In this article, I will explain why you may have problems with the Magic (Smart) remote that now comes with practically all LG TVs. A Smart remote is a remote that controls your TV via Bluetooth; you can quickly determine what remote you have if the center of the remote has a wheel like a computer mouse, and you know it yourself if you use such a remote. And the most common problems with such remotes are as follows You used the remote, which was fine, but you turned on the TV, and that’s it; the TV doesn’t respond to the remote; you can only turn it on or off. You press the buttons and the red LED flashes, but nothing happens. Here’s what the problem could be and how to fix it.

How the Magic Remote Works 

As I said, the Magic Remote is a remote control that works via Bluetooth. And as you know, any Bluetooth device must have a pair to work; such a pair is created between the remote and the TV. When you buy a new TV and remote control, the remote control you took out of the box is new and not tied to the TV. Just turn on the TV and press the OK button on the remote, it’s the wheel in the center of the remote; since the remote is uninitialized, it will automatically pair with the TV. After that, it will only work with that TV. 

When the TV is turned off, the Bluetooth module does not work. Infrared signals are used to turn on the TV, or rather, a signal is used to turn the TV on or off. You need to point the remote control at the TV and press the power button; the TV will turn on, the operating system will boot up, the Bluetooth module in the TV will turn on, and the TV will find the remote control and establish a connection. After that, the TV can only be controlled via Bluetooth. 

LG Magic Remote troubleshooting

The Magic remote control is a rather complex device; there are three essential elements in the remote control:

Infrared module (turns the TV on and off)
Bluetooth module (controlling the TV)
Gyroscope (moves the pointer on the screen).

All these elements work together to make the remote work. Many situations and problems can occur with the remote, but here are the most common ones.

The remote does not work at all: On the Magic remote control, the Power button lights up when any button is pressed, indicating that the remote responds to a command. If the Power button does not light up when you press any button, your remote is not powered. Check and replace the batteries in the remote control. If you have replaced the batteries (make sure they are inserted correctly). When the batteries are connected, the power button should flash three times – this is the remote starting up and tells you that it has started. Check the remote when you press any button to see if the Power button lights up; if it does not, your remote is probably broken and needs to be replaced.

The remote only turns the TV on and off: This means that only the infrared module in the remote is working, and Bluetooth is not working. In this case, you must turn off the TV by unplugging it for 1-2 minutes. This is necessary for the TV to reset the RAM cache, which can cause errors in the operating system. Remove the batteries, wait a few minutes, press any button on the remote a few times, then reinsert the batteries. See how the remote behaves. If that doesn’t work, you must unpair (reset) and repair between the remote and the TV. I will explain how to do this below, as the procedure for resetting and pairing differs depending on the TV year.

LG Magic, remote power light, stays on: If the Power button on your remote is constantly lit, the button is pressed in 90% of cases. Check if all buttons are on the same level; maybe one is pressed. Maybe water or other liquid has gotten into your remote control. If you find a pressed button, fix it. If your remote was dropped or water got into it, you must remove the batteries and disassemble Magic.

LG TV remote is not working after the battery change: If the remote does not work after the battery change, check if the batteries are installed correctly. Once the batteries are installed, the power button should blink three times. If it blinks, but the remote does not work, the problem is Bluetooth. It would help if you reinitialized the Bluetooth pairing.

The remote control does not work periodically: As a rule, this situation occurs when the remote control batteries are discharged; their charge is so low that the distance between which can work Bluetooth is significantly reduced, and they periodically lose connection. Replace the batteries.

The Bluetooth service must be initialized LG TV: This message appears on the screen when the TV cannot detect the Bluetooth module. The Bluetooth module is not working; it is defective, and you must repair the TV.

LG TV home button not working: The Home button is often used to call up the menus on your TV. If the Home button does not work, it can be caused by various reasons, for example, the remote control or malfunction of the TV. First, check the batteries in the remote control; we recommend replacing them with new ones. If the problem is not solved after replacing the batteries, try reconnecting the Magic Remote to the TV. To do this, remove the pairing of the remote control and the TV and then pair it again. It is also possible that the contact pad under the Home button is dirty. In this case, you must disassemble the remote and clean the contact pads under the buttons. This is most likely the case, especially if one button does not work.

Magic LG remote control reset and pairing (2011-2023)

Since the introduction of LG Smart TVs, LG remote controls have changed their appearance and design several times. For example, the Magic remote control received a new design in 2021. Magic remotes have also been improved: some models have received NFC modules to make it easier to work with mobile devices.

The remote works with your TV via Bluetooth. When the TV is turned off, pairing is maintained. However, the software or protocol of the Bluetooth connection is not working correctly, in which case the remote seems to be connected, but it does not work. This is similar to Bluetooth headphones – the headphones are paired and the phone, but there is no sound; reconnect the headphones, and everything works.

The picture below shows which remotes have been released for LG TVs. The first Smart remote began shipping with LG TVs in 2011 under Magic Motion Remote. The remotes were different depending on the year the TV was manufactured, and the order in which they were connected was slightly different. You can tell what year the remote control is by its appearance.

Connect the new LG Magic Remote to your TV

Pair the new LG Magic Remote with the TV (2012-2022): To pair your new remote with your TV, turn on the TV, insert the batteries into the remote, point the remote at the TV, turn on the TV by pressing the power button on the remote, wait for the TV to turn on, and press the OK button (this is the mouse wheel on the remote). A message on the TV screen indicates that the remote and TV are paired.
If the TV has worked with the remote before, the old pairing will be deleted, and the TV will create a new pairing.

Pair the new LG Magic Remote with the TV (2011): Magic Remote Control for TVs 2010-2011 This is one of the first remote controls for smart TVs. LV and LK series. To pair the remote control for the first time, place it at arm’s length from the TV (optional but recommended) and press and hold the OK or MUTE button for about 5 seconds. Wait for a message on the TV screen that the pairing is complete. During pairing, the remote control’s power button backlight will flash to indicate that the pairing process is initializing.

Reset LG Magic remote control

To re-pair the remote control with the TV:

  • Reset the previous pairing.
  • After resetting, the remote control will be the same as when you purchased it and can be paired with the TV again.
  • Note that the procedure differs for TVs manufactured before 2021 and after 2021.

Turn off the TV to prevent the remote from automatically pairing during the reset.

TVs manufactured before 2021: To reset the remote control, press the BACK and HOME buttons on the remote control simultaneously. Hold down the buttons for at least 5 seconds. The remote control will reset and become as good as new.

LG TVs after 2021, MR20, MR21, and MR22 remotes: For these remotes, simultaneously press and hold the Home and Settings buttons for at least 5 seconds, then the Power button will blink three times, and the remote is reset. If you continue to hold down the buttons, the remote will pair with the TV turned on. The Magic remote is paired if the Power button lights up when you press these two buttons.

Automatically reset and connect the Magic Remote to the TV.

You have two options if you want to reset and reconnect the remote.

Reset the remote, turn on the TV, and click the mouse wheel to connect the remote to the TV.
You can also automatically reset and reconnect the remote.

To automatically reconnect, you need to do the following.

2015-2020 MR600, MR650, MR18, MR19, MR20 remote: press and hold the GUIDE button on the remote for 5 seconds. The Magic remote automatically disconnects from the TV (resets pairing) and reconnects to the TV.
Remote control from 2021 MR21, MR22, and MR23: the HOME and SETTING buttons must be held down. The power button will blink three times; the remote control settings will be reset; continue holding the buttons, when the power button lights up with a steady light, the bluetooth

Tips for pairing your Magic remote

Here are some requirements for pairing your remote with your TV. These simple rules will help you avoid problems when setting up your remote and your TV.

  • The TV must be turned on: If other LG TVs are nearby, turn on only the one you want to pair with and turn off the others. The remote supports only one Bluetooth connection
  • Pairing starts 20-30 seconds after the TV is turned on, as the TV needs time to start its operating system.
  • For successful pairing, all settings on the remote must be made close to the TV, and there must be a high Bluetooth signal strength between the remote and the TV. This helps prevent accidental pairing with another TV. The remote will pair with the TV that detects the highest Bluetooth signal strength.
  • You can read our article LG Magic 2011-2022 LG Remote Control Compatibility List if you need to know which remote control you need for your LG TV.

How to test your Magic remote.

The Bluetooth protocol is universal in 2016 remotes, so you can use your smartphone to test them. Here’s how to test the MR650, MR18, MR19, MR20, MR21, MR22 and MR23 remotes. These are TVs from 2016 to 2023.

Here’s how to check if your Magic remote works.

  • Turn off your TV.
  • Reset the settings on the remote, MR21 through MR23 (HOME and SETTINGS). Press and hold the remote, MR650, MR18-MR20 (BACK and HOME) for 5 seconds.
  • Take your smartphone, turn on Bluetooth, and tap Search for Bluetooth Devices.
  • Press the wheel on the remote, pairing mode.
  • Look at the smartphone; you will see on the smartphone the list of available devices LGE MR**. This is the Magic Remote.

If you see the Magic remote in the list of available devices, the remote is probably good. Now try connecting the remote to your TV.

LG universal remote control does not work

If your LG TV’s standard remote control does not work, follow the steps below to troubleshoot the problem.

Check that the standard remote control works. To do this, take your phone, turn on the camera, and point the camera at the remote control (infrared LED) located on the front of the remote control. Then press any button on the remote control; if it works, the LED will blink. Notes: A standard remote control emits infrared light; humans cannot see the light in this range, but the camera sensor responds to infrared optical waves.

If the LED on the universal remote is blinking, the remote is working. The TV is not receiving a signal. Check if something, such as a soundbar, is blocking the signal. Since modern TVs are computers, you should restart the TV by unplugging it from the wall outlet for 1-2 minutes. After 1-2 minutes, turn on the TV and see if the remote works; if so, the problem was a software problem in the TV. It must be repaired if the TV still does not respond to the remote.

If the LED on the remote does not flash, replace the batteries with new ones. If replacing the batteries with new ones does not solve the problem, you must purchase a new remote.

LG TV remote control some buttons do not work

In general, the most commonly used buttons on the remote may not work well. These are the volume and channel select buttons. The cause of the malfunction is dirt on the contact areas of the circuit board. Disassemble the remote and clean these areas with an alcohol-based cleaner to restore operation. In 90% of cases, this will restore functionality to the remote control buttons.

How to control your TV without a remote control

If the remote control is broken, you can use smartphone apps to control the TV with your phone. LG TVs can connect to a Wi-Fi network and work with your phone. The TV and the phone with the TV control app must be connected to the same network. For phones, LG has developed smart home apps for Android and an app to control your LG TV from your Apple iPhone or iPad. This app lets you control your TV when you don’t have a remote control.

You can also use the control buttons on the TV – usually a joystick. When not pressed, the joystick controls the volume and changes channels. Press the button to open the menu.

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95 COMMENTS

  1. My remote is not working. Power on/off light remains on and blinks. TV is not getting controlled. Replaced the batteries. But the problem still remains. Please help.

  2. Hi
    My remote for LG TV model no. 32LM636BPTB
    is not working…. Whenever i press any key there is pop-up massage appear that “Do you want to add HDMI 3 to [Quick Access 5]?”
    So please help me to overcome with that issue even i can not even use volume button and not even power button every time it’s appear that same massage..

    • Try the following. Unplug the TV for 2 minutes. Turn on the TV and check the remote control. Disconnect the remote control from the TV ( press BACK and HOME) and reconnect, press OK. If this does not work, the remote control is probably defective and needs to be replaced.

  3. I have 2 LG tvs side by side. One has a standard remote and one has the magic remote. How do I stop each remote from controlling both TVs?

    • The standard remote control will control both TVs with IR signals. Close the receiver on the TV you do not want to control. But you will have to turn it on and off manually with a button on the TV. The Magic remote creates a pairing with the TV. It must not control another TV set.

  4. I dont know if this fix is mentioned yet, but it sure is NOT in the manuals.

    To re register the old or a new remote after trying to initialise by pressie the wheel 10 secs, first go to settings
    Network
    Connect apps
    Disconnect pairing

    The remote is seen as a paired app, removing the paired remote, fixed the trick instanty by pressing the wheel a few times (nothing to see to remove)

    Are some of you happy now???

  5. Glad to find this current thread on the LG Magic Remote.
    Mine is working but I have lost the pointer.
    The effect is I can use all the buttons to select and choose items.
    But no pointer.
    However when I move the remote around it moves the highlight on the screen.
    Like as if I can move the highlight by pointing the remote where I want to choose (instead of the pointer)!
    I didn’t know it could do that, but I don’t want it and need my pointer back!

    Can you help?
    Nigel

    • Press the Back button + Home button until the mouse disappears. And press the “Scroll” button until the power LED lights up. then the cursor will appear.

      • Thank-you for that. I have tried that and no change.
        The remote de-registered and when I pressed the scroll it re-registered.
        But still the highlight moves with the scroll wheel and the up/down/left/right buttons. Or if I just move/wave the remote about!
        I have a vague memory of being able to switch between using the cursor and pointing the remote at that part of the screen to select. But that might even have been another TV/remote!

  6. My magic Remote model is an AN-MR650 and when i press the wheel button, the red light stays on and does nothing and I just resetted to factory settings and i cant do nothing please help

    • Disconnect the TV from the mains for 5 minutes.
      Try pairing the remote control and the TV. If this does not solve the problem, the remote control or bluetooth module in the TV is defective.

  7. Hi I have LG tv model 43LF5900 My remote quit working It is the AKB74475401. I bought the exact same one and can not get it to work.

    • Look at the remote’s LED, through your phone’s camera. If the LED blinks when the buttons are pressed. The receiver in the TV set is defective.
      It is also recommended to download a program on your phone, LG TV remote. You can check if the TV is working.

  8. Hi I’ve got 3 LG TV’s in my house, 2 of them same age same remote(MR18BA), my main 65” TV after UPDATE! failed to switch off or on with remote so been using voice command to switch it off for last month. This Saturday thought I’ll fix it, so tried to de register after that it won’t register or work at all, found the basic remote and it won’t work as well, got the remote from other TV no luck, took all 3 remotes upstairs and all three are working as they should with my other TV. Then tried to reset TV to factory settings using my phone as remote after that it’s stuck in “press OK wheel button” but it won’t work with any remote, also it won’t work with my phone anymore because all settings been reset to factory settings basically I can’t use my TV anymore (all batteries been replaced and remotes checked with phone camera or other TV and they do work perfectly) how do I downgrade to previous update version without controlling a TV?

    • It is best to contact the service center. You can’t just install the old firmware, the TV will tell you that the newest firmware is already installed. There are programs that imitate the download from the official site or change the version of the firmware in the installation file to a newer one.

      But this looks very much like a faulty permanent memory chip. While the information is just stored, the memory works fine, when updating the program is overwritten. During the writing process the chip gets more voltage than when reading, and at that point the chip can fail

      • I have replacer RM board (wifi and Bluetooth board) and IR sensor and it works like new, parts cost me £7 from ebay

  9. Hi, my remote is AN-MR600. I tried to reset the remote and register it again but failed. Tried to switch off and on the TV, remove the batteries to no avail. Is this means the remote is defective? BTW my TV model is 55UH617T.

  10. Issue with the controller. When I press and hold “Home” and “Back” the control wont un-pair with the TV. Is there anything else I can do.

  11. We have a 65UN7000PUD with we just got we were told to buy the MR20GA. Remote works but missing a lot of functions. The web arrow only moves with the arrow keys it does not fly around. Help

    • Unfortunately the 65UN7000PUD does not support Magic remote control, the TV does not have a bluetooth module installed. Your Magic remote control only works with the TV via infrared signals like a standard remote control.

      • I read last night that lg has a app for iPhone and i told my wife and she said yes i use it for her washer and dryer. she added the tv to it and it works great we now have full control. When i gave LG the ser. # of my TV they are the ones that gave me the Part # for the smart remote but they never told me about the app. Thank You so much for taking the time to look at my question and responding
        Mark

    • Your TV is ready to work with the Magic remote AN-MR18BA, this is the original remote. Also the TV should work with AN-MR19BA, AN-MR20GA but you need to update the TV software.

  12. I have a 2017 LG smart TV and the new remote that I purchased is not syncing.
    I tried all of the above instructions.
    Are the new remotes not compatible with TVs manufactured from 2017 and early ?

  13. I have changed the batteries and no luck.
    I have tried holding the ok, guide and home button for 5 secs with nothing happening.
    The remote has worked perfectly until last night it was fine turning on then an hour later I couldn’t turn it off. It seems like its working somehow bcs the batteries were hot, but no response from the the remote.. what should we do now..?

  14. I have an MR20GA magic remote. When I put in batteries, the red ON/OFF button flashes three times, as I think it should. But if I then try to use any button, the red ON/OFF light comes on and stays on. And remote does not seem to operate

    • The Magic remote is a complex device, possibly defective, LG provides a 3-month warranty on the remote. Read the warranty on the LG website, it varies from country to country.

  15. I have changed my batteries and no luck.
    I have tried holding the ok and home button for 5 secs with nothing happening.
    The remote has worked perfectly until last night it was fine turning on then an hour later I couldn’t turn it off.
    The battery was corroded and I have wiped the connectors with alcohol.
    I don’t want to buy a new LG remote if I can’t fix this one, will a Universal remote work?

    • If the electrolyte leaked from the battery, you need to disassemble the remote control and wipe the electrolyte from the electrical board. The universal remote control works with any model of TV.

  16. I have a weird problem. After the tv being off all night I can’t get it to turn on. I have to unplug it then plug it back in. Then it works great all day. Does anyone else have this weird problem. So to reiterate the remote works all day. But once I turn it off for the night. The next morning it will not turn back on without it being unplugged and replugged in.

    • There is a malfunction in the TV, it looks like the receiver of signals from the remote control is also turned off. It should work on standby.

    • We bought smart lg tv,at few hours the remote was working fine,and after that no more,weird.So we bought magic remote but still not connecting to the tv. I regret buying lg,I wish I stick with Samsung now.

  17. my magic remote doesnt blink after replacing new batteries‍♀️the led light doesnt work after pressing HOME and BACK key

  18. Hi! I have an LG Magic Remote MR18 that works well until it doesn’t… what I need to do to make it work again is take out just one battery and put it right back in! after doing that, the power button lights up and start working!!

    When it doesn’t work, I can’t do anything is like the batteries are out completely! but again, if I take out just one of the two batteries (doesn’t matter which one) and put it back in, it works again.

    Any clue?

    • If you think about it, the remote control restarts when you pull out the battery and plug it back in. After a while, it does not work again. This is a malfunction of the remote control, we recommend you to take it apart and see what’s inside. Such a malfunction is more like a power failure, maybe the remote fell and the capacitor came off the circuit board.

  19. LG after 3 years same issue.

    Replace battery nothing

    Replace remote nothing

    Replace module wifi all fine for 1 month after this always same issue

    Non i see alot of poeple havé te same issue Is IT normal ? Obsolescence ?

  20. Hello, my TV remote got lost somehow and got another one but it’s not working, old what can I do to get it working?

  21. My leg smart remote power button stays red. When I removed the batteries and put them back in it blinks 3 times and stays red. If I move the cursor wheel it changes channels really fast. I’ve turned the TV off and on, I’ve tried holding all the buttons down in the suggested steps, checked infrared with phone. Nothing works.

  22. Our new model 2019 lg magic remote is not working and responding.no messages or problem defect are appearing on screen and power button also not blinking from your above suggestions.whats the reason to operate the remote,as it is new.

    • If you have installed the batteries correctly, it is likely that the remote control is faulty. In the factory, the remote control is usually just put in the TV box.

  23. My lg smart tv remote 2019 series stopped working.. I replaced the batteries with Duracell AA BATTERIES. the remote start button blinked thrice.. but still the remote is not working.. pls help

  24. My back button, volume up bottom and side arrow button are mis-functioning. When i press these the led on power button also does not blink. Kindly help.

    • It is necessary to disassemble the remote control and wipe the contact areas under the buttons, you can use non-aggressive cleaning agents (alcohol-containing). You can use a spray to clean the screens of monitors.

    • Pairing the remote and the TV, the remote should be next to the TV. If nothing helps, maybe the remote control is faulty.

  25. My remote 2018 model will not pair. It says unsuccessful try again. When I press home and back buttons the remove red light doesn’t flash so presumably I am not resetting the remote. Any suggestions

    • Restore your TV and remote (power off), try to install LG remote program on your smartphone (Smart TV Remote Apps for LG Smart TVs). If the program works normally, you need to replace the remote control.

  26. My standard LG remote smart button doesn’t work. When I press it I see a signal and TV is showing current status not opening up smart TV menu?
    Can you please help.

  27. My remote works fine, except for the OK button, it says I must insert WiFi or connect Bluetooth dongle. What is the problem and how can I fix it? Help plz

    • There are options:
      1.The remote control gives an incorrect command, try pulling out and reinserting the batteries in the remote control.
      2. Unplug the TV completely from the mains, pull the plug out of the socket and turn it back on again in two minutes.
      3. Try pairing the remote and the TV again.

      If these steps do not correct the situation, it is very likely that the remote control is faulty and needs to be replaced.

        • If you turn off the TV for 1-2 hours. After turning on the TV, the remote works for a while. It looks like a Bluetooth module malfunction in the TV. What component of the module fails when it heats up.

  28. Hi I had LG AN-MR19BA Smart TV Magic Remote Control (2019). My problem is that the remote wheel is damage thats why i cant press “okay” or “enter”. The rubber on the wheel is removed and worst is that the silicon is not working anymore. I open it to check if how’s the roller doing but I got nothing. The enter is not working. Please do help me ASAP.

    • If the remote is damaged, we should buy a new one.

  29. My problem was that the OK/scroll wheel stopped working; or when it seemed to try to reconnect with the tv the message “bluetooth has to be turned on” appeared in the right corner”.
    I found the solution after trying others, and it was hard to find so I leave it here. First, you have to find out if the problem is in the controller or in the Tv.

    Problem in the TV:

    1. Disconnect the TV, and take out the batteries of the controller. Wait 60 seconds. Plug the Tv and turn it on. Wait 5 seconds. Put the batteries in the controller and try to reconnect by pressing the OK button.

    If the OK button doesn’t work, or yo get the message bluetooth has to be turned on then then:

    2. Go to General>Quick start > turn it of.
    3. Turn of the tv
    4. Turn on the Tv and press the OK in the controller.

    If this doesn’t work you will need 2 controllers to fix the problem

    1. Go to general settings > establish factory settings
    2. When you are in the initiation screen you will need to pair the second controller and presss OK.
    3. When you can open the general menu go tu general>quick start> tun off
    4. Turn off the TV and the turn on the TV and pair the controller which was not previously working.

    This error might repeat it’s self in the future, so try downloading the controller ap into your iOS or andoird phone

  30. Some buttons of my magic remote work but some don’t. How should I take it apart and wipe the pad with alcohol?

  31. when placing the batteries the power botton is blinking 3 times and thats all.
    after that the the remote control is not functioning

    • Check if the bluetooth is turned on in the TV settings. If the remote control worked before replacing the batteries, then most likely you need to re-pair.

  32. I have the magic remote at the bottom right except it has the voice control button where the home button is. I have not been able to get to the home screen for the week I have had the tv. Anyone have this issue?

        • Same issue here …
          Disconnect the power cable of the TV and the batteries from the remote … wait 2-3 minutes and then power on the TV. Put the batteries in the remote.
          For me this works, I have no problem in pairing again the magic remote

        • Some buttons of my magic remote work but some don’t. How should I take it apart and wipe the pad with alcohol?

    • My tv too and I think is the IR sensor is the same part of the power on/off :/ how did you solved that ?

      • Do the following, unplug the TV for 2-3 minutes. Remove the batteries from the remote control for a couple of minutes. Turn the TV and the remote control back on and check how they work. If nothing changes, try pairing the remote and the TV again, if that doesn’t work again, the remote or bluetooth in the TV is defective. Most likely the remote control is defective and needs to be replaced.

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