Remote Buddy FAQ

I can't pair the Siri Remote with my Mac

In order for Remote Buddy to be able to use the Siri Remote, the Siri Remote must first be paired with macOS. We made a video to show how:

 

Resolving issues pairing your Siri Remote with macOS

If you can't get your Siri Remote paired with macOS despite following the instructions, here are some more steps to try to resolve the issue:

Disconnect any Apple TV from power

If you have an Apple TV, please disconnect it from power while trying to pair the Siri Remote with your Mac. The Siri Remote might otherwise just re-connect or pair to your Apple TV instead of becoming pairable to your Mac.

Likewise, if you have previously paired the Siri Remote to another Mac, either shut down that other Mac or turn off that other Mac's Bluetooth temporarily.

Make sure your Siri Remote is charged

While the Siri Remote has an impressive battery life in general, it doesn't last forever. To eliminate an empty battery as error source, please charge it for at least 30 minutes.

Turn on Bluetooth on your Mac

The Siri Remote uses Bluetooth to connect to the Mac, so, in order for pairing to work, please make sure that Bluetooth is turned on on the Mac you want to pair the Siri Remote with.

Scroll down in System Settings / System Preferences

New Bluetooth devices that become available for pairing are displayed at the end of the Bluetooth settings in the macOS System Settings / System Preferences. Depending on the size of your screen or the settings window, you may therefore have to scroll down in the list of Bluetooth devices before you can see the new entry for the Siri Remote.

Once your Mac sees the Siri Remote, it first shows up by its Bluetooth address (f.ex. 60-be-c4-0d-1e-70) - and later by its serial number (something like f.ex. DLF4MFC94K17).

Restart the Siri Remote

If, despite following all of the above advice, you still can't pair the Siri Remote with your Mac, your Siri Remote itself may need to be restarted.

To restart your Siri Remote, press and hold the TV/Control Center button and Volume Down (-) buttons at the same time for about 5 seconds. Then release the buttons and wait 5 to 10 seconds before next attempting to pair the remote.

Reboot your Mac

In very rare cases, Bluetooth may not work properly on your Mac. Typically this can be resolved by shutting down your Mac, leaving it turned off for 60 seconds, then turning it on again.


Last updated: Dec 2, 2024 – Filed under: Siri Remote