Why Is My TCL TV Remote Not Working? Fix Guide

Wondering why the TCL TV remote not working? Well, stay with us to learn everything!

In this guide, we’ll explore the different types of TCL TV remotes, identify which one is yours and then troubleshoot accordingly.

Let’s learn more!

If your TCL TV remote control is not working, start the troubleshooting by power cycling the TCL TV and hard resetting the TCL TV remote.

In case that doesn’t work it’s essential to test with a fresh pair of AAA batteries and verify that there is no IR interference or obstructions.

Let’s continue to unwrap!

Types of TCL TVs & Remotes – Explained

The TCL TVs slip into two general categories – smart and non smart TVs.

The main difference is the ability to connect to the internet and stream online, while non-smart TV can only access cable or satellite TV input without an option to stream anything online.

So when the remote not working on TCL TV, we need to know which TCL TV remote!

TCL Roku Smart TV (Roku OS)

The smart TCL TVs are also split into two types – Roku TCL TVs and Google Android TCL TVs.

On TCL Roku TVs there are two types of remotes – simple (IR) and enhanced (IR + RF). 

TCL Google Smart TV (Android)

In contrast, TCL Google TVs are equipped with IR and Bluetooth communication, where the infrared doesn’t need pairing.

On the other hand, to use the built-in Google assistant in the remote you need to have the remote paired to the TCL TV for Bluetooth connection utilization.

TCL Non-Smart TV (TCL OS)

This is the simplest type of TCL TV, which doesn’t include any smart capabilities, and its remote only uses infrared.

You are not able to pair and use a smart TCL TV remote with a TCL TV that is not smart in order to use the smart capabilities.

However, infrared signals will definitely work!

How to Fix When TCL TV Remote Not Working?

1. Hard-Reset the Remote Control

Regardless of the type of your TCL TV remote, the hard reset is one of the most efficient ways to overcome hurdles, especially when the remote isn’t functioning.

This method will not unpair or delete anything from your TCL TV so it’s safe to begin with!

Here’s how to reset any TCL TV remote control in easy steps:

1. First, flip the TCL remote upside down.
2. Open the battery compartment cover.
3. Gently eject the batteries from within.
4. Press all remote buttons at least twice.
5. Hold the power button for 30 seconds.
6. Re-embed the batteries in the remote.
7. Test whether the remote is now working.

Tip: Test the remote by pressing the power button, thus attempting to power on/off the TCL TV.

2. Resolve Infrared Interference!

The main functionalities such as Power, Volume, and Navigation are controlled by infrared on all TCL TV remotes.

Any TCL TV has an infrared receiver underneath the “TCL” logo at the front of the television, which is used to receive the IR signal from the TCL TV remote IR transmitter.

How to Resolve Physical IR Interference?

• Verify a clear line of sight between the remote and TCL TV.
• Clean the remote’s IR transmitter and TCL TV IR receiver.
• Ensure that there are no objects in front of the TCL TV logo.

How to Resolve Wireless IR Interference?

• Verify that there is no other TCL TV or remote in the room.
• Dislocate electrical and wireless devices near the TCL TV.
• Unpair any Bluetooth connections nearby except the remote.

Tip: Test the remote from as close as 0.5 feet from the TCL TV IR receiver bulb!

3. Power Cycle the TCL Television

The next step is to perform the so-called “power circulation” process on the TCL TV to verify that there is nothing wrong with the inputting.

This method will not erase anything from the TV, rather only discharge the electricity and allow the machine to cool down and refresh everything.

• To power cycle a TCL TV, unplug the machine from power for 60 seconds! 

This would be enough time for the remote to cool down, refresh all services, and hopefully start working normally again.

In case this method doesn’t help, keep reading further into the guide!

4. Verify the Remote’s IR Operation

In case you didn’t know there is a very good way to check whether the TCL TV remote infrared is working or not.

This will help you identify the problem even further, considering that it’s likely that the remote is not the culprit, especially if the IR transmitter (remote’s “eye”) is working.

Here’s how to verify that the TCL TV IR transmitter is working:

1. First, prepare a smartphone (no internet needed).
2. Then verify that there are batteries in the remote.
3. Next, open the back camera of your smartphone.
4. Point the camera straight toward the remote’s IR.
5. Verify that you’re looking at the remote’s transmitter.
6. Take the camera as close as 0.5 feet from the sensor.
7. Press the remote’s power button several times.
8. Look through the camera for a blinking IR light.

If you don’t see a light blinking, move into a darker environment and repeat the steps.

In case you’re confident that no light blinks when you press the button, it’s likely that the batteries in the remote are dead and you need to replace them.

Note: The TCL TV remotes are typically using 2 x AAA alkaline batteries!

5. Re-Pair the TCL TV Remote!

The main difference between not paired and paired TCL TV remotes is the advanced features such as the Google Assistant or the Voice Search on Roku (enhanced) remote.

When the TCL TV remote is not paired, you should still be able to control the Power, Volume, and Navigation.

So, if the TCL TV remote only lacks this special functionality, you need to re-pair the remote to the TCL TV by using the correct approach. Here is how it’s done on different TCL TV remotes:

How to Pair TCL Android TV? (Google Remote)

1. Verify that the TCL TV is plugged in and working.
2. Stay within 3 feet of the TV and point the remote.
3. Long-press the “OK” + “HOME” remote buttons.
4. The pairing process takes about 20 to 30 seconds.
5. The Google TCL TV remote should now be paired.

How to Pair TCL Roku TV? (Enhanced Remote)

1. Verify that the TCL television is currently working.
2. Then, open the battery compartment on the back.
3. Press the “Pairing” button for about 3 to 5 seconds.
4. Soon, the Roku remote will be paired with the TV.
5. You should see a pairing message confirmation.

Alternative Way to Pair (Roku TCL TV):

In case the steps above didn’t help, go to the Settings of your TCL TV, then select “Remotes & Devices”, and go to “Set Up a New Device”.

From there all you need to do is select “Remote” and “Continue” before pressing the “Pairing” Roku remote button in the battery compartment.

6. Factory Reset the TCL TV

Whenever the TCL TV remote not working properly, even after all of the troubleshooting prior to this point, it’s likely that the issue is on the TV’s side.

The most-effective way to address issues with the TV is by performing the so-called “factory reset” process.

• The factory reset on TCL TV erases all settings, data, content, and apps!

How to Factory Reset Smart TCL Roku TV?

1. Navigate to the TCL TV’s Settings.
2. Next, navigate to the “System” tab.
3. Go to “Advanced System Settings”
4. Lastly, enter the“Factory Reset” tile.

How to Factory Reset Smart TCL Android?

1. Go to the Settings of the TCL TV.
2. Select the “More Settings” option.
3. Next, choose “Device Preference”.
4. Then select the “Reset” tile option.
5. Next, choose “Factory Data Reset”.
6. Finally, choose “Erase Everything”.

The reset process shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes and the TCL TV’s operating system logo should appear on the screen.

Then you’ll be prompted to carry out the initial setup and when you’re ready the IR functionality of the remote should be working. 

Reminder: Don’t forget to pair the remote to the TCL TV to use the advanced features!

Quick Recap:

In this guide, we’ve learned that when a TCL TV remote not working we should begin by performing a hard reset on the remote and power cycle on the TCL TV. If that doesn’t help, it’s important to test re-pairing the remote before performing factory restoration.

We hope that this guide was useful so follow us for more!

Read Next: How to Fix TCL TV Sound Distortion?