How to reset, recalibrate and pair the Samsung TV remote (2024)

The remote control is still an essential element in the use of any television. And that the most recent Smart TVs have been incorporating new control options. Something that is good, but it can also cause some other problem. And it is that, we already know that the more technology advances, the more the problems associated with devices of a lifetime intensify. If the advanced remote control of your samsung smart tv has stopped working at any moment, or if it doesn't work like before, don't worry. Along these lines you will learn what you have to do to reconnect it to the television or even recalibrate the command if necessary.

Samsung and the different control methods of its Smart TV

Smart TVs in general, and those from Samsung in particular, have been gaining more and more remote control options. This logically favors the user who can choose the option that interests them the most based on their needs or preferences.

In addition, the improvement in connectivity and the connections themselves mean that you can not only control a single device but several with a single remote control or remote control. The downside is that sometimes all this fails and you can't control anything. Luckily solving these problems is quite simple, but if you like, first let's see what control options exist.

Bluetooth remote control

These are the most recent and in turn the most useful of all. Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, you gain freedom of movement because it doesn't matter if something gets between the remote control and the television itself. What's more, you can be in another room and continue interacting with the television without any problem. As long as you are within the range of this wireless technology, you can change the channel, volume, turn it on and off, etc.

Control via HDMI CEC

Thanks to the use of connectors compatible with this technology, a television can be controlled from the remote control of another device connected to it. For example, with devices like Apple TV or some Blu-Ray player, you could turn the TV on and off, adjust the volume, and even (depending on the device and its remote) control other functions. If you have ever wondered how your Chromecast remote can turn on your television, it is precisely thanks to this technology that is linked to the HDMI standard.

Control via Smartphone

By using an application for mobile devices, many current televisions can be controlled remotely. This option is interesting and makes it easier to enter text thanks to the use of the virtual phone keyboard. The normal thing in Samsung televisions is to use the SmartThings application.

However, some older Samsung televisions can also be controlled with other mobile applications, as long as the terminal has an infrared diode, a technology that became very fashionable a few years ago, but is no longer so present in the mobile devices. To control televisions with infrared, it is usual to use Samsung's own application or one of third parties that we find in the Play Store. The good thing about infrared is that we will be able to control all kinds of devices, even the oldest ones. However, SmartThings is much more interesting, as it has much more flexibility to take control of more modern devices.

Voice control

This is just for the more advanced models, but high-end smart TVs offer integration with voice assistants and some even have a microphone on the TV itself so as not to depend on the remote. Thanks to the virtual assistants, you will be able to give commands such as changing the input source, raising and lowering the volume or changing the channel.

The assistant that supports your television will depend fundamentally on the model that you have purchased. The most common are Google Assistant and Alexa.

Voice control / Universal remote with third-party devices

In addition to Samsung's own voice assistant, you can also control your TV with a universal remote with voice control. We refer to products such as broadlink, which is a device designed to emit remote control frequencies.

There are several Broadlink models, but almost all of them work in a similar way. They work just like a generic remote control, only they don't have buttons. Instead, they are placed in a fixed place and can be controlled with a virtual remote from the mobile phone. In this way, you can create a remote to your liking, as well as use a widget to control the TV directly from the main menu of your smartphone.

But the thing does not stop there. Broadlink devices are compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa. By pairing with the appropriate skill, the TV can be controlled directly with voice commands. With these products, you will also be able to control other nearby devices such as air conditioners, blinds, fans, or multimedia devices.

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conventional remote control

The first and most basic is that of the classic infrared remote control. Through a IR port located at the tip of the remote and a receiver on the TV you can control all its functions. This is how the remote controls of a lifetime have worked and how you can also control your Samsung television if it continues to be compatible with this system.

As you can see, there are currently many options. So it is rare not to find the control method that best suits each one. Of course, some controls are also more prone to disconnecting or suffering from the odd problem. There are original hands, and also generic devices. Options you have to choose from, but we recommend that you do not get the cheapest ones, as they are the most likely to cause problems.

Have you already decided which is your best option? Well, keep reading to discover what you should do in each particular case:

How to connect the remote control of a Samsung TV

The new Samsung Smart Remote with remote controls that connect via Bluetooth. We have already discussed the advantages of these, but at some point in time they may not work as they should. So it will be necessary to link them again.

To do this you first need to know how to pair, a process that when you first start the TV is as simple as pressing the "Play/Pause" and "Return" buttons at the same time for three seconds or more. This activate the pairing process on the TV and displayed on the screen. In a matter of just a few seconds we will have the system working.

How to configure a remote control as a universal remote

One of the most interesting things about some Samsung Smart TVs is the possibility of set up your remote like a universal remote. Thanks to this, you can control other devices that are connected to it.

To achieve this you only have to perform a few simple followed which we explain below. So you can have control of everything from a single device. This is what you should do:

1. Press the button start remote control.
2. Then scroll to the left using the scroll wheel until you reach the option to Source on the screen of your Samsung Smart TV.
3. Now select in the pop-up menu that you will see the option of Configuration of universal command.
4. Hit the button Start Searching and select the device you want to control from the Smart Remote (set-top box, home theater or Blu-Ray player, for example).
5. Once selected, look for the brand of the device.
6. Then select how it is connected (optical connection, HDMI, etc.).
7. Press on ignition test to see if everything is going as it should, if it responds, go ahead.
8. Done, hit Done and everything will be ready to use the Smart Remote control as a universal control.

In this way you can reduce the number of remotes needed to control the devices you have connected to your Samsung TV.

My Samsung remote doesn't work, what can I do?

Ok, now that you know that the infrared remote for your Samsung Smart TV does not need any configuration, that the Bluetooth remote is paired by pressing a couple of buttons, and that you can also use it to control other devices connected to the TV, what if All of a sudden everything stops working as it should?

The first is identify what may be happening. So there are a number of basic checks:

• If the model you have is still running on batteries, and not on a battery, as in the case of the most recent models, then the first thing to do is to verify that they have not been used up. Replace them with new ones and try.

• The second, in case of being an infrared control, is to check that it emits. To do this, all you have to do is point the IR port at the camera of your smartphone with the application active. On the screen you will see if it turns on or not when you press a button. If it does, it could be a problem with the TV receiver and if not with the remote.
• The third, if it is a bluetooth controller, could have become unpaired and you will have to reconnect. To do this, repeat the previous steps.
• Ultimately you can reset or recalibrate your TV remote. To do this you will only have to remove the batteries and wait 3 minutes or press the power button and hold it for about 10 seconds to make sure that it really turns off.

By the way, although Samsung's Bluetooth remotes already use the key combination to pair or force pairing to the TV, there are other older remotes that They have a button on the back of link that you must press. It is simpler and saves us some steps that are quite cumbersome. So keep that in mind when buying one that will make your life a little easier.

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And finally, in the event that the remote has passed away, has been permanently damaged, the only option left is to acquire one. There are a priori compatible third-party models, but we advise you to bet better on the official one. It is more expensive, but you avoid future operating problems. That for a while you have to sit and enjoy your favorite series and movies, it is not a plan to fight with remote controls but if you still prefer to save a bit, here is an alternative designed especially for practically the entire range of models of the Koreans.

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One last possibility through mobile

If the Smart TV remote has passed away, you have one last chance to continue using it until you buy a new one and it is, as you may have guessed, thanks to the Smart Things application that you have for both iOS and Android. Through the phone screen you can control all the activity, choose any menu, increase or decrease the volume, change the channel and, of course, type faster in case you have to do a search or you feel like entering the browser.

You can download the application from here:

To add a new television within the application, you just have to:

• Access the SmartThings application within your iPhone or Android mobile.
• press Add with the "+" icon, then select Device.
• Click on TV and then in Samsung.
• Click again on TV and later in Start.
• Select the location of the room where the television is in the house and press Next.
• Now you will have the phone connected to the TV (remember that for Smart TV models prior to 2020 an additional PIN is required).

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