A Comprehensive Guide to How to Pair a New Apple TV Remote

Maybe you want a new remote with more functions, or maybe your old Apple TV remote is stuck or your remote is lost. You buy a new remote and wonder how to pair a new Apple TV remote. It’s pretty straightforward, and this article will walk you through it.

How to Pair a New Apple TV Remote

How to pair new Apple TV remote? In case you can’t pair your new Apple TV remote to your Apple TV, the first thing you need to check is the model of your Apple TV and your Apple TV remote because different remotes have different compatible Apple TVs. Moreover, you can’t pair more than one Siri Remote, but you are allowed to add additional IR remotes or software remotes on iOS devices.

Identify Your Apple TV Model

You can find the model number at the bottom of your Apple TV or the back of the box that your Apple TV came in. What’s more, you can also check the model from Settings > General > About on your Apple TV.

After identifying your Apple TV model corresponding to the model number, please follow the list to ensure your new Apple TV remote can connect to your Apple TV:

Apple TV Remote Model	Compatibility Model of Apple TV
Apple Remotes (white & aluminum)	Any Apple TV
Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote (1st gen)	Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote (2nd gen)	Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD with tvOS 14.5 or later
Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote (3rd gen)	Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD with tvOS 15.4 or later

Then you can upgrade your Apple TV operating system (Settings > System > Software Updates and select Update Software), or contact the store to change your Apple TV remote suitable to your Apple TV.

Unpair Old Apple TV Remote

The second step to address how to connect new Apple TV remote is to unpair your old Apple TV Remote.

For the Apple Remotes, you need to press the MENU and the Left buttons on your Apple remote until there is an image that a remote with an icon above that looks like two nontouching ovals at an angle.

For Apple TV Remotes or Siri Remotes, you need to press and hold the TV and Volume Down buttons on the remote for about 2 seconds.

Pair a New Apple TV Remote

Then how to pair a new Apple TV Remote? Now, let’s take action. Please position the new Apple TV remote within 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) and point it at the front of the Apple TV.

For Apple TV Remotes, you need to press and hold the MENU and Right Arrow buttons at the same time for a few seconds. Then you will see a logo on your Apple TV screen of a remote with the two ovals now overlapping to look like chain links. It indicates the connection has been reestablished with your new Apple Remote.

For Apple TV Remotes or Siri Remotes, you need to press the Back (<) and the Volume Up button (+) buttons on your new Siri Remote 2nd generation or later for 2 seconds. While you are supposed to press and hold the MENU button and the Volume Up (+) button for 2 seconds.

When your Siri Remote is successfully paired, an onscreen message appears.

How to Pair Virtual Apple TV Remotes

Apart from pairing the physical Apple TV remotes, there are also virtual remotes you can adopt to control your Apple TV. Let’s read on and learn how to connect virtual Apple TV remotes to Apple TV on your smart mobile devices.

Apple TV Remote Feature

With the Apple TV Remote feature, a remote icon, in Control Center, you can control your Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible smart TV with your iPhone or iPad.

Step 1. Open the Control Center to find the Apple TV Remote feature: You can swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen. If the Apple TV Remote button doesn’t appear, add this feature from Settings > Control Center to tap the green + button next to Apple TV Remote.

Step 2.Tap the feature to connect Apple TV: Open the Apple TV Remote feature and tap the top to select your Apple TV via a four-digit passcode from the list.

Step 3. After the pairing process, you can use this feature on your iOS mobile device to control Apple TV.

Attention: If you find you can’t use this feature, please check:

1. Your iPhone or iPad is on the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV or on your iOS or iPadOS device, go to Settings > Wi-Fi. On your Apple TV, go to Settings > Network.

2. Your iPhone or iPad is updated to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS, and your Apple TV is updated to the latest version of tvOS.

Apple TV Remote App

Moreover, you can try this Apple TV Remote App designed for Android users.

The application that you can find in your Google Play is named Universal Apple TV Remote App developed by BoostVision. With a simple pairing process, you can control your Apple TV through the app on your Android mobile devices, which is equivalent to the Apple TV Remote feature on iOS mobile devices. Plus, it is suitable for most versions of Apple TV, including Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K (1st/2nd/3rd Gen).

Step 1. Download the Universal Apple TV Remote App of BoostVision from the app store on your smart mobile device. Remember to allow its permissions.

Step 2. Ensure your devices are under the same wireless network. Then tap the app to connect to your Apple TV from the top of the screen by entering the passcode.

Step 3. After finishing the pairing process, you can use this app as a physical remote to control and manage your Apple TV.

Bottom Line

How to pair a new Apple TV remote? The operating process is straightforward and clear. The only thing you are supposed to draw attention to is checking your Apple TV model first, in case you do futile work. Hoping this article will give you more ideas to control your Apple TV conveniently.

How to Pair a New Apple TV Remote FAQ

Q: Can I replace my Apple TV remote with a new one?

You can buy a new remote for your Apple TV from the Apple Online Store, Apple Store, or search Apple TV remote on Amazon and other retailers. Or you can try to use a network-based remote on your mobile devices with your Apple TV.

Q: Why is my new Apple TV remote not working?

There are some potential reasons below, and you can learn how to address from the 8 Things Worth Trying When Apple TV Remote Not Working blog.

• Low or drained remote battery.
• Faulty connection.
• Lag Apple TV.
• Outdated or corrupted software.
• Incomptatible models.