Nvidia Shield Remote Not Working [Quick Ways to Fix]

Your Nvidia Shield remote lets you control your Shield TV easily. So, when the remote stops working, using the TV will feel like a hassle. If you want to stream videos on your Nvidia Shield and actually enjoy it, you must fix your Shield remote.

In this post, I’ll show you how to troubleshoot your Nvidia Shield remote when it stops working.

In short, if your Nvidia Shield remote stops working, replace the remote’s batteries and clear the Bluetooth cache. You can also try updating the Shield TV and the remote. Other ways to fix the issue are disconnecting and reconnecting the remote to the TV, resetting the remote, and factory resetting the Shield TV.

Keep reading to learn how to apply these steps in detail.

Table of Contents

How to Fix ‘Nvidia Shield Remote Not Working’ Issue

Change the Batteries in Your Shield Remote

Usually, the Nvidia Shield remote stops working because its batteries are weak. As such, you might have to replace the batteries to get the remote to resume working.

You need two new AA or AAA batteries to replace the old batteries in your Shield remote.

Follow these steps to change the batteries in your Nvidia Shield remote:

Turn to the back of the remote.
Locate the round button on the back of the remote.
Use a pin or paperclip to press the button.
The battery tray will slide out now.
Take a picture of the old batteries to help you remember their correct orientation.
Then, remove these batteries.
Insert the new AA batteries in their proper position.
Slide the battery tray back into the remote.

If your Shield TV is a 2015 model, you won’t be able to remove the batteries in the remote. Instead, you’ll have to charge the remote for several hours before the remote starts working again.

Now, check if the remote is working. If the remote doesn’t work, continue to the next tip.

Download the Shield TV App on Your Smartphone

The other troubleshooting tips in this article require you to navigate your Shield TV screen. Since your remote isn’t working, you’ll have to use your phone to control the TV.

Nvidia Shield offers a Shield TV app that lets you scroll through your TV screen from your phone. You can download this app from Google Play or App Store.

After downloading the app, you’ll need to open the remote option on the app.

Take the following steps to access the remote option on your Shield TV app:

Connect your phone to the same Wi-Fi network as your Shield TV.
Now, launch the app on your phone.
You’ll see your Shield TV on the tab under Discovered Devices.
Click on the tab to connect your phone to your Shield TV.
If the pairing is successful, your TV will display a 6-digit code.
Input the code on your phone.
You’ll now be taken to the home screen of the Shield TV app.
Study the buttons at the bottom of the screen.
The remote button is located beside the keyboard button.
Once you click the remote button, a lookalike of your actual Shield remote will appear on your screen.

You can now control your TV with your phone.

Related: How to Fix Nvidia Shield Charging Issues.

Remove and Reconnect Your Remote to the TV

If you’ve been using your Nvidia Shield TV for a while, your remote may develop bugs. These bugs can prevent the remote from responding to your commands.

The fastest way to remove the bugs in your Shield remote is to disconnect and reconnect it to the TV.

Here’s how to do that:

Tap on Settings on your home screen.
Choose SHIELD Accessories.
Then, tap Forget all accessories.
Finally, click on OK to disconnect the remote from the TV.
Wait 10 seconds. Then press and hold the Select button at the center of the D-pad.
A green or blue light will start flashing from your remote.
This means the remote is in pairing mode.
You’ll see a list of prompts on your TV screen.
Follow these prompts to reconnect your remote to your Shield TV.

If your Nvidia Shield remote doesn’t work after this, continue to the next tip.

Update Your Remote

Refreshing your Shield remote’s connection to your TV doesn’t always remove the bugs in the system. If the bugs are fatal, you may have to apply alternative methods to get rid of them.

A more effective way to eliminate the bugs in your Nvidia Shield remote is to update the remote.

The following guide will show you how to update the remote:

Open the Settings tab.
Select Remote & Accessories.
Then tap Shield Accessories.
Next, choose SHIELD remote.
Tap on Update firmware to update your Shield remote.

Your Nvidia Shield remote should resume working now. However, if it still isn’t working, try the next tip.

Update Your Shield TV

Just because your Shield remote isn’t working doesn’t mean the problem is from the remote. Instead of your remote, it could be that your entire Nvidia Shield system is malfunctioning.

Perhaps your remote isn’t working because the functional error on the system is preventing your TV from responding to the remote’s signal.

To resolve this issue, you’ll need to update your Shield TV.

Use the guide below to update your Shield TV:

Tap Settings.
Select Device Preferences.
Then, click on About.
Tap System Upgrade to update your TV.

After updating your TV, try using the remote to scroll through the TV. If nothing changes on the TV screen, continue to the next step.

Related: How to Fix Nvidia Shield USB Issues.

Clear the Bluetooth Cache on Your Shield TV

Another way to fix a faulty Nvidia Shield remote is to clear the cache on your Bluetooth app.

Your Nvidia Shield remote pairs with the Shield TV through the Bluetooth app. After several months of using your Shield TV, your Bluetooth cache will become overloaded.

A saturated memory will affect the performance of the app, thus preventing the Shield remote from connecting to the TV.

This is why clearing your Bluetooth cache can resolve the functional issue in the remote.

Take these steps to clear the Bluetooth cache on your Shield TV:

Open the Settings tab.
Select Apps.
Choose System Apps. Then tap Bluetooth.
Click on Force Stop.
Next, tap Clear Cache and Data.
Reboot your Shield TV.
Reconnect your remote to the Shield TV.

Is the Shield remote working now? If not, move on to the next step.

Reset the Remote

If your Nvidia Shield still isn’t working, the remote might be faulty. Resetting the remote should fix the faults in the device.

Here’s how to reset your Nvidia Shield remote:

Press the Back and Select buttons simultaneously.
Hold these buttons together for 15 seconds.
The light on your remote should go off now.
You have finished resetting your remote.

After resetting your Shield, unplug your Shield TV from its power outlet. Wait for ten seconds before re-plugging the TV to its power source.

Now, press a button on the remote. If the TV doesn’t respond to your command, check the next tip.

Factory Reset Your TV

If none of the steps above fixes your Nvidia Shield remote, you may need to factory reset your TV.

While all the tips above are effective for repairing a faulty Shield remote, they don’t always fix underlying issues in the system. You need a stronger remedy, like a factory reset, to erase all the bugs, glitches, and errors in your Nvidia Shield.

Take the following steps to factory reset your Nvidia Shield TV:

Tap on the Settings tab.
Click Device Preferences. Then choose Storage and Reset.
Tap Factory data reset.
Next, click on Factory data reset again to confirm the action.
Finally, choose Erase Everything to begin the factory reset.

When the factory reset is complete, your Shield remote will be back to normal.

Read Next: How to Troubleshot Nvidia Shield Power Problems.

Wrapping Up

Once you’ve applied these steps, your Nvidia Shield should resume working. If the remote fails to work after you’ve tried these tips, contact Nvidia Shield Customer Support.