Samsung Smart Remote won't pair
A Samsung Smart Remote talks to the TV over Bluetooth, so it has to be paired. When pairing is lost, the pointer and most keys stop working. The usual cure takes ten seconds.
How to pair a Samsung Smart Remote
- Switch the TV on with the button on the TV.
- Stand close and point the remote at the TV.
- Press and hold Return (the back arrow) and Play/Pause together for about three seconds.
- Let go when the TV shows that it is pairing, or when the message on the screen goes away.
Some older Smart Controls use a different key pair, and the TV's own message or the manual for your model shows which. A plain remote with lots of number keys does not pair at all, because it is infrared only.
If it still will not pair
- Power. A flat remote cannot pair. Swap the AAA batteries. A solar remote needs light on its panel or a USB-C cable in the socket on the bottom edge.
- Distance. Pair it with the remote a metre or less from the TV.
- Restart. Unplug the TV for 30 seconds, plug it in and try again.
- A second remote. If you own a spare Samsung remote, try that one to see whether the problem is the remote or the TV.
Control the TV while you sort it out
The TV's own control button works without pairing. It is usually a small joystick under the bottom edge or at the back. Your phone works too. Tuned is a free remote that connects to a Samsung (Tizen) TV over Wi‑Fi, with no Samsung account. The TV has to be on and on the same network as your phone, and it asks you to choose Allow the first time a key is sent. After that you have a D-pad, volume, OK and Back, and you can type with your phone's keyboard.
Tuned does not pair or repair the Samsung remote itself. It is a separate remote that works alongside it.
Questions about pairing a Samsung remote
Why does my Samsung remote say it is not paired?
The Bluetooth link between the remote and the TV has dropped. It can follow a software update, a battery change, an unplugged TV or a long idle spell. Hold Return and Play/Pause near the TV to pair again.
Is the pairing button inside the battery cover?
No. A Samsung Smart Remote is paired with the key combination above. Remotes from some other makers, Roku for example, have a pairing button inside the battery bay.
Can I keep using Tuned after the remote is paired again?
Yes. Tuned is a separate remote. The phone stays paired with the TV, so both work side by side.
Does a universal remote need pairing?
Usually not. A universal remote sends infrared, which needs aiming at the TV and no pairing, but it needs a Samsung code set up first.
Get Tuned
Free to download for iPhone and Android.