LG TV remote not working
When an LG remote goes quiet, the cause is usually the batteries, a Magic Remote that has lost its link with the TV, or a sensor that cannot see it. Here is what to try, and how your phone can take over while you do.
Is it a Magic Remote or a plain one?
- Magic Remote: a scroll wheel in the middle and a pointer that moves on the screen as you wave it. It talks to the TV by Bluetooth, so it can be unregistered.
- A plain LG remote: a block of number keys and an arrow pad, no pointer. It sends infrared, so it must be pointed at the TV.
Try these in order
- Fresh batteries. Replace both, and check they are the right way round. A remote can still blink and fail on weak batteries.
- Check the pointer. If the Magic Remote's buttons work but the pointer will not appear, it needs registering again. Point it at the TV and press the wheel (OK) button. See LG Magic Remote won't pair.
- The camera test. Point the remote at your phone's front camera and press a key. A flicker on the screen means the remote is sending infrared. If you see nothing and it is a plain remote, the remote is faulty.
- Clear the line of sight. The TV's sensor sits on the lower edge, near the middle. Soundbars and stand edges can block it.
- Restart the TV. Unplug it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in.
The button on the TV
LG TVs have a small joystick or button under the bottom edge, often below the LG logo, and on some models at the back. A press switches the TV on. When it is on, a press on many models opens a small menu on screen that you move through with the stick. That gives you Input, Settings and Power off.
Other ways to control it
- SIMPLINK. LG's name for HDMI-CEC. With it on, a console or streaming box on HDMI can wake the TV and pass on basic controls. It is in the TV's HDMI or Devices settings.
- LG ThinQ. LG's own app can control a webOS TV. It asks you to sign in with an LG account and needs the TV on the same network.
- A universal remote set to LG, which sends infrared.
Where Tuned fits
Tuned is a free remote for iPhone and Android that works with LG webOS TVs over Wi‑Fi. No LG account is needed. It even has a pointer mode that works a bit like the Magic Remote, for apps with a cursor.
- The TV must be on, and on the same network as your phone. Use the TV's button for that.
- The first time, the TV shows a code to type into Tuned, or on older software a prompt that needs a Yes. A Yes needs a press on the TV's own joystick.
- If the TV is not on your network at all, see connecting an LG TV to Wi‑Fi without a remote.
Questions about an LG remote that has stopped working
Why does my LG remote work for some buttons but the pointer is gone?
The Magic Remote's pointer depends on its Bluetooth link with the TV. Re-register it by pointing it at the TV and pressing the wheel (OK) button.
Do I need the LG ThinQ app?
No. Tuned pairs with the TV on its own with a code on the screen and does not ask for an LG account.
Can an iPhone work as an LG remote?
Yes, over Wi‑Fi. The iPhone has no infrared, so it uses the network, and the TV has to be on.
Which LG TVs does Tuned support?
LG smart TVs that run webOS. The TV must be online. Other TVs that look similar are not covered. See the full LG TV remote guide.
Get Tuned
Free to download for iPhone and Android.