Universal Remote Volume Not Working? How to Fix It

A universal remote’s volume buttons only work when they reach the device that’s actually making the sound. So when they do nothing, the question is where they’re going. Work through the checks below in order; the quickest come first.

Check which mode the remote is in

On many universal remotes, the volume buttons go to whichever device you picked last, and a cable box or DVD player may have no volume of its own. Onn’s troubleshooting advice is to put the remote in the mode of the device that controls the volume. Press TV, or the button you set up for your soundbar, and try the volume again.

If that works, the remote is fine: set up volume lock, below, so you don’t have to switch modes every time. Some remotes already do this for you. RCA’s five-digit remotes, such as the RCRN04GR, send VOL and MUTE to the TV automatically in cable, satellite and DVD modes, unless the box’s code has volume controls of its own, as some satellite receivers do. Spectrum’s CLIKR-5 uses the TV’s volume in every mode except AUX.

Set volume lock so the buttons always reach one device

Volume lock ties VOL and MUTE to one device, whatever mode the remote is in. GE and UltraPro call it master volume, and Philips calls it primary audio control. Lock it to the TV if the TV’s speakers make the sound, or to your soundbar or receiver if that’s where the sound comes from.

GE

1. Hold SETUP until the red light stays on, then let go.
2. Press the button of the device whose volume you want, such as TV, or the button you programmed for your soundbar.
3. Press MUTE, then VOL+. The red light blinks twice and goes off.

To turn it off, do the same with the locked device’s button, but press VOL- instead of VOL+. These steps are from Jasco’s GE manual; if the light doesn’t blink twice, check the manual for your model.

Onn

1. Hold PROGRAM until the power button lights up red.
2. Press the button of the device whose volume you want, such as AUDIO. The light blinks once and stays on.
3. Press VOL+, then OK. The light blinks twice and turns off.

To turn it off, hold PROGRAM until the light comes on, press VOL-, then OK.

One For All

One For All uses the code 993 for volume lock, on the Essential 8 as well as the Smart Control 8. On the Smart Control 8:

1. Hold MAGIC until the light under the device blinks twice.
2. Press 9 9 3. The light blinks twice.
3. Press DEVICES until the device you want the volume locked to is selected, then press MAGIC once. The light blinks twice.

To unlock the volume for every device, hold MAGIC until the light blinks twice, press 9 9 3, then press VOLUME UP. The light blinks four times.

Spectrum CLIKR-5

The CLIKR-5 already sends volume to the TV in every mode except AUX. To give a mode a different device’s volume, press that mode’s button and OK/SEL together for three seconds, press VOL+, then press the button of the device whose volume you want. The light blinks twice. Spectrum’s own example uses CBL both times, so cable mode gets the cable box’s volume; doing it again with TV as the last button puts it back.

If your sound comes from a soundbar or receiver

When a soundbar or receiver plays the sound, the remote’s volume has to reach that device, not just the TV. There are two ways to do it:

• Let the TV pass the volume on. With the soundbar plugged into the TV’s HDMI ARC or eARC port and HDMI-CEC turned on, a remote set up for the TV can also change the soundbar’s volume. Onn notes that most newer HDMI-connected devices have this built in, so volume lock may not be needed. It doesn’t work over an optical cable, which carries sound only. Our guide to controlling a soundbar with your TV remote has the settings for each TV brand.
• Program the soundbar into the remote. Any spare device button will do: Jasco says the device buttons can run any compatible audio or video device, so a CBL/SAT button you don’t use is fine. Find the code in our soundbar universal remote codes or GE codes for soundbars and receivers, then lock the volume to that button.

If power works but volume doesn’t

The code you entered may run only some of your device’s functions. Jasco explains that makers reuse parts of their codes across models, so another code on the list will most likely work better, and Onn’s advice is the same: try the next code for your brand. Test volume and mute as well as power before you keep a code. If the list runs out, the remote’s auto search tries every code it holds.

Code lists: GE, Onn, RCA and One For All. Search steps for each brand are in our guide to programming a universal remote without a code.

If the volume worked before and then stopped

• Batteries. On an Onn remote, a light that flashes three times while you use it means the batteries need replacing. Jasco says bad batteries are the most common reason a remote’s light doesn’t behave as the instructions describe, and even new ones can be faulty, so try another set.
• Lost programming. GE remotes keep their codes for up to 10 minutes with the batteries out, but pressing any button while the batteries are out erases them. If the remote has forgotten your devices, enter the codes again and check the volume lock.
• Volume locked to the wrong device. If the volume is locked to a device without volume control, such as some cable boxes, the volume keys stop reaching the TV in every mode. Turn the lock off with the steps above, or lock it to the TV instead.
• A blocked sensor. A soundbar in front of the TV can cover the TV’s remote sensor, as Sony warns. Move the soundbar, or turn on its IR repeater if it has one.
• Start over. If you can’t tell what has been set, reset the remote. On GE, Philips and UltraPro remotes, Jasco’s steps are: hold SETUP until the red light stays on, press MUTE, then 0. The light blinks twice. Our universal remote reset guide covers other brands.

Cable and satellite remotes

• Xfinity voice remotes: to work the TV’s volume, the remote has to be paired with the TV. Press the microphone button, say “Program remote”, and choose Yes when asked whether you want to control the TV’s power and volume. You can add a soundbar or receiver in the next step. Remotes with number keys can also take a code from Xfinity remote codes.
• DirecTV: DirecTV says that if its Universal remote can’t adjust the TV’s volume, you need to program the remote for your TV. Press MENU and go to Settings > Remote Control > Program Remote. Codes are in DirecTV remote codes.
• Spectrum CLIKR-5: once it’s programmed to turn your TV on and off, it controls the TV’s volume automatically, so program the TV first. See Spectrum remote codes.

In short: put the remote in the mode of the device that makes the sound, then set volume lock so it stays that way. If a soundbar plays the sound, let the TV pass the volume on over HDMI ARC, or program the soundbar and lock the volume to it. If only power works, try the next code. And if more than the volume is acting up, see universal remote not working.

Frequently asked questions