How to control your TV with your Siri Remote

The Siri Remote you get with your Apple TV can do more than control just your new, Apple-branded set-top box. You can also use it to control certain aspects of your TV, provided that TV is recent enough.

If the television to which you've attached your Apple TV supports HDMI-CEC (HDMI Consumer Electronics Control), you can use the Siri Remote to power your TV up and down when you wake your Apple TV and control the volume without having to grab your TV's remote. Of course, your mileage may vary as to how often this works as advertised, but when it does work, it's just great.

How to control your TV with your Siri Remote

  1. Open Settings on your Apple TV.

  2. Select Remotes and Devices.

    Open Settings, select Remotes and Devices

  3. Click Control TVs and Receivers so that it reads On if it doesn't already.

  4. Click Volume Control.

    Click Control TVs and Receivers, click Volume Control

  5. Click Auto, TV via IR, or Off if the options are available, and if not, click Learn New Device... to map your Siri Remote to your TV.

    Click Auto, TV via IR, or Off

Great remotes for your Apple TV

There are some excellent remote options for the Apple TV, whether you need a replacement Siri Remote or want to make an upgrade.

Siri Remote

Siri Remote ($60 at Amazon)

If you lost or have broken your Apple TV's included Siri Remote, it's easy enough to replace.

Logitech Harmony 950

Logitech Harmony 950 ($200 at Amazon)

This remote can control your Apple TV perfectly, as well as your other entertainment devices.

Update May 2019: Instructions and screenshots up-to-date through tvOS 12.2.

Serenity Caldwell contributed to a previous version of this article.

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