Some users have been reporting that for some strange reason, the home button on the Fire TV remote stopped working even though other buttons seem to be working. If you are experiencing the same problem, then read on to find out all the possible solutions to get your Fire TV remote home button working again.
Why is Firestick Home Button Not Working?
The best way to approach this problem is to find the root cause by eliminating all the possible causes we have detailed in this article.
This will help you understand what may have been wrong with your setup and to avoid it in the future. So, please try the fixes we have provided in the same order.
Related: Firestick Volume Not Working
1. Home Button Not Set to “IR and HDMI-CEC”
Things may get a bit technical here but we will keep it as simple as possible. IR stands for Infrared. CEC stands for Consumer Electronics Control. HDMI, which we presume you are already familiar with, stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface.
Okay. Our focus is on CEC because that’s what affects the working of your Fire TV remote when issues like this arise. CEC is a feature on HDMI (hence HDMI CEC) that allows you to use a single remote control, in this case your Fire TV remote, to control multiple devices.
You may be more familiar with the term, Universal Remote Control. With CEC, you can control up to 15 devices using your Fire Tv remote…and you don’t need to add any peripherals to your TV to achieve this.
CEC uses WIFI to transmit signals to your Fire TV stick, which in turn sends the signals to your TV. That’s how you’re able to control your native TV with the Fire TV remote, and vice versa.
To resolve this, you need to first enable the CEC feature on your TV, and then set Home Button to IR and HDMI, on your Fire TV. Please follow the steps below to make the changes:
Fix – Enable HDMI CEC
1. Turn on your TV and connect the Fire TV stick
2. Ensure that the Fire TV stick is connected to a power source
3. Ensure that your TV and your Fire stick both have internet connection
4. Next is to find the CEC settings for your TV brand and model. We will list the steps for some of the well-known TVs below.
To Enable HDMI CEC on Fire TV Stick
1. On the Home screen, navigate to Settings
2. Select Display and Sounds
3. Select HDMI CEC Device Control and turn it on
If you are unable to do this, you could activate it on the native TV instead
For Samsung TV
On Smasung TV, CEC is called Anynet+. Anynet+ can control up to 12 HDMI-CEC enabled devices; your Fire TV stick is one of them. It can also control only one Home Theatre System
To Turn on Anynet+:
1. Press the Home button on your Samsung TV remote control
2. Select Settings
3. Select All Settings is available
4. Select General
5. Select Connection
6. Select External Device Manager
7. Select Anynet+, then toggle to turn it on.
For LG TV
On LG TV, HDMI CEC is called Simplink. To enable it:
1. Press the Home button on your LG TV remote control
2. Select Settings
3. Select All Settings
4. Select General
5. Select Simplink (HDMI-CEC) and turn it off
For Sony Bravia TV
1. Press the Home button on your Sony TV remote control
2. Select Settings
3. Select Bravia Settings
4. Select External Inputs
5. Select HDMI CEC Settings
6. Select CEC and turn it on
For Sony Android TV
On Sony Android, HDMI CEC is called Bravia Sync. To turn it on:
1. Press the Home button on your Sony TV remote control
2. Select Settings
3. Select External Inputs
4. Select Bravia Sync Settings
5. Select Bravia Sync Control and select On
Fix 2 – Set Home Button to IR and HDMI CEC on Fire TV
After enabling CEC on your TV, you then need to set the Home button to IR and HDMI CEC on your Fire TV. To do this:
1. Go to Settings
2. Select Equipment Control
3. Select Manage Equipment
4. Select Advanced Settings
5. Select Power on Input and set it to Fire TV
6. Then back on Advanced Settings, select Home Button
7. Set it to IR and HDMI CEC
2. Software/Permissions Issue
Sometimes, the reason why the home button on your Fire Tv stops working is that you get denied permission to use the home command on the remote control. This is a bug that usually develops after users stream on a sideloaded app.
At this point, the software on your remote control has got stuck on setting up your user profile to continue using the home button on the remote control.
Fix – Connect Fire Stick to PC and run ADB Shell Command
To fix this issue, you would need to use your PC to connect to Fire Stick and run some commands as detailed below.
1. First, please ensure that your PC and your Fire TV are connected to the same WIFI network
2. Go to Settings on your Fire TV
3. Select Device
4. Under Developer Options, turn on ADB Debugging
5. Then, go back to Device
6. Select About
7. Select Network and note the IP address of your Fire TV displayed to the right. For the purpose of this guide, we will use 192.168.10.2
8. On your PC and download ADB Shell
9. On the web page, scroll down to download the latest version of ADB from any of the sources listed
10. Go to the downloaded file and install it
11. During installation, a command window will be opened where you’re asked questions. Please respond with Y, Y, and N in that order
12. Then open Command Prompt by typing it into the search bar on your PC
13. Type adb kill-server, and click enter
14. Then type adb start-server, and click enter
15. Then type adb connect 192.168.10.2 and click enter (remember that the IP address here should be that of your TV. We have used the figure above as an example)
16. If you are prompted on the TV to allow USB debugging, please click to allow
17. Type adb devices and click enter (this is to confirm connection and see whether your Fire TV IP address is listed)
18. Then type adb shell settings –user 0 put secure user_setup_complete 1 (we recommend that you copy and paste this into command prompt rather than type it)
19. Then type adb disconnect 192.168.10.2 and click enter
20. Then type adb kill-server to end the connection and click enter
21. Close Command Prompt
After running these commands, please check if you now have access to the home button on your remote control.
3. Loose HDMI Connection
When you have confirmed that the batteries are not the issue, the very next thing to check is the HDMI connection on TV. There are two ways this works: if you are using an Amazon Fire Smart TV, then it may be that the HDMI connection to the TV is loose.
The HDMI cable is responsible for transmitting the commands on the remote control to the TV. And, the home button on the remote is like the central control command for the TV. So, if the HDMI connection is loose, it may not be able to transmit the central control command to the TV.
For an Amazon Fire TV stick, the issue may be with the connection of the stick at the HDMI port. This could cause partial transmission of signals to the TV, making the home button on the remote to not work.
Apart from a partial connection, even dirt, dust and smudges can interfere with the proper functioning of the HDMI cable and port.
Fix – Check HDMI Connection
Please follow these exact steps to fix the issue with HDMI connection.
For Amazon Fire Smart TV:
1. Unplug the HDMI cable from the back of the TV
2. Check the cable and the HDMI port on the TV for dirt, dust, and any other foreign materials
3. If you find any, blow compressed air into the terminals to remove them
4. Plug the HDMI cable back in firmly and make sure you hear the click sound
For Fire TV Stick:
1. Unplug the Fire Stick from the TV HDMI port
2. Blow compressed air into the HDMI port
3. Plug the Fire Stick back in firmly
4. After doing these, please check and see if the home button is now working.
4. Bug On TV or Remote
Another reason why your Fire TV remote home button stops working is if the remote control or the Fire TV has run into a glitch or bug.
The methods to resolve glitches or bugs differ because glitches are usually mild and temporary, and can be resolved with mere restarts.
Whereas bugs may require extra technical input to fix them. We have provided solutions that progress from resolving glitches to removing bugs. Please try them in the same order.
Fix 1 – Unplug and Re-plug Fire TV Stick
The first step to take is to simply remove the Fire TV stick from the TV and put it back in. This allows your TV to refresh its HDMI connection and re-establish signals with the Fire Stick. Please do this without turning off Fire TV or your native TV.
Fix 2 – Reset Connection
If the first step does not work, then try resetting the connection between the remote control and the Fire TV. There is a shortcut to resetting the connection between your Fire TV and the remote control. This reset does not remove any settings on your Fire TV and does not unpair your remote control.
To do this, simply hold the Back and Menu button on the remote control simultaneously until you see a yellow light blinking on it. Then press the home button and see if it works.
Fix 3 – Restart Fire TV
If a simple re-plug and reset do not work, then you should try a full restart or power cycle to allow Fire TV to load the operating system afresh, and get rid of any software glitches that may have caused the home button on your remote to stop working.
To restart Fire TV:
1. Press and Hold the OK and Play buttons simultaneously
2. Wait until the screen shows that your Fire TV is powering off
3. Release the buttons and wait for your Fire TV to power off and completely power back on.
4. Please do not press any buttons during this process
To perform a power cycle on Fire TV:
1. Unplug your TV without turning it off with a remote control
2. Press and hold the Fire stick power button for about 30 seconds
3. Plug your TV back in.
Then check again to see if the home button is now working well. If not, please proceed to the next step
Fix 4 – Unpair and Re-pair Fire TV remote
If the home button still does not work, please unpair and re-pair the Fire TV remote with your Fire TV. To do this:
1. Press and hold the Back and Home buttons for 10 seconds. Your remote is unpaired
2. Press and hold the Home button for 10 seconds to re-pair the remote. The blue indicator should come on to show that it is paired.
Fix 5 – Reset Fire TV remote
The method to reset the remote depends on the Fire TV version you are using. We have presented a few below:
Basic Edition of Fire TV:
1. Press and hold the Home button. Press the Menu button three times while still holding the Home button
2. Release the Home button. Then press the Menu button 9 times.
3. Remove the batteries from your remote control
4. Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds
5. Put the batteries back in your remote, and then plug in your Fire TV
6. Once the Home screen appears, press and hold the Home button for about 40 seconds
7. Wait one full minute for setup to complete
Alexa Voice Remote (with volume and power buttons)
1. Unplug your Fire TV and wait one full minute
2. Press and hold the Left button, Menu button, and Back button simultaneously
3. Maintain the hold for about 12 seconds
4. Release all the buttons and wait 5 seconds
5. Remove the batteries from your remote control
6. Plug in your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds
7. Put the batteries back in your remote control
8. Press the Home button.
9. If the indicator does not turn blue, press and hold the Home button for 10 seconds to re-pair the remote control.
Fix 6 – Update Fire TV remote control
Your Fire TV remote is a smart device that works on software as well as hardware. As a smart device, it needs to be updated regularly to fix and prevent bugs that cause it to malfunction; the home button not working for example.
Fire TV remote control updates automatically but a failed or interrupted update installation may cause your remote not to have the latest firmware update.
Please follow the steps below to update your Fire TV remote control:
1. Select Settings from the Home screen if you can access it
2. Select Controllers and Bluetooth Devices
3. Select Amazon Fire TV Remotes
4. Select your Fire TV remote from the list
5. If there is an update, it will be displayed for you to install it.
If you are not able to access settings on your TV, you could use the Fire TV app to access the settings and follow the same steps.
Fix 7 – Reset Fire TV
If the issue persists after you have updated your Fire TV remote control, then you may just have to reset your Fire TV to factory settings. Resetting your TV is likely to address the persistent bug causing the home button on the remote to not work. But, it will also clear all your downloaded content, account information, and in-app purchases.
To reset your Fire TV:
1. If you have an external storage attached, please remove it from your TV first
2. Press and hold the Home button on your Fire TV remote
3. Select Settings
4. Select My Fire TV
5. Select Reset to Factory Defaults
6. Enter your PIN if prompted
7. Select Reset to confirm
8. Please do not unplug your Fire TV stick or your native TV during this process
Alternatively:
- Press and hold the Back button and the right side of the circular navigation button simultaneously for 10 seconds
- Select to continue Reset and wait for the process to complete
Fix 8 – Use Fire TV App
In the unlikely case that resetting Fire TV does not fix the home button issue, or if you are unable to access the Settings menu because the Home button is not working, you should try using the Fire TV app on your smartphone to control and manage your Fire TV.
To do this:
1. Download and install the Fire TV app to your mobile phone
2. Connect your phone to the same WIFI as your Fire TV
3. Open the Fire TV app on your phone and select your device
4. Follow the onscreen instructions
5. Now you can use the onscreen navigation, keyboard and other features to control your Fire TV device
Fix 9 – Contact Amazon
Using your phone to control your Fire TV all the time may not be a convenient solution for you. In that case, we suggest that you reach out to Amazon support for further assistance on resolving the issues with the home button on your remote control.
Be sure to let them know all the fixes you have already tried in order to facilitate the support process. You can get support from Amazon.
4. Is Remote Properly Paired?
If you are just setting up your Fire TV stick, then it’s important to be sure that your remote is properly paired with Fire TV. Before starting any troubleshooting process, please go through the steps below to pair your Fire TV remote properly:
1. Plug your Fire TV stick into your TV’s HDMI port
2. Then, plug the supplied power adapter into a wall outlet. If you are using an extension, please confirm that it is not faulty in any way
3. Use the supplied USB cable to connect the power adapter to your Fire TV.
4. Put high-quality AA or rechargeable batteries into the supplied Fire TV remote.
5. Turn on your TV and switch the input source to the HDMI where you plugged in your Fire TV stick. You could just keep changing input source until you find the right one displayed.
If you have followed the steps carefully at this point, then your remote should pair automatically. However, if it doesn’t:
1. Press and hold the Home button (usually about 10 seconds) until Press to Start appears on your TV screen
2. You will be prompted to enter your WIFI details and download the latest updates for your Fire TV. Be sure to enter the correct WIFI password
3. Sign in with your Amazon account. Use your PC or smartphone to visit the address on your screen amazon.com/code and then enter the code provided.
4. If you would like to pair your other devices like stereos, you could follow the on-screen prompt to pair them as well.
If you had already completed this process but are not sure that the remote was properly paired, just press and hold the Home button for 10 seconds to see if it starts working.
After ensuring that you have followed these exact steps carefully and the home button issue persists, please continue your troubleshooting process in the order below:
5. Dead or Faulty Batteries
When you find that the home button on your Fire TV remote control is no longer working, the first thing to consider is that the batteries may be weak or faulty. Here’s the thing: Fire TV remote control consumes a lot more power than your standard TV remote control.
This is probably because of the many features and capabilities on Fire TV like Alexa, and connecting to other devices in your home. Or it could be a design, dare we say, flaw?
Whatever the case, when some buttons stop working on Fire TV remote, it is usually because the batteries are close to dead or sometimes, faulty.
For Fire TV remote control, we recommend Alkaline AA batteries rather than rechargeable batteries. Alkaline batteries – good quality ones – last a lot longer than rechargeable batteries and are less prone to damage. Also, rechargeable batteries lose power after several cycles and cause the remote to start to malfunction.
Fix – Change Batteries
It is a good idea to always have spare batteries around for your remote control. This makes for quick troubleshooting when issues like the home button not working arises.
All you need to do is remove the old batteries, clean out the battery terminals with a damp cloth, and put new batteries into your Fire TV remote control.
6. Interference
You may be used to using your TV remote control from any angle or position in your room to operate your TV. Most smart TVs use broad-spectrum infrared technology to transmit commands so that you can reach your TV whether you are facing it or not.
However, the Fire TV does not work that way. Your Fire TV remote control uses limited Bluetooth technology and needs unhindered line of sight to the TV in order to transmit signals effectively.
Simply put, you need to be sure that you are directly facing the TV in order for the remote to work properly.
Fix – Remove Obstacles
If there are any objects or structures blocking the signals of the remote control to the TV, you need to remove them or move around them to properly face and operate your TV
Fix – Go Closer
In addition to having unhindered line of sight, you also need to be close enough to the TV for the controls to work properly. The optimal distance for the Fire TV remote control from the TV is 30-33ft.
Fix – Remove Interfering Devices
Your Fire TV remote control uses Bluetooth technology rather than the traditional infrared for remote controls. Also, your Fire TV stick can connect to up to 7 Bluetooth devices at a time. Occasionally, it may establish a rogue connection with a Bluetooth device, or one of the known Bluetooth devices may be emitting signals that interfere with that of the remote control.
So, after ensuring that there is no physical hinderance to your Fire TV remote control, please check the Bluetooth connections and disconnect unwanted devices.
To disconnect a Bluetooth device:
1. Select Settings from the Home screen if you can access it
2. Select Controllers and Bluetooth Devices
3. Select Other Bluetooth Devices
4. Select the device you want to unpair, then press and hold the Menu button
5. Confirm the unpairing
Alternatively, you could use the Fire TV app to do this, or simply turn off the Bluetooth devices if you’re unable to access settings.
7. Account Issues
We have also found that if your Fire Stick is unable to communicate with your Amazon account for whatever reason, it disables the home button on your Fire TV remote control as a security precaution. When setting up your Fire TV, you must have entered your Amazon account details to complete the setup.
What this does is to register the Fire TV to your account as a device under your control. Therefore, if the Fire TV loses connection to your Amazon account, the home button gets disconnected.
Fix – Reset Fire TV Registration
To resolve this issue, you need to deregister and then reregister your account on Fire TV. To do this:
1. Go to Settings
2. Select Account and Profile Settings
3. Select Amazon Account
4. Select Deregister
5. Wait a minute, then reregister your account.
Please note that you will lose any customizations on your Fire TV home screen after performing this step. Hopefully, that’s a minor inconvenience to you.
After doing this, please check to see if the home button on your Fire Tv remote is now working. If not, please try the next fix.