Why Is My Philips TV Remote Not Working? (Easy Fix!)

Asking – why is my Philips TV remote not working?

The problem can either be with your Philips TV or the remote itself. There’s a high possibility that a software issue is preventing your TV from detecting the remote signal.

In contrast, your remote can be problematic, and here you will find out exactly what’s causing the issue.

Your Philips TV remote won’t work if the batteries are worn-out or if there is interference with the infrared signal. The remote’s or TV’s IR eyes could be obstructed by dust or smudge. Even your TV OS could be glitching and not receiving any commands.

One way or another we will find out what’s happening so let’s start with reviewing ALL of the possibilities and then proceed with approaching each of them.

Why Is My Philips Smart TV Remote Not Working?

Your remote might not be working due to several reasons.

Below you will find what caused this exact problem for other users and later, learn how they solved the issue.

1. Interference/Obstruction

Remotes are strongly sensitive to IR interference and their signal can easily be blocked by everyday objects.

2. Multiple Televisions

There might be an alternative television in the room or receiver that is receiving your remote signal.

3. Problematic Batteries

If the remote is running low on charge or its batteries are already dead, this is definitely the problem in your situation.

4. Hardware Malfunction

Any hardware damage to the remote’s PCB or liquid inside the panel could be lethal and your remote might be broken.

These are the suspects that you’ll be targeting by using the upcoming solutions so let’s proceed further and solve your problem.

How To Fix Philips TV Remote Not Working?

Now when we’ve answered the question “why is my Philips TV remote not working” it’s time to proceed to the troubleshooting part.

Tip: Make sure to test the remote after each of the upcoming solutions!

Here’s how to fix the non-working Philips TV remote in easy steps:

Solution #1 Test Remote’ Signal

Before performing any actual troubleshooting, we recommend testing your remote signal.

This can be done by using your phone’s camera to observe and detect IR signals since the human eye is incapable of detecting infrared light.

Here’s how to test your remote’ signal in easy steps:

1. Open the camera on your smartphone.
2. Grab your remote and point it towards the camera.
3. While watching through your phone’s camera, press any button on the remote.

If you see the flashing, then the problem is most certainly with your Philips TV and you should jump to Solution #4.

Note: If you don’t see any blinking through your camera on a remote button press then you should focus on troubleshooting the remote in the next solutions.

Solution #2 Discharge Your Remote

The next step you should undertake is troubleshooting your remote directly.

If you weren’t able to see the infrared signal in the previous task, we suggest discharging your remote. This method is also known as a “power cycle”.

Here’s how to discharge/power cycle your remote easily:

1. Remove the battery compartment cover.
2. Eject the batteries of the remote.
3. Press each button on the remote and hold it for 5 seconds.
4. Re-insert the batteries afterward and test.

Tip: Hold the power button longer than the other buttons, for about 10 seconds. 

The remote usually discharges using only the power button, but there could still be electricity left on other parts of the PCB so it’s recommended to press ALL.

Solution #3 Replace Remote Batteries

If discharging the remote didn’t help, then you should replace its batteries. No charge equals no IR signal so in case the batteries are dead, you should replace them now.

We assume you’re already familiar with how to disassemble the battery compartment and insert the batteries, so make sure to insert a fresh pair of batteries before you continue!

Note: Pay attention to the positioning of the batteries in regard to the electricity poles. 

They won’t make good contact if not inserted according to the electricity poles of your Philips TV remote.

Solution #4 Resolve Interference

A major problem with your Philips TV remote might be the interference in the way of the signal.

IR blasts are sensitive to a variety of light sources and obstructions that might prevent the signal from reaching its receiver.

Tip: Test your remote after each of these steps to check if the problem has been resolved.

Here is how to resolve interference in your setup:

(a).  Remove solid obstructions – Dislocate any solid objects on the path of your remote to the television. Ensure your TV and remote are on the same level as the room.

(b). Switch the light off – Light sources, such as fluorescent ones can harm the IR signal of your remote and prevent it from reaching.

(c). Remove electronic devices – Electronic signal transmitters near your TV might be receiving the signal instead of your TV.

In case none of these interference possibilities applies to your situation, proceed with addressing your TV in the next solution.

Solution #5 Power Cycle Philips TV

If the problem is with your Philips TV television, a power cycle is your way to go.

Same as with the remote, this process will discharge your television out of any remaining electricity, providing a cold boot.

Here’s how to power cycle your Philips TV:

1. Use the power button on your Philips TV to shut it down.
2. Unplug the A/C power adapter from the source.
3. Standby for 5 minutes until the TV is completely discharged.
4. Re-attach the power adapter to the source, turn on your TV, and test.

Note: You should plug your TV into a different outlet than the current one. The problem may be power-related.

Solution #6 Reset Your Philips Remote

If nothing worked for you so far and you’re still asking why has my Philips TV remote stopped working, you should perform a factory reset.

By doing so, you will erase the software of your remote, and re-install a clean copy.

Here’s how to reset your Philips remote easily:

1. Grab your Philips TV remote.
2. Locate the OK and MUTE buttons on its hardware.
3. Press them both down for 5 seconds and release.
4. Press OK afterward and wait.

Note: If your remote didn’t get reset, repeat the steps above until the device blinks and goes into the factory reset process. 

Once done, any OS-related issues should be gone and your remote should now be working.

In case the remote is still not working, even after all the solutions, you should reach out to Philips customer service to receive more help and attention regarding your problem.

Read Next: How To Turn Off Safe Mode On Philips TV?

Bottom Line:

Thus, to fix Philips TV remote, first power cycle your TV and discharge the remote. Then, prevent any IR interference and replace the remote’s batteries. You should also address the TV by performing a power cycle and if it does not help, factory reset.

Now that you know why is my Philips TV remote not working, we hope you were able to solve the problem without additional assistance.

If nothing works, your remote might be dead due to a technical hardware issue so you might start considering a replacement.