When you lost your original TV remote control and bought a new universal third-party remote control, you have made a great decision. Because the universal remote is the best option to control multiple devices in your home, this is the guide that helps you how to program a universal remote to your different devices like TVs, DVD players, Home theater systems, etc with various methods like direct code entry method, automatic code search methods meaning without code, etc. And, additionally, learn practical tips for troubleshooting the remote, and the things to be kept in mind while pairing.
What is a universal remote and how does it work?
As the name suggests, a universal remote control is a device that is used to control various types of devices and different brands. They are quite different from the standard remotes since they only work with a specific device. When you have multiple devices in your entertainment room like a TV, DVD player, Home theater system, soundbar, etc., you only need one universal remote to control all those devices. In this way, simply remove the remote cluster from the table and make it neat and clean.
In the market, the IR, WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity universal remotes are available. from the basic IR remotes, you can get advanced smart universal remotes that can control up to 15 devices. When it comes to the working mechanism of the universal remotes, they can mimic the IR signals of the original TV remote controls. When they are programmed with a particular universal remote code, they get the ability to control that particular device. For example, if you are planning to pair a universal remote for your Vizio TV, there should be a dedicated code for the remote brand. while pairing with the code, the device gets the program to control your Vizio TV.
How to program a universal remote to your TV
We have mainly two methods to program the remote. With direct code entry method and automatic code search method.
Option 1: Direct code entry method
In this method, you need to be ready with the proper code that should enter during a particular step.
- Turn on your TV
- Note the remote code from the remote manufacturer booklet/website for the TV brand
- Enter the pairing mode: Press and hold the TV button on the remote until the LED lights up
- Code entry: enter the specific code for your TV brand for the remote using the number keys
- The LED light on the remote turns OFF when you have entered the right code
- The light will blink when you enter the wrong code
- Testing phase: Once the LED turns OFF, point the remote to the TV and test all the keys
- When TV responds accordingly, you have programmed successfully
Option 2: Automatic code search method
when you don’t know the proper code, you can try this method
- Turn on your TV first
- Enable search mode: press and hold the TV button until the LED light turns ON. Then press and hold the power button until the LED turns OFF and then back ON
- Search the code: Aim the remote to the TV, press and release the Power button until your TV turns OFF
- Save the code: When your TV turns OFF, press the OK button to save and lock the code
- Test the remote to check whether all the function keys are working properly
Additional method
For those who want to program with the brand code, you can try this method. However this method may not work in some models or branded universal remotes.
First of all, turn ON your TV. Then press and hold the TV button until the LED light on the top turns ON. Then find the brand code, and the digit from the TV. You can either get it from the TV body itself or get from the TV user manual.
Ignore the alphanumeric characters, but note the digits. Then enter those digits carefully with the number keys on the remote. If you have entered the right code, the TV will turn OFF. Press the OK, or enter button to save the code. turn on your TV again and check the keys are properly responding,
Tips for successful programming of a universal remote
Use fresh batteries:- Always use batteries with sufficient charges. If you think that the battery has drained up to 80%, it is better to use fresh batteries.
Reset the remote if needed:- your TV remote may be pre-programmed to other devices earlier, and if you don’t want that, and only program with your TV, then reset it. some model remotes may have reset button to it. If you don’t find the button, you can soft reset it by removing the batteries from the compartment for 1 – 2 minutes and re-inserting.
Check compatibility:- Some universal remotes may not be compatible with some low-model TVs. So, check the compatibility by checking the user manual for the remote control whether it can work with the TV brand you have.
Try to program with the first code from the list:- remote brands are giving the codes based on the success ratio. So. always try to program with the first codes from the list. If it doesn’t work then only try the other code.
Seek customer support if needed:- The universal remotes are easy to program when you have the right code. But, if you are still not getting it paired, then contact the manufacturer support team.
That’s all about pairing a universal remote to a TV. I have explained the programming for the TV device. If you willing to program for other devices like DVD players, home theater systems, cable boxes, etc, follow the same instructions except the device selection. In here, we have used the TV button to program for the TV, if you want to program for a DVD button, you should press DVD button on the remote instead of TV. There should be CBL button for cable boxes, AUX button for the audio devices. Hope you got the idea.