damaging your remote – as long as you are only hitting it against your hand and only using your fingers to push the buttons it will be fine.

Over time, your remote’s buttons can begin to stick, and just like with a computer keyboard there is a limit to how many simultaneous button pushes the remote will recognize.

So, one or more buttons stuck in the “on” position can prevent other buttons on the remote from working. You’ll know if this is your problem if some buttons on your remote work, but others don’t.

Typically, the volume button will stop working as this is one of the most used buttons and is therefore most susceptible to getting dirt stuck inside it.

3. Check Your Remote’s Signal

Philips TV remotes come in two flavors: Infrared (IR) and RF (Bluetooth) models, with the RF type then sub-divided into Philips Android TV remotes and Philips Roku TV remotes.

IR Philips remotes are the older type, and can be identified by a clear section of dark plastic at their end.

This clear section of plastic contains an emitter that sends an infrared signal directly to the TV.

Check that this IR emitter doesn’t have any obvious damage, and isn’t blocked by gunk.

To check that your remote is actually sending an IR signal, you will need a phone or digital camera as infrared is not visible to the human eye.

Activate the camera on your phone, or a live view mode on your digital camera and point your remote at your camera. Press a button and you should see a light appear in the IR emitter of your remote.

Note that not all models of iPhone will be able to see the infrared beam, as they filter out IR signals. If you have to use an iPhone, then first check that you can see infrared by using a remote that you know is working.

If you don’t see an IR signal and you have confirmed that your camera doesn’t filter IR by testing it with a known working remote, and you have tried replacing the batteries, then you will need a replacement remote as it is unlikely that you can fix this issue at home.

If you’re really keen on fixing it, the most likely problem is that the diode which sends the IR signal has either burnt out or more likely has a failed connection. You can take your remote apart and use a multimeter to check the diode and the PCB it’s connected to, then re-solder any failed connections you find.

4. Check Your TV’s Sensor

For the IR Philips remotes, you should check that you have a clear line of site between your remote’s IR emitter and the IR receiver on your TV.

Locate your TV’s IR receiver and confirm that it isn’t blocked by ornaments on your TV shelf, and isn’t damaged.

The IR receiver is usually located beneath the red light on your TV.

Because the IR receiver on your TV is most likely to be at the bottom, it is very easy to accidentally cover it up when cleaning around your TV shelf.

If you are using the RF TV remote, then check that any nearby applicances that could cause RF interference are switched off.

5. Check the Pairing on Your Philips Remote

If you are using a Philips Smart TV remote or Roku TV remote, then your remote probably does not use IR, but instead relies on Bluetooth to connect to your Philips TV.

This enhanced Philips remote does not require a line of sight to your TV to work, but can be less reliable than a standard IR remote and can become unpaired from your TV.

Philips Android TV Remote Not Working

You need to re-pair your Philips Android TV remote to get it working again.

Place your Philips TV remote with 1 meter of your TV, with your TV turned on.
Press and hold the Google Assistant button and Volume – for five seconds.

In the Bluetooth Settings page of your TV, find your remote and click to pair it with your TV.
If this fails, then you should follow the next step to factory reset your TV, before then pairing your remote again as above.

Philips Roku TV Remote Not Working

If your Philips Roku TV remote has a pairing button, then you can use it to re-pair your remote with your TV, which will hopefully get it working again:

Switch off and disconnect your TV / Roku box.
Wait for 15 seconds.
Re-connect your TV and switch it back on.
The home page should load.
Hold down your Philips Roku TV remote Pairing Button located in the battery compartment for approximately 5 seconds until the remote’s lights start blinking.

roku tv remote not working - differences between an IR Roku remote and a Voice Roku remote

If your Philips Roku TV remote does not have a pairing button, then you can simply reset it by removing the batteries, waiting for approximately 30 seconds, then re-installing the batteries.

6. Power Cycle and Factory Reset Your Philips TV

Resetting your TV and remote can help resolve any issues, particularly if you are using the newer smart TV remote.

Power cycling your TV will clear out any issues with non-permanent memory and reset your main board without losing your personal settings.

This is quick and painless and won’t cause you to lose any of your saved settings.

Switch off and unplug your TV.
Hold down the physical power button on the TV for at least 15 seconds.
Wait for at least 2 minutes for any residual power to drain from the TV’s capacitors (which are capable of storing charge for several minutes).
Plug your TV back in and try switching it on. You should see a red light if you have been successful.

Make sure you do wait for the full 2 minutes before plugging your TV back in – you would be surpised how long the components within your TV can hold charge, and you want to make sure it has fully reset.

Although this seems a very basic step, don’t overlook it because in the vast majority of cases a simple soft reset fixes most issues.

Returning your TV back to its factory settings is a more extreme step, as it will delete any personalization features, downloaded apps or connected devices, but it’s always worth a shot when other methods haven’t worked.

The simplest way to factory reset a Philips TV is with the remote, following the steps Settings -> All Settings -> General Settings -> Reinstall TV and confirm you want to factory reset your TV.

To factory reset a Philips TV without the remote, press the Vol + and Vol – buttons on the side of your TV simultaneously to open the on-screen menu, then use the buttons to navigate to the Reinstall TV option as above.

On a Philips Android TV, you need to:

Unplug your TV.
Hold down the TV’s Power Button, which will probably be underneath the screen.
Plug your TV back in.
Once it comes back on, let go of the Power Button.
It will boot into the Android Recovery Menu.
Scroll down to Wipe data/factory reset by clicking the Power Button.
Then press and hold the Power Button until the line turns green.
Let go of the Power Button, then select Yes to confirm a factory reset by clicking the Power Button to select it, then holding it down until the line turns green.
You’ll see the recovery menu again, where you should select reboot system now by holding down the Power Button.
To re-pair your remote, hold down the Home button on the remote for ten seconds once your TV has restarted.

7. Take Apart Your Remote

If none of the other fixes have worked for you, then it’s likely that there is some mechanical damage within the remote. This is particularly true if some buttons work but others do not.

To fix this, you can disassemble your remote, clean the components with isopropyl alcohol, and confirm that there is no damage to the circuit boards.

Although this seems a fairly extreme step, the only other option is to order a replacement remote, so why not give it a go?

To disassemble your Philips TV remote:

Remove the batteries.
If there are no screws to open the remote’s case, use a flat head screwdriver with the tip pushed in between the two halves of the remote.
Twist the screwdriver and the case should pop open.

Then carefully remove the circuit board and buttons, swab with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol and remove any dirt or gunk that might have got caught under the buttons.

Check that the battery leads are not corroded and once you have given all parts a good clean, put it back together again and test.

TV remotes are actually very simple devices and this is unlikely to take you more than a couple of minutes even if you’ve not done anything like this before.

Take a look at the video below for a demonstration of how to open and clean a Philips smart TV remote.

What if Your Philips TV Remote is Still Not Working?

If your Philips TV remote is still not working, then you have two choices:

Use the Philips / Roku TV apps.
Buy a replacement Philips TV remote.

There are a variety of Philips TV remote apps, plus the official Roku TV app.

Simply download the App from the Android Play store or the Apple App store and install on your phone.

As long as your TV is on and connected to the same local WiFi network as your phone, you will be able to easily control it using the app.

There are also plenty of generic Philips TV remotes available to buy from any of the big box stores if you would prefer.

Philips Smart TV Not Working? How to Fix

If your Philips TV is not responding to your remote, then to fix it:

Remove the batteries, clean the contacts and replace with a fresh set of batteries.
Slap the remote into your palm a few times and mash the buttons in case any are stuck.
Check the IR works using a digital camera (or some models of smartphone).
Restart your Philips TV.
Check for any obstructions or conflicts that could stop the remote’s signal reaching your TV.
Try to re-pair your RF TV remote, if you have this type.
Check for liquid damage.

If your Philips TV remote is still not working, then you can either use the Philips app or buy a new generic remote from most big store retailers.

Or let me know if you still have a problem in the comments below and I’ll try my best to help.