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Computers and Electronics
Television
Television Remote Controllers
Vizio Remote Control Not Working? Here's How to Reset It Download Article What to do if your Vizio TV remote stops working Co-authored by Jocotra Cathey and Nicole Levine, MFA
Last Updated: August 25, 2025 Fact Checked
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This article was co-authored by Jocotra Cathey and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Jocotra Cathey is a TV Mounting Service Expert and the business owner of TV Mount Charlotte, a professional TV mounting company operating in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the past 18 years, Jocotra's company has offered premier home theater installation services, specializing in home theater design, wiring and installation, projector and screen installation, wire concealing, and more. He has received certifications in Computer Science and Low-Voltage Certification from Central Piedmont Community College. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 513,075 times.
Does your Vizio remote no longer control your TV? In some cases, simply troubleshooting your remote control will solve your problems and negate the need for a reset. This wikiHow article teaches you how to troubleshoot problems with your Vizio remote not working, including how ot reset your remote.
Fix a Vizio Remote Not Working
If the batteries are fresh and nothing is blocking the signal, try resetting your Vizio remote by removing its batteries, pressing and holding the Power button for 5 seconds, then pressing every button on the remote at least once. If the remote still doesn't work, unplug your TV, then plug it back in.
Steps
Section 1 of 2:
Troubleshooting a Vizio Remote Not Working
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1 Remove any objects from in front of the TV's sensor. The infrared sensor is typically in the bottom-right or bottom-left corner of the TV's face. If the sensor is blocked, your Vizio remote will not work.[1]XResearch source
Even transparent items like the protective plastic wrap that covers new TVs can block the signal from your remote.
2 Make sure you're using the right buttons. If you're trying to use certain buttons on your Vizio remote that don't work with the sort of content you're watching, it might seem like the remote is not working.[2]XResearch source
For example, the channel buttons only work when you're watching cable or satellite TV, not streaming.
The Play and Pause buttons on the remote only work in apps (e.g., Netflix, YouTube, Disney+). Nothing will happen if you try to use them while watching live TV via cable or satellite.
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3 Insert new batteries. Your remote won't work if the batteries don't have enough charge. It's easy to forget to change the batteries from time to time, so making sure that your remote's batteries are fresh will improve your remote's performance.[3]XResearch source
You should also be sure to use high-quality batteries (e.g., Duracell or Energizer).
4 Reset your Vizio remote control. To power cycle your Vizio remote:[4]XResearch source
Open the battery cover and remove the batteries.
Press and hold the power button to drain residual power.
Press every button on your Vizio remote at least once.
Reinsert the batteries and put the battery cover back on.
Try using your remote.
For more detailed remote control reset steps, jump down to Resetting a Vizio Remote.
5 Power cycle your TV. To do so, you'll unplug the TV, press and hold its power button for five seconds, then plug the TV back in and turn it on.[5]XResearch source
6 Use a different Vizio remote with your TV. Most Vizio remotes work with other models of Vizio TVs. If you can get your TV to respond to a different Vizio remote, then you may need to replace your current Vizio remote.[6]XResearch source
Similarly, if your malfunctioning Vizio remote actually works with a different TV, the remote isn't the problem.
7 Replace your remote. If your Vizio remote still isn't working, you likely need a replacement. You can head to Vizio's Self Service Request to find out if you're still within your warranty period. If you are, you can get a free replacement. If not, you can buy a replacement remote from Vizio. If you want to try a universal remote that controls all your devices, you can order one from Amazon.[7]XResearch source
In the meantime, you can turn on your Vizio TV without the remote by pressing the power button on the bottom or side of the TV. Then, you'll be able to use your smartphone to control your TV.
In a pinch, you can also purchase a new remote for your Vizio TV from a local store with a tech department (e.g., Walmart or Best Buy).
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Resetting a Vizio Remote
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1 Remove your remote's batteries. If you need to reset your Vizio remote, this method will walk you through the steps. The batteries are typically found in a slot that's either on the bottom or in the back of the remote.[8]XResearch source
2 Press and hold the power button for five seconds. This will drain any residual power from the remote.
3 Press each individual button on the remote at least once. Doing so will help loosen any stuck buttons.[9]XResearch source
4 Replace your remote's batteries. If the batteries in your remote are brand-new, just put them back in your remote.
5 Try using your remote. If the remote wasn't working because of a firmware update or because of too much continuous use, it should be working now.
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Community Q&A
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Question What should I do if my remote channel and volume buttons won't work? Community Answer If it's not the batteries, your remote may have disconnected from the TV and needs to be re-connected. Check your owner's manual for instructions. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 77 Helpful 100
Question What can I do to fix a problem where using the remote to turn on the TV turns on the screen long enough to display a no signal message, then turns the TV off? Community Answer You need to hit the input button and it will change to "cable box or HDMI or comp." Change to one of these - usually the cable box feature if you have your TV set up right. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 23 Helpful 10
Question My Vizio TV stays turned on for 5 minutes, then shuts itself off. Why? Community Answer Try unplugging the TV, then get some canned air and blow out all the vents. Dust builds up in there. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 20 Helpful 21
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Tips
If you noticed one button isn't working, like the Menu or Volume button, you may have worn down those contacts and need to repair the remote with contact paint or aluminum foil to get those buttons working again. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Co-authored by: Jocotra Cathey TV Expert This article was co-authored by Jocotra Cathey and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Jocotra Cathey is a TV Mounting Service Expert and the business owner of TV Mount Charlotte, a professional TV mounting company operating in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the past 18 years, Jocotra's company has offered premier home theater installation services, specializing in home theater design, wiring and installation, projector and screen installation, wire concealing, and more. He has received certifications in Computer Science and Low-Voltage Certification from Central Piedmont Community College. This article has been viewed 513,075 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 11Updated: August 25, 2025 Views: 513,075 Categories: Television Remote Controllers In other languages Spanish Russian Chinese Vietnamese Thai Hindi Japanese
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 513,075 times.
Reader Success Stories
Carolyn C.
Dec 17, 2023
"My Remote was not responding when I pressed the buttons. Trying the troubleshooting suggestion to remove the batteries and hold down the on button and then pressing each button on the remote, took care of my problem. Thank you so much for helping me to be less frustrated."..." more Rated this article:
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Is this article up to date?
Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Jocotra Cathey TV Expert Click a star to vote Co-authors: 11Updated: August 25, 2025 Views: 513,075
Carolyn C.
Dec 17, 2023
"My Remote was not responding when I pressed the buttons. Trying the troubleshooting suggestion to remove the batteries and hold down the on button and then pressing each button on the remote, took care of my problem. Thank you so much for helping me to be less frustrated."..." more Rated this article:
Neeraja Lockart
Feb 23, 2017
"This was such a great help. My cat knocked my remote off the counter and the batteries fell out. I put them back in but it wouldn't turn the TV back on. Tried new batteries, nothing. I thought it was broken. Tried this and it worked."..." more
Anonymous
Feb 2, 2017
"We were able to fix our TV/remote. It was very helpful. Not hard to do at all. "
Anonymous
Apr 21, 2017
"Clear and easy to follow, even in my panicked state. Worked the first time." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article What to do if your Vizio TV remote stops working Co-authored by Jocotra Cathey and Nicole Levine, MFA 
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Co-authored by: Jocotra Cathey TV Expert This article was co-authored by Jocotra Cathey and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Jocotra Cathey is a TV Mounting Service Expert and the business owner of TV Mount Charlotte, a professional TV mounting company operating in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the past 18 years, Jocotra's company has offered premier home theater installation services, specializing in home theater design, wiring and installation, projector and screen installation, wire concealing, and more. He has received certifications in Computer Science and Low-Voltage Certification from Central Piedmont Community College. This article has been viewed 513,075 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 11 Updated: August 25, 2025 Views: 513,075 Categories: Television Remote Controllers In other languages Spanish Russian Chinese Vietnamese Thai Hindi Japanese 
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1 Remove any objects from in front of the TV's sensor. The infrared sensor is typically in the bottom-right or bottom-left corner of the TV's face. If the sensor is blocked, your Vizio remote will not work.[1] 
2 Make sure you're using the right buttons. If you're trying to use certain buttons on your Vizio remote that don't work with the sort of content you're watching, it might seem like the remote is not working.[2] 
3 Insert new batteries. Your remote won't work if the batteries don't have enough charge. It's easy to forget to change the batteries from time to time, so making sure that your remote's batteries are fresh will improve your remote's performance.[3] 
4 Reset your Vizio remote control. To power cycle your Vizio remote:[4] 
5 Power cycle your TV. To do so, you'll unplug the TV, press and hold its power button for five seconds, then plug the TV back in and turn it on.[5] 
6 Use a different Vizio remote with your TV. Most Vizio remotes work with other models of Vizio TVs. If you can get your TV to respond to a different Vizio remote, then you may need to replace your current Vizio remote.[6] 
7 Replace your remote. If your Vizio remote still isn't working, you likely need a replacement. You can head to Vizio's Self Service Request to find out if you're still within your warranty period. If you are, you can get a free replacement. If not, you can buy a replacement remote from Vizio. If you want to try a universal remote that controls all your devices, you can order one from Amazon.[7] 
1 Remove your remote's batteries. If you need to reset your Vizio remote, this method will walk you through the steps. The batteries are typically found in a slot that's either on the bottom or in the back of the remote.[8] 
2 Press and hold the power button for five seconds. This will drain any residual power from the remote. 
4 Replace your remote's batteries. If the batteries in your remote are brand-new, just put them back in your remote. 
5 Try using your remote. If the remote wasn't working because of a firmware update or because of too much continuous use, it should be working now. Advertisement 
Community Answer If it's not the batteries, your remote may have disconnected from the TV and needs to be re-connected. Check your owner's manual for instructions. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 77 Helpful 100 
Community Answer You need to hit the input button and it will change to "cable box or HDMI or comp." Change to one of these - usually the cable box feature if you have your TV set up right. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 23 Helpful 10 
Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy.