Brand new Apple TV remote not working

Hello BasilOdumah,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities!

If the remote that was supplied with your Apple TV is not working correctly, then I would follow the steps in this article named: Apple TV: Basic troubleshooting found here http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1551.

If your Apple Remote isn't working with Apple TV

1. If you paired the Apple Remote with Apple TV, make sure you're using the paired remote. Go here to read more about pairing and unpairing your Apple Remote.
2. If you are using the wrong remote on a paired Apple TV (2nd generation or 3rd generation), the status light will quickly flash 3 times. If you're using the wrong remote with a paired Apple TV (1st generation), the Apple TV status light flashes amber.
3. If you're using the remote and the Apple TV status light flashes white once, the issue isn't with the remote. See the "If you can see a picture but Apple TV isn't responding" section.
4. If you've paired Apple TV and Apple Remote, and you can't find the paired remote, set Apple TV to work with any remote by pressing and holding Menu and the Previous/Rewind (left scroll) button for 6 seconds.
5. Point the remote directly at Apple TV.
6. Make sure the IR receiver on the front of the Apple TV isn't blocked.
7. Apple TV (1st generation) only: The up/scroll and down/scroll buttons on Apple Remote control the volume of music playback only. Click here for more information.
8. If Apple TV displays an image of a remote and a warning symbol, you need to replace the battery in the remote. Go here to learn about changing the Apple Remote battery.
9. Try a different remote if available.

In the mean time, until the issue is resolved, you can also use the Remote app if you have a supported iOS device to control your Apple TV using your home wifi.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remote/id284417350?mt=8

All the very best,

Sterling

None of these worked for me. It is just stuck on the slide show screen. I can not make it do anything.

tried everything... still it's not working... please help... brought an apple TV but now i can't use it.. tried pairing and unpairing but still the light not the apple tv is not blinking... HELP!!!

Have you charged the remote? Just use the lightning cable in the box and plug into the bottom of the remote wait about 10-15 mins and it should be charged enough to work.

Got latest generation of apple TV yesterday. The same issue. Connected it to home TV. Appeared a guide asking me to select language with the remote, but remote was not responding. I tried to push "menu" and "volume up" buttons, but it didn't help. Then screen saver with nice bridges appeared.... Could not do anything else, since remote was not responding. Please, help asap! Thank you

Hey guys, have the exact same issue and to top it off the setup menu is also in Japanese!! Remote has been charged for 30 mins now, powered AppleTV off and on 3 or 4 times... Tried the iOS setup by touching the phone to the AppleTV... Nothing! Support is now closed in the uk so have to phone up in morning, unless someone knows how to fix??

Hey everyone, same issue with the remote and I just solved it, I hope it will work for you too. When I turned on the apple tv, it was all Japanese and the remote was not working at all. First I charged the remote just to be sure that it is not related to empty battery. Then I used my old apple tv remote and start the setup with it. The old remote works just fine and you can complete the setup without any problem. Don't bother trying to connect the bluetooth, it did not work for me, just do a manual setup and connect to your wifi etc... Then when you are done with everything and have home page with movies, tv shows etc...have your new remote on hand, bring it very close the the apple tv push menu and volume up buttons together for couple seconds, you will see on the right side of the screen ''pairing remote'' sign. It did not pair on the first one but I managed on the second trial. Now the remote is working without any problems. I hope it helps...

I'm having the same problem. How were you able to change the language to English to finish the setup when it's displaying everything in Japanese?

Thank you! I was having the same problem brand new 4th generation Apple TV, hooked everything up and got no response from the remote as though it was dead, even tried charging the remote for over an hour. So I did as you said brought the remote near to the Apple TV unit and simultaneously pressed the 'MENU' and '+' button and it worked within a second! Thank you!

Unfortunately you haven't resolved the issue at all, as anybody who is buying this as their first Apple TV won't have a previous gen remote. Purchased my Apple TV a month ago and haven't made it further than the language selection screen.

I've searched a number of support forums, all the posts that claim to have a fix state that you can pair an iPhone via the Remote App through the 'Settings' option. But you can't enter the settings menu without first having a remote paired to begin with.

You also can't do anything whatsoever without passing the Language Selection screen.

Go figure.

Any help would be hugely appreciated,

Steve, were you ever able to solve this issue? I just bought my first Apple TV and, as you stated, I don't have a previous remote to use.

just bought a brand new 4th gen apple tv and facing the same problem, not able to do anything with the remote

Have you tried pairing it? Hold it near the ATV and hold MENU and "+". The TV should show "remote connected" or some such.

Also, give the battery a charge, just to be sure.

And be sure to set the "region" correctly when you get a chance.

Brilliant thanks as easy as pie, why the **** is it not in the instructions about holding menu and volume up Thanks buddy 🙂