Apple TV Remote Volume Not Working (Quick Fix)
If you own an Apple TV, it’s highly likely that your Apple TV remote volume has stopped working at least a few times. It’s a very common problem that owners have reported for years now.
The good news is there is a proven fix that only takes a few seconds to implement.
When your Apple TV remote volume is not working, you need to reset your remote. Press and hold the TV/home button and volume down button at the same time for 5 seconds. Then release these buttons and wait another 10 seconds. You should see a connection notification appear on your TV.
This notification indicates that your remote has been successfully reset, and is now paired with your TV.
Reset Apple TV remote
Whenever the volume stops working on your Apple TV remote, you should immediately attempt to reset the remote. A reset works about 80% of the time, and it takes less than 30 seconds to try!
To reset your Apple TV remote, hold the TV/home button and the volume down button at the same time, for 5 seconds.
After the 5 seconds is up, wait another 10-15 seconds.
Eventually you should see a notification appear on your television indicating that the remote was reset and is connected again.
Learn New Device
If resetting your Apple TV remote didn’t work, it’s time to try “Learn New Device”.
To access Learn New Device on your Apple TV, go to Home > Settings > Remotes and Devices > Volume Control > Learn New Device.
NOTE: When you’re in the “Volume Control” menu, double check that it is set to Auto! If this is set to anything other than Auto, change it and then test your Apple TV remote and see if the volume works again.
You’ll then be prompted to press the volume up button on your “other remote”. Your “other remote” is your TV’s original remote!
Follow the instructions on the screen using your TV’s remote control, and when you’re finished, try using your Apple TV remote to control the volume. It should work now!
Charge Apple TV remote
Yes, I know, this one is incredibly “obvious”. But if I had a dollar every time someone’s Apple TV remote volume stopped working because the remote was dead, I’d have ten dollars!
So just do me a favor, and make sure your Apple TV remote isn’t out of battery.
The safest bet here is to just plug your remote in and charge it for 15-30 minutes, then try it again.
If it doesn’t work after you charge it, keep reading.
Dislodge dust, dirt and debris from remote
There is a possibility that the volume buttons on your Apple TV remote are stuck. Remote buttons can become stuck for a variety of different reasons.
Maybe something was spilt on your remote. Or perhaps dirt, dust and debris made their way inside the controller.
In any case, to get your volume buttons “unstuck”, start by shaking your Apple TV remote and tapping it against the palm of your hand. This will help dislodge anything currently inside your remote.
Next, mash each and every button multiple times. You heard me right – press every button on your remote a bunch of times for the next 30 seconds or so.
When you’re done, go ahead and try the volume buttons and see if they work now.
Re-pair your Apple TV remote
If the previous step didn’t work, I want you to try re-pairing your remote.
To re-pair your Apple TV remote, bring your remote close to the Apple TV box. Next, press and hold the Back (or Menu) button and the Volume up button at the same time for 5 seconds.
After the 5 seconds are up, place your remote physically on top of your Apple TV box.
Eventually you will get a prompt on your television screen to configure/setup Volume Control for your remote.
Soft reset your Apple TV box
If you’re still having trouble with your Apple TV remote volume, you should try soft resetting / power-cycling your Apple TV.
A “soft” reset just means that none of your saved settings will be wiped out or lost during the process.
To soft reset your Apple TV box, simply turn everything off and then unplug its power supply.
Wait about 60 seconds or so, and then go ahead and plug it back in.
Soft reset your television
Now that we’ve soft reset your Apple TV box, we’re going to soft reset your TV.
To soft reset your TV, simply unplug it and then wait about 60 seconds.
After the 60 seconds are up, go ahead and press and hold the power button on the TV itself for 10 seconds. Make sure you are pressing the power button on the actual TV and not the remote!
This helps drain any left over residual power stored in your TV’s capacitors. It allows your TV to “fully” reset itself.
Now check again to see if the volume buttons work on your Apple TV remote!
Hard reset your Apple TV
Sometimes a soft reset just won’t cut it. Instead, a factory reset (hard reset) is required.
A reminder that a hard reset (factory reset) will reset your Apple TV back to its original settings. You will lose all your saved apps, settings, data, etc.
NOTE: Make sure that you keep your Apple TV box plugged in, and that you maintain your internet connection until the factory reset process is complete!
To factory reset your Apple TV:
- Click MENU on your Apple TV remote
- Select SETTINGS
- Scroll down to SYSTEM and then RESET
- Finally, select RESET AND UPDATE
This will return your Apple TV to its factory settings and also install any available software updates.
Once the reset process is done, check to see if your volume is working again.
Contact Apple TV support
If none of the above troubleshooting tips help, reach out to Apple TV support directly and speak with one of their experts.
You can call Apple Support at 1-800-APLCARE.
Keep in mind that most Apple software and hardware products include unlimited complimentary support incidents within the first 90 days of product ownership.
If you’ve owned your Apple TV for longer than that you might need to purchase Apple Care before you can get the help you need.
Conclusion
If your Apple TV remote volume is not working, try the following:
- Reset your remote
- Access the “Learn New Device” menu
- Charge your Apple TV remote
- Dislodge any dust, dirt and debris from remote
- Re-pair your remote to your TV
- Soft reset your Apple TV device
- Soft reset your television
- Factory reset your Apple TV
If none of these fixes work, I recommend reaching out to Apple support.
