How to Fix the Vizio Remote not Working? – Appuals.com

A vizio remote may stop working due to dead device batteries, blocked TV sensors, remote and TV power waste, dirty power supply, remote memory remote got stuck and even problems with the TV itself.

Vizio remote is more critical for the usage of the TV as compared to other remotes as it provides ‘Smart TV’ controls which allows you to use and navigate to various applications.

what causes the vizio remote not to work?

After careful analysis of user reports, our team of experts was able to find the following causes of “vizio remote not working”.

Before we continue with the solutions, we need to make sure that the remote is emitting infrared (if you are using an infrared remote). can be achieved with a simple camera test. you can use a digital camera or a camera on a mobile phone.

1. Turn on the camera and then view the remote-control unit through the screen of the camera.
2. Point the end (the end which is normally pointed to the TV) of the remote control towards the camera.
   

   

3. Press and hold any button on the remote and at your camera’s screen, you should see a light flashing from the IR LED at the end of the remote.
   

   

4. Check every button on the remoted especially the Power button and the Volume buttons to see if they work.

If all the buttons don’t work, the remote may be faulty (trying the last solution might solve the problem, or else take it to a repair shop or buy a new one).

If only some buttons don’t work, your contacts may be dirty or worn from use (take it to a shop or buy a new one).

If all buttons work, you should continue troubleshooting.

how to repair vizio tv remote?

turn the remote on and off

Waste energy or, more technically, waste energy can cause your vizio remote to stop working. turning the remote on and off resets it and drains any remaining power waste even if you are not using the remote. power cycling is usually done to ensure that all temporary settings are fully reset. this may correct any misconfiguration on the remote. this can also loosen a button on the remote that you may not have noticed was stuck.

1. Remove the batteries from the remote.
   

   

2. Press and hold the remote’s power button. It is normally located near the top of the remote control.
   

   

3. Release the power button after five seconds. And any power residuals will be drained out from the remote.
   

   

4. Press each button on the remote at least once. Doing so will help loosen any stuck buttons. Make sure to pluck out any of the remote’s buttons that are locked into a constantly pushed position, and in this case, the remote control will not respond to any other input from the user.
   

   

5. Now put the remote batteries back in your remote.
   

   

now check if your remote has started working properly.

turn the TV off and on

A vizio TV may stop responding to all input, such as changing the channel with the remote, if it is in an error state or if some of its settings are not working. turning the TV off and on may solve the problem. we followed the same methodology in the previous article.

1. unplug the TV from the wall outlet.
2. press and hold the TV power button (usually located on the side) for 30 seconds, which will drain residual power from the TV and may fix any strange issues.
3. wait for a minute.
4. now plug the TV back into the power source and turn it on.

check the remote again to see if it works fine.

reset remote to clear memory (universal remotes)

vizio universal remotes have a more common error of memory sticking to a specific point or device. in that case, resetting these remotes may solve the problem. this method will not work on non-universal remotes. After clearing your remote’s memory, you’ll need to reconnect it to your various devices, such as a DVD player, as these devices’ connections will be reset.

1. Press and hold the SET or SETUP button. Normally located near the top-left corner of the remote control.
   

   

2. Release SET when the LED light blinks twice. Normally the LED light on your Vizio universal remote is located near the top of the remote control.
   

   

3. Type in reset code of your remote, most Vizio universal remotes have a reset code of 981 or 977. You can also consult your remote’s manual to find the reset code.
   

   

4. Wait for the LED to flash twice. Once it has flashed twice, the Vizio universal remote has successfully wiped its memory. Any firmware issues should be resolved after doing this. Now repair it with your TV.
   

   

5. Now pair the remote with the TV. Now, the confusing thing about Vizio remotes is that they have TWO places where you can switch the remote to the appliance you want to control. One of the buttons is on top of the remote, while the other is on the BOTTOM of the remote control. Switch it back to TV using the BOTTOM.

now check if your remote has started working properly.

remove tv sensor blocking

The remote control for your Vizio Smart TV may not work because the TV’s IR sensor is blocked from receiving the IR signal. The TV’s infrared sensor is usually located at the bottom left or bottom right of the TV. even transparent objects can block your remote’s infrared signal, like the protective plastic wrap that ships with new TVs.

1. Locate the IR sensor of the TV.
   

   

2. Move anything that is in front of the TV.
3. Also, look for any visible smudge on the sensor. It will be a good idea to clear the front of the sensor with Alcohol.
4. Now point the remote at the IR sensor of the TV and press the “Power” button. Make sure to be in the range of 10 feet from the TV as IR signals only work up to a limited distance.

If the TV turns on or off, then something was blocking the signal to go.

change the power supply

Abnormality in the quality of power being delivered to a device is called “dirty power”. these abnormalities are like voltage variations, low power factor, frequency variations and voltage surges. If your TV is plugged into a dirty power source, then you may suffer from vizio remote control not working.

1. Unplug the Vizio TV from the power source.
2. Move & Plug the Vizio TV to another power source where power is known to be normal.

now check if the remote is working properly.

restrict electronic interference

our life is full of electronic gadgets nowadays. These electronic devices emit different types of radiation, and if these radiations interfere with the infrared signal of the remote control, this phenomenon may cause the remote control to stop working.

1. Identify any other electronic devices or even lights that are turned on, (CFL) in the direct “field of view” of the remote sensor’s “window”.
2. Switch those devices off or move them to a different location.
3. Place a strip of blue painter’s tape or plain brown masking tape over the IR sensor on the front of the receiver. The painter’s tape can filter the stray IR from other devices and allows the remote signal to get through.

now check if the remote is working properly.

use of remote applications on mobile devices

many mobile apps can turn your mobile device into a remote control. using one of them can solve the problem. For more information, take a look at Universal Remote Apps.

check the batteries

batteries power the remote control to perform its functions. If the battery power has run out or the contact points of the remote control have oxidized or carbon (the white substance) has formed on it, the Vizio remote control may not work. most vizio remote controls usually use two aa batteries or two aa batteries

1. Pop-out the batteries. Batteries are usually placed in the slot that’s either at the bottom of the front side of the remote or in the back of the remote.
   

   

2. Now check the connection point/terminal of the batteries if they are rusted out or Carbon (the white substance) is formed over there if so, clear the points with Alcohol.
3. Put-in the new pair of batteries in the remote. Make sure the batteries are correctly installed with the positive and negative ends in the right direction.

now check if your remote has started working properly.

If your remote still doesn’t work, try using another vizio remote with your TV and if the other remote works fine, replace it. most vizio remotes work with most vizio televisions. And if that other remote doesn’t work with your TV, it might be a good idea to have your TV checked at a repair shop.

and if that other remote works normally, please replace your vizio remote as your vizio remote may have internal or external damage causing it to not work properly. you can replace the remote with another vizio remote or a universal remote.