Perhaps you decided to stream a movie tonight and pressed a button on your firestick remote without getting any response. It is acting like a prickly toddler—it is silent, unresponsive, etc. If so, you might conclude that your Amazon firestick remote is not working.
While this experience can be annoying, we want you to resist the urge to hurl your remote at the wall or fling it across the room. Instead, we have the best troubleshooting guide to get your firestick remote running again.
So, in a few easy steps, you’ll be back to navigating menus and streaming your favorite TV shows again. Stop the remote rage and put down the spare battery for now (we know that’s your first move!). Allow us to help you revive your Amazon firestick remote that’s not working by following the fixes in this guide.
Table of Contents
What is a Firestick Remote?
A Firestick remote is a device used to control the streaming content provided by Amazon Firestick devices. You don’t need to point it directly to your Fire TV to use it. It uses a Bluetooth connection to send signals to your Fire device.
This way, your remote can interact with your TV even if it’s right behind your TV. These technologies work together to give you a beautiful streaming experience. But sometimes, you may find out that your firestick remote is glitching and not working.
That’s where our guide comes in. We’ll help you figure out the problem and get your remote working again!
Also Read: Best Remote Controls For Youtube TV In 2025
What Causes An Amazon Firestick Remote To Stop Working?
Many things can cause your Firestick remote to stop working or not even work at all. However, the most common causes are interference from other electronics, battery issues, and obstructions that hinder the signal from the remote.
Here are the reasons your Amazon firestick remote is not working:
Battery issues: This is the most common reason your firestick remote has refused to respond/work. It could be due to low battery charge, wrongly inserted batteries, and other battery related problems can be the cause of this challenge.
Interference from other electronics: If a device interferes with Bluetooth connections, it can stop your remote from functioning properly.
Compatibility: The issue could also come from compatibility. Have you bought a replacement remote for your Fire Stick TV? Check to ensure they are compatible. Otherwise, your remote will stop working.
Damage: If there’s an external damage—water damage that could result in internal faults and faulty components, it can make your Amazon firestick remote to stop working.
Pairing: If your remote is not paired with your Fire Stick TV, it will not work. So, always ensure you pair replacement remotes before using them.
Distance: Since firestick remotes use Bluetooth, they have a range of about 30 feet. Although, the specific number is usually lower.
Obstructions that hinder the signal from the remote: While you don’t require a direct line of sight between your Fire Stick TV and remote, obstructions can lower the range.
7 Ways To Fix a Fire Stick Remote Not Working
Having known the potential causes of an unresponsive firestick remote, let’s show you 7 ways to troubleshoot this problem.
1. Change the batteries
This may appear so simple that you wonder if it will fix the issue. Even though an Amazon firestick remote is small, it consumes so much battery power each time you press a button. And it piles up over time.
So, replace the batteries with new ones by taking out the battery lid on the back of your remote to remove the old batteries. Typically, most firestick remotes use two AAA batteries. Try using the remote again immediately after you’ve changed the batteries.
2. Remove any obstructions
After changing the batteries, another thing you can do if you discover that your Amazon firestick remote is not working is tho check for any obstructions blocking your remote.
So, ensure that nothing (for example, a pile of books or a game console) is blocking your Fire Stick TV or remote. Again, take away any nearby device(s) that transmit radio signals, like routers, Wi-Fi, or microwaves.
For optimal results, ensure there’s a clear line between your firestick remote and the Fire Stick TV.
3. Ensure your Firestick remote is within range
An Amazon firestick remote uses Bluetooth instead of infrared. So, you don’t need to point it directly at your Fire Stick TV for it to work. However, you must ensure it is within range.
The maximum range of connectivity for the majority of Bluetooth devices is 30 feet (that’s if there’s no obstacle in between). At the same time, the Bluetooth range for this remote differs. While some can get to 30 feet, others can take a distance of about 10 feet.
Therefore, it is better to go as close as you can if the Amazon firestick remote is not working.
4. Unpair and reconnect your remote
If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps above and your firestick remote is still not working, try to refresh it’s connection to the Fire Stick TV. So, try unpairing and re-pairing it following these steps:
- To unpairing your firestick TV, first press the Home and Back buttons. Then hold them for 10 seconds.
- Now, re-pair your remote by pressing the Back button and holding it for 10 seconds.
If your Fire Stick TV and remote won’t pair, repeat the steps a few more times. Or, you can unpair and re-pair your remote from the Fire Stick TV by using another remote.
- To begin this process, wake your Fire Stick TV with the other remote and open Settings menu.
If you do not have another physical remote, you can connect your Android or iOS device and use it as your virtual remote.
- In the Settings menu, choose Controllers & Bluetooth Devices. Then pick Amazon Fire TV Remotes.
- Next, scroll down to the remote that isn’t working – it will likely be named Amazon Fire TV Remote. Then, press the Menu button and the Select button. Now, your remote will disappear from the list.
- Scroll down and choose Add New Remote. Afterward, press and hold the Home button (on the unpaired remote).
- Immediately the Firestick prompts you, press the Select button on the initial remote you used to access the menus.
Voila! Your Fire Stick TV will re-pair with the firestick remote, and hopefully it will work this time.
5. Reset your remote
If the previous step didn’t work, resetting your remote might be the game changer. In addition to refreshing your connection, resetting your remote restarts its internal hardware and software.
The processes involved in resetting your firestick remote depends on the type of remote you have. Here’s a full guide on how to reset your firestick remote. It will require that you press and hold specific buttons. Then unplug the Fire Stick from the power source.
6. Reset your Fire Stick
Even though your remote might be the reason for most connection problems, chances are that your Fire Stick is the pioneer of the issue.
Have you tried all the possible fixes above and your Amazon firestick remote is still not working? We suggest you reset your Fire Stick. Doing this will wipe out all of its data, making it return to its initial state after unboxing.
Thus, you’ll need to redownload your applications and log into your accounts again. While this process can be tiring and annoying, it’s a reliable way to troubleshoot such problems.
Meanwhile, ensure that you have a remote that you can connect to for this process. It could even be a virtual remote in the Fire TV smartphone app. To begin:
- Launch the Settings menu on your Firestick and pick My Fire TV.
- Scroll down and choose Reset to Factory Defaults. Afterward, confirm your choice.
Allow it for a few minutes to reset. Immediately it’s done, set it up like you’d set a new one.
7. Contact Amazon
Finally, if you have attempted all the six steps above and your Amazon firestick remote is not working, the issue is beyond what you can troubleshoot. The last option is to contact Amazon for assistance.
Amazon’s customer service representatives can assist you with any Firestick-related problems. But if they’re unable to figure out the issue, they may replace your Firestick.
Conclusion
With these easy troubleshooting steps, you should be able to get your firestick remote up and running again.
However, if you’ve tried all the steps and your firestick remote is acting up and still not working, Amazon customer service reps are available to help you.
But hopefully, with the solutions provided here, you won’t need to go that far.