Fire Stick Remote Not Working? Try These Easy Fixes

If you are here because your Firestick remote is not working, you are at the right place as we will give you various easy fixes that you can try at home.

The Firestick TV remote, which runs on Bluetooth technology, has taken entertainment a notch higher. Unlike the traditional TV remotes, the Firestick TV remote has simplified and made entertainment more enjoyable with its fantastic features, such as the Alexa Voice remote control. You no longer need a line of sight.

On the flip side, because the Firestick TV remote has more advanced technology than the traditional TV remotes, it may be a headache to identify the causes of it not working. Luckily, we are here to help you out with this. This article will familiarize you with the common causes of the Amazon Fire Stick remote or any other Fire TV device to stop working and easy fixes for these issues.

Let’s get started.

🤔 What Causes a Fire Stick Remote to Stop Working?

A Firestick remote may stop working for different reasons, including an update glitch and battery issues. Fortunately, there are several easy fixes for these Firestick remote issues.

👉 Here are the most common causes for Firestick remotes to stop working and how you can fix them.

Fire Stick remote battery issue

As reported by many Firestick users, batteries are one of the most common causes of the Amazon Fire Stick remote not working. If you don’t correctly insert the batteries or have a low power supply, you will likely encounter problems with your Firestick remote. Unlike the traditional remotes with Infrared technology, the Firestick remote depends on a Bluetooth connection which consumes the battery faster.

Here’s how you can check your Firestick remote batteries to ensure they are correctly inserted and are not the cause of the issues:

1. At the back of the Firestick remote, slowly remove the battery cover.
2. After that, remove the batteries from the remote and check if there are any foreign particles or dust. If any, carefully clean it.
3. Now, reinsert the batteries. Make sure you follow the diagram illustration in the battery compartment to insert the batteries appropriately.
4. If you have not changed your batteries for a while, it’s best if you install new ones. You should consider getting Alkaline batteries (1.5v) if you have trouble with rechargeable batteries.

Try this out and see if it solves your Firestick remote stopped working issue. If not, there are plenty of other fixes.

Fire Stick remote not pairing issue

Typically, the Firestick remote should pair with your device. The Firestick remote will function if only it has connected successfully with your device. Hence, you are required to ensure that the remote is successfully paired with your TV. The Firestick remote, not pairing, is unable to give a signal thus fails to function. So, if your Firestick remote is not working, try re-pairing it to your TV, which may help solve your problem.

Here’s the procedure for doing so:

Unpair

1. Turn on the Fire Stick.
2. Hold the remote close to the Firestick and hold the “Back and Home” buttons on the remote simultaneously for about 10 seconds before releasing.

The process should unpair your Firestick remote.

Pair Again

1. After you have unpaired the Firestick remote, hold the “Home” button on the Firestick remote for approximately 10 seconds to pair firestick remote to TV again.
2. Release the Home button and test if the Firestick remote works.

If you have not had successfully connected between your TV and Firestick remote, reconnect it again. At times, it may take several attempts before the connection is successful.

Use the Fire Stick remote app

If your Amazon Firestick remote doesn’t work, this does not leave you with a useless Firestick device.  You have the option to use the Amazon Fire TV Remote App to control your device. Through the app, you can control your Firestick just as you did with the Firestick. You’ll also benefit from extra features such as copy-pasting and faster typing.

The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. So if the Firestick remote is failing to follow commands, proceed to download the Amazon Fire TV Remote App on your mobile device. After that, set it up with your Firestick/ Fire TV and ensure they use the same Wi-Fi network.

Use Voice Button to re-activate the remote

You can give your Firestick TV device commands hands-free using the voice command technology on your Firestick remote. At the top of your remote, there’s a microphone icon. Press and hold it and give instructions to re-activate your Firestick remote.

Test and see if this will help solve the Firestick remote not working issue.

Fire Stick problems with distance and obstruction

Because Bluetooth powers the Firestick remote, you can quickly get out of the Firestick influence. The theoretical range is estimated to be about 30 feet. However, the range is actually lower. Firestick/ Fire TV users with large living rooms are more likely to encounter this problem. Additionally, if you try to operate the TV with the Firestick remote from another room, it may also fail to work.

To test whether distance may cause the Firestick remote not to work, move your remote Firestick to your Firestick device and ensure there are no obstructions. If your Firestick remote works, then you should connect the Firestick extension cable that comes with the Amazon Fire TV stick retail box to enable you to reposition it. By doing this, you will enhance the connectivity of your Firestick remote. Note that changing your batteries may also help increase the range.

Fire Stick remote compatibility

This issue is not for Firestick users using the out-of-the-box Firestick remote. If you have replaced your original Firestick remote with a new one, and it is not compatible with your TV, you may encounter problems as it may fail to function.

There is quite a number of third-party and universal remotes that function with Fire TV/ Firestick devices. When purchasing a new remote, prioritize official Amazon products that clearly state their compatibility with Firestick. Be careful not to buy a counterfeit remote which may not work with your Firestick device.

If you have a remote that is not compatible with your Firestick device, you can connect your phone using the Amazon Fire TV Remote App before you get a new one.

Check if the remote of your Fire Stick is damaged

In situations where you have the original Firestick remote and have tried all solutions, including installing new batteries, there’s a probability that the remote of your Firestick is damaged.

With this issue, the solution may be purchasing a new Firestick remote. Luckily, these replacements will not cost you an arm and a leg. You can buy a new replacement for approximately $10. Check them out on Amazon, and you will find several options there, some of which are customized with additional buttons for various platforms, including Netflix. You will even find remotes with volume control if you are using the older versions of Firestick.

As a rule of thumb, look out for Firestick remotes with positive reviews and a high rating.

Lessen Interference from other appliances

If you have other gadgets such as Bluetooth speakers near your Firestick TV device, they may interfere with the effective functionality of your Firestick remote. Apart from being limited to a specific connection range, other wireless appliances easily affect remotes with Bluetooth technology.

Try moving any wireless devices away from your Firestick TV device, and see if this helps resolve your Firestick remote not working issue.

Try pairing a universal remote with your TV

If you are reading the article this far, you have probably not yet found a fix for your Fire Stick remote. We have not exhausted our solutions for you yet. You can also try pairing a universal remote that supports your Firestick TV device using Bluetooth.

Here’s the procedure for doing so:

1. Press the “Home” button on your Firestick remote or the Amazon Fire TV remote app.
2. After that, select “Settings.”
3. Choose “Controllers and Bluetooth Devices”
4. Select “Amazon Fire TV Remotes”
5. Now, choose the “Add New Remote” option.
6. Press and hold the “Home” button on your universal remote.
7. Wait till your Firestick TV device finds your new remote, then press the select button on your older remote or the Amazon Fire TV remote app.
8. After the process is complete, you will see both your old Firestick remote and universal remote in the list on your screen.

You can Here’sntrol your Firestick TV device using the paired universal remote. Try this out, and see if it helps resolve the Amazon Fire TV stick remote not working issue.

Contact Fire Stick support

Finally, suppose you have exhausted all options to fix your amazon remote not working, and none has worked for you. In that case, we recommend contacting Amazon Support to seek further assistance as it may be a more complex issue that can’t be fixed at home.

Amazon fire stick not responding to remote

There are a lot of problems that may cause your Amazon fire stick not to respond to the remote. The most common issues reported by Amazon fire stick users include battery problems, interference from other wireless gadgets, and obstructions that interfere with the Firestick remote, among others. If you try Firestick issues and this does not help solve the Firestick not responding to the remote problem, reset your Firestick remote to factory settings, or reset your Firestick to factory settings.

There are alternatives to Firestick remotes

It can be pretty Firestick if your original Firestick remote is damaged or you have lost it. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the Firestick remote if you would like to replace yours.

One of the best alternatives to firestick remotes is the Fire TV Remote app. On top of this, most of the Bluetooth or keyboard remotes, such as iPazzPort Mini Keyboard and MX3 Pro Mini Keyboard, can pair with Firestick if you have a suitable adapter.

Connect Firestick to a Wi-Fi network without a remote

Once you have installed the Fire TV Remote app on your mobile device, you have the remote functionalities on your phone. Hence, you can connect Firestick to a Wi-Fi network using your phone.

Use a USB keyboard instead of Firestick remote

Firestick doesn’t have a USB port. However, you can still connect a USB keyboard using a Micro USB to a USB adapter (OTG adapter). With this, the USB keyboard will be able to work with your Firestick/ Fire TV.

FAQ About Firestick Remote

Can I use a universal remote for my Firestick?

Yes, you can pair a universal remote with Firestick through Bluetooth. However, the remote must be compatible with the Firestick.

Is it possible to purchase a firestick remote?

Yes, you can purchase a Firestick remote from Amazon.

What to do if menu button on firestick remote not working?

Try resetting your Firestick remote and see if this resolves the issue.

Wrap Up

Most of the issues you will encounter with your Firestick remote are mainly caused by battery-related problems. Always have some spare batteries and install the Fire TV remote app to help you when the remote fails. Our article covers a wide range of causes of your amazon remote not working and their respective fixes. You can also find more answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that we may not have covered in this article about your Amazon Firestick or any other Fire TV device in our Amazon firestick user guide.

We hope this article was of help, and you can now enjoy your Firestick!