If your Samsung remote is only turning the TV on and off, then it could be due to battery issues, pairing problems, or infrared sensor issues. The remote might have accidentally unpaired itself from your TV. To fix this, you can try reconnecting the remote to the TV, unplugging your TV and removing the batteries from your remote for about 60 seconds.
Is your Samsung TV remote only turning your TV ON and Off and all other buttons are not working? Don’t worry! This issue is not new and you can fix this easily in minutes with simple troubleshooting methods.
In this article, I will help you know the reasons why only the power button on your Samsung remote is working and how you can fix this remote issue easily.
What Prevents Your Samsung TV Remote From Working Properly?
While investigating the common causes behind the Samsung remote buttons not working except for the power button, we came across two main reasons i.e., Interference and De-Synchronization.
- Interference occurs when other electronic devices are placed around your TV, causing your remote signal distortion. So, when your Samsung remote is working abruptly look for the other electronic gadgets and place them at a distance from your Samsung TV.
- De-synchronisation of the TV and remote can happen frequently when there are bugs, technical glitches or your TV firmware is not updated to the latest version. When the remote and TV are de-synced, your remote buttons might not function properly or your TV might not register the remote signals.
Now, you know the common issues that a Samsung remote faces, why only the power button on your Samsung remote might work and what you need to do before you start trying our troubleshooting tips.
But before we get into the troubleshooting methods, let’s test the Samsung remote.
Test Your Samsung Remote First
Now that you know that there are two main reasons for a Samsung remote only turning your TV On and Off, but we can’t back out from the fact that there could be other issues too such as a low battery, partially damaged remote or it could be your TV that’s not registering the remote signals.
So, it becomes important to test your remote and find out whether all your remote buttons are sending signals.
To test your remote, the only thing you need is a smartphone camera. Contrary to the human eye, the camera lens has the ability to actually detect the infrared light blinking on the front of the remote when buttons are pressed.
- Open your Smartphone’s camera and place its camera lens on the remote front. (See the picture for reference)
- Press the “ON” button and check if the light blinks.
- Now, press the Other buttons and check for the light.
If you see the light on your smartphone’s camera only when you press the ON button, it means that the remote battery is low and you can fix the issue by replacing the old remote batteries with new ones.
However, if the IR light blinks on other buttons too, the issue is something else and you should proceed with the solutions provided below.
In case, your Samsung remote is not working at all, check our troubleshooting guide Samsung Smart TV Remote Not Working: 10 Troubleshooting Methods!
How To Fix Samsung TV Remote Only Turns TV On And Off Problem?
Before you start trying the troubleshooting methods, keep a pair of new remote batteries handy with you.
Power Cycle Remote
When we talk about power cycling a remote, it basically means that we need to discharge the residual power after removing the remote batteries.
To power cycle a Samsung remote,
- Remove the batteries from the remote.
- Now press the “ON” button and other buttons on the remote several times to discharge the residual power.
- Ensure to press all the buttons at least once.
- Now, re-insert a new pair of batteries and test your remote.
90% of the time, this simple process brings your remote back to working condition. However, if this troubleshooting method doesn’t work for you, move to the next method.
Reconnect Remote To TV
If your remote accidentally gets unpaired with your TV, your remote power button might work but not the others.
So, you need to pair your Samsung remote with the TV again.
Here’s how you can do this:
- Move closer to your TV and point your remote towards it.
- Press and hold the Return and Play button for 10 seconds.
- The pairing process will begin and you will see a message “Connecting To the TV” on your TV screen.
- Once the remote is paired, you can try using it with your TV and check if it’s working.
In case, you didn’t get the confirmation or your Samsung remote is still not working, move to the next troubleshooting method.
Reset The Samsung Remote
When I talked to Samsung tech support, they recommended me that resetting the Samsung remote is the easiest and simplest way to fix most of the bugs causing your remote to malfunction.
Here’s the easiest way to reset your Samsung remote:
- Remove the remote batteries.
- Press and hold the volume UP button for 2 minutes.
- Once done, re-insert the remote batteries.
Now, test your remote, all your remote buttons should be working.
In case, your Samsung remote is still not working, pair your remote to the TV. (Use Method 2)
Reduce Interference
The remote sends an infrared signal when any of its buttons are pressed, thus, it’s important to ensure that there are no electronic devices placed too close to your TV receiver, which could potentially disrupt this signal.
Electronic devices including laptops, smartphones, tablets, microwaves, and radios can all interfere with the infrared signal.
So, it’s always wise to look at the area around your TV receiver for any possible obstructions and ensure any such devices are moved away.
Once you’ve minimized potential interference, restart your TV using the remote and check if the other buttons on the remote are now functional.
Hard Reset Samsung TV
Sometimes, the issue lies not with the remote, but with the TV receiver itself. So, it becomes essential to power cycle or hard reset your TV too.
This process leads to a clean restart of your Samsung TV and often fixes several remote control problems.
Here’s how you can reset your TV:
- Detach your Samsung TV from its power source.
- Leave it unplugged for approximately 5 minutes.
- Reconnect your TV to the power.
- Power up the TV and test it.
If the issue is still with your Samsung remote, connect to Samsung technical support.
Contact Samsung Technical Support
If the issue with your Samsung remote continues even after trying all the above-suggested troubleshooting methods, it’s important to consider if there’s been any severe damage to the remote.
For example, if any liquid has infiltrated the remote, it could have caused hardware malfunctions.
Yet, if you’re certain the remote hasn’t been physically harmed, reaching out to Samsung’s customer care could be a beneficial step for further assistance.
Additionally, it would be worthwhile to check the status of your warranty, in case it’s still valid and applicable.
Conclusion
While it can be frustrating when your Samsung remote only turns your TV on and off, there are several solutions to try and fix the problem easily.
From reducing possible signal interference to performing a power cycle on both the remote and the TV, these methods can often resolve the issue.
If all else fails, consider the possibility of physical damage to the remote or reach out to Samsung’s technical support for further assistance.
Remember, it’s also worth checking the status of your warranty. With patience and a systematic approach, you’re likely to find a solution that restores full functionality to your Samsung remote.