With video streaming going mainstream and the advancement in Smart TV technology, most people are streaming videos on their TVs than ever before. However, if you don’t have the money to switch to a Smart TV, a good alternative would be to get a Roku media player and connect it to your TV.
Most Roku devices come with a remote that has a pairing button for connecting the remote to the device; however, you might have a remote without a pairing button, or the button is bad. This article will show you how to sync Roku remote without a pairing button.
How to Sync Roku Remote Without Pairing Button
Usually, you’ll find the pairing button near the battery compartment of the remote; if you want to sync your remote to the device without the button, here’s how:
1. Use Roku App On Smartphone To Pair Remote
Roku has an official app for smartphones that performs many functions; one important thing you can do with the Roku app is use it as a remote control for your Roku devices.
Using the Roku app, you don’t need to bother about using the pair button on the remote; another advantage of the Roku app is that it works on all Roku devices. As long as you have a smartphone with Wi-Fi, here are the steps to use the Roku app as a remote control:
Step #1
Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store on your smartphone and search for the Roku app.
Step #2
Connect your smartphone to the same Wi-Fi network your Roku device is connected to and ensure that the connection signal is strong.
Step #3
Open the newly-installed Roku app on your smartphone and select the Remote option; this allows you to control your Roku device with the smartphone.
Step #4
You can choose to use your smartphone as your Roku device remote and not bother about pairing another device. However, if you want to use your Roku remote and the pair button is bad, you can use the smartphone app to pair it to the device.
Using the smartphone as a remote, open Settings and then select the Remotes and Devices option on your Roku device; choose the Pair New Device option. Your Roku device will automatically scan for compatible remotes within the range. If your remote is okay, the connection should be hitch-free.
2. Pair Using HDMI-CEC
If your TV supports HDMI-CEC, you can use your TV remote to control your Roku and pair it to a remote with a faulty pair button. HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronic Control) allows you to control multiple devices connected via an HDMI port that supports the technology. To pair your Roku device without the pairing button using HDMI-CEC, follow these steps:
Step #1
Check if your TV supports HDMI-CEC by going to Settings on the TV and selecting the HDMI-CEC Control Setup option (it might be a different name on your TV), and enable it. Sometimes, the HDMI-CEC settings could be in the Display, Sound, or General options in your TV settings, so it might require some digging.
Step #2
Your Roku device also has to support HDMI-CEC for this process to work, and most newer versions do. If your device supports HDMI-CEC, you will observe that your TV remote now easily controls your Roku device.
Step #3
Now that you have your Roku device hooked up to be controlled by your TV, you can choose to continue using the TV remote as the controller or pair a Roku remote. To pair a Roku remote after enabling HDMI-CEC, do the following:
- Open Settings on your Roku device and select the Remotes and Devices option.
- Select the Pair New Device option, and your Roku device should automatically scan for compatible Roku remotes within range. If your device is functioning correctly, it should connect successfully.
Related: Fix YouTube Not Working on Roku [2022]
3. Get An Infrared Remote
Some Roku devices such as Roku TV, Roku LT, and Roku Express have infrared receivers. The remote you’ll use for these devices do not require any form of pairing, so there’s no pairing button on the remote. These infrared remotes are not available for Roku sticks though; Roku stick remotes use Wi-Fi instead of infrared because the position of your HDMI port would likely make infrared line-of-sight impossible.
If you want to sync your Roku remote without a pairing button, getting an infrared remote would be an excellent option to try out. To use an infrared Roku remote, simply put in the correct battery and begin to use your remote as you want.
If you have issues with the pairing button on your Roku remote, you now know you don’t have to ditch the remote. These are the ways you can still sync the remote without a pairing button, or in the case of an infrared remote, you can stay away from the need of pairing altogether.
