An LG TV can be operated using its own remote or using another universal remote. Whichever remote you choose to use, you wont be able to operate your TV if the pairing process has failed or the remote is not working. This article will guide you through pairing your LG Magic Remote to the TV and what to do when it doesn’t work.
The LG Magic Remote may not work if it is not paired properly, has old batteries, a disrupted IR signal or is far away from the TV. If the remote still doesn’t work after it has been reset and re-paired, and all other issues have been corrected, the remote may be defective and need to be replaced.
This guide will explain how to pair your Magic Remote correctly and reset it when needed. I will also discuss pairing DirecTV and Xfinity remotes and walk you through troubleshooting your remote.
LG Smart TV Remote Not Pairing
The LG Smart TV remote is known as the ‘Magic Remote’. There may be a number of reasons why it is not pairing to your TV.
Old Batteries
The power button at the top of the remote should light up when you press buttons on the remote. If not, you may have no power left. Try replacing the batteries (both) with new ones to see if this fixes the issue.
Infrared Interference
Magic Remotes operate using infrared (IR) and Bluetooth. For IR specifically, if there is anything obstructing the signal to the TV receiver, the command will not be registered when you are trying to pair the remote.
You can check if an IR signal is being sent by looking at the IR source at the top end of the remote through your phone camera. You should be able to see it flash if it is working.
TV Needs a Reset
Sometimes the TV might need to be reset. This can be done by unplugging it for 60 seconds. You should also remove the batteries from the Magic Remote in this time.
Once you have waited 60 seconds and turned the TV back on, re-insert the batteries for the remote and try pairing again (you can see how to do this further down).
Defective Remote
If nothing is working to pair the remote, you may simply have a defective remote control. In this case, you will need to contact LG for a replacement. Your current remote may even be covered under warranty.
What Is Magic Remote for LG Smart TV
A Magic Remote for the LG Smart TV is a remote with a trackball feature. This feature allows you to move a cursor on the TV screen like a computer mouse. It also has all the other standard buttons you would normally find on a remote.
It can also be used as a universal remote, allowing you to control your TV and other devices with the one remote.
How to Pair a Remote to A LG TV
Each remote has a different pairing process. The standard remote for an LG TV is the Magic Remote. Therefore, follow the steps below to pair the Magic Remote to your TV.
Step 1: Ensure the TV is off and the batteries are removed from the Magic Remote.
Step 2: Turn the TV on.
Step 3: Insert the batteries into the Magic Remote
Step 4: Aim the remote at the TV (in close proximity) and press ‘Ok’ (the centre scroll button).
Step 5: Hold down the ‘Ok’ button until a message appears on the TV indicating the pairing has been successful.
How to Sync LG Magic Remote to TV
‘Syncing’ and ‘pairing’ are the same process. Follow the steps above and you will be able to sync your Magic Remote to your LG TV.
How Do I Reset LG TV Remote
The LG Magic Remote can easily be reset by pressing and holding down the ‘Home’ and ‘Back buttons on the remote. These should be held for approximately 5 seconds until the power button at the top of the remote starts to flash.
You will then need to pair the remote, which I have explained above.
Some newer models have been programmed to both reset and pair the Magic Remote to the TV with one button. To do this, try holding down the ‘Exit’ button for 5 seconds instead. If nothing has happened after 30 seconds, try doing this with the ‘Guide’ button.
LG Smart TV Magic Remote Not Registering
Your Magic Remote may not be registering because of the reasons I explained earlier. These includes the following.
- Batteries need to be replaced.
- IR signal is blocked
- Remote is defective
It may also be that the buttons you are pushing are not working or you need to give the remote a shake.
Faulty or Damaged Buttons
It is easy for buttons to accumulate debris underneath the pads and not register when you press them. You might be able to dislodge the debris by removing the remote’s batteries and pressing every button multiple times.
If this doesn’t work after you have put the batteries back in, the buttons might be broken. In this case, you will need a new remote.
Make sure you are checking whether an IR signal is being emitted from the remote, because you should not be seeing any signal if the button is broken. You will, however, see a signal from other buttons.
LG Smart TV Magic Remote Not Working
If your remote is not working at all, you should not see any IR signal emitted from the remote through your camera. In addition to this, the cursor will not appear on the TV when you shake the remote.
If this is the case, try the following, which have all been explained above.
- Change the batteries.
- Un-pair and re-register remote with the TV.
- Unplug the TV and remove the remote batteries for 60 seconds.
LG TV Magic Remote Keeps Disconnecting
There are a number of reasons why your Magic Remote keeps disconnecting.
Distance from the TV
First make sure you are close enough to the TV for it to register the remote. If you are on the very edges of the remote’s range, this would cause infrequent dropout of the signal.
Low Battery Power
If the batteries are still going, but getting low, you might find that your remote works sometimes and not others. This is easily fixed by replacing the batteries.
If this is not the case, try the following processes, which have been explained above.
- Un-pair and re-register the remote with the TV.
- Turn off the TV and remove the remote’s batteries for 60 seconds.
- Contact LG regarding faulty remote.
LG TV Remote Not Supported
This seems to be an issue with the remote itself. If none of the above fixes work, contact LG and order a new remote.
DirecTV Remote Not Working With LG TV
All of the issues mentioned above can be applied to different remotes, such as changing the batteries, clearing the IR pathway, etc. The main difference is the pairing process, which is commonly what causes the remote to fail.
To pair a DirecTV Remote with the LG TV, you need to use one of the following codes: 11423, 10178, 11178.
Step 1: Turn on the LG TV.
Step 2: Navigate to Menu > Settings > Remote > Program Remote > TV.
Step 3: Slide the mode switch on the remote to ‘TV’.
Step 4: Hold down the ‘Select’ and ‘Mute’ buttons simultaneously until the light flashes four times.
Step 5: Enter one of the codes above.
You should then be able to follow the instructions to complete the pairing process.
Have a different brand smart tv? Please check out our article on Smart TV Remote Not Working to find your specific TV brand.
How to Pair Xfinity Remote with LG TV
Similarly to the other remotes, the only difference with the Xfinity Remote is the pairing process.
Pairing With a Setup Button on the Xfinity Remote
Step 1: Ensure your TV is on.
Step 2: Hold the ‘Setup’ button until the light on the remote turns green.
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Step 3: Enter ‘991’ into the number pad and wait for the green light to flash twice.
Step 4: Press ‘Ch^’ repeatedly (slowly) until the TV turns off.
Step 5: Press ‘Setup’ on the remote.
Step 6: Press the power button to make sure the TV turns on.
Pairing Without a Setup Button on the Xfinity Remote
To pair without a setup button on the remote, you will first need to look up your remote’s 5-digit code (there may be multiple). This is unique to the Xfinity remote model and your LG TV. You should be able to find this on the Xfinity website here.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on 2021-04-23.
Once you have the code, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Ensure your TV is on.
Step 2: Hold the ‘Xfinity’ and ‘Mute’ buttons simultaneously until the light on the remote turns green.
Step 3: Enter one of the 5-digit codes you found earlier.
Step 4: If the remote flashes red, try a different code. If it flashes green twice, you have the correct code.
Step 5: Use the power button to turn the TV off to ensure the remote is paired.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on 2021-04-23.