Bose Soundbar is one of the best soundbars in the market featuring a premium design with excellent built quality. It also provides a compact Bose remote to control your device. But at some point, the Bose soundbar remote may not be working due to weak batteries, physical damage, etc. Besides buying a universal remote for Bose soundbar, you can use the TV remote to control it. This can be done by turning on the HDMI-CEC feature on the TV settings.
How to Control Bose Soundbar With TV Remote
You can use the TV remote to control the Bose soundbar only if it is capable of sending IR (infrared) signals. Keep in mind that RF-based TV remotes will not work as a remote control for the Bose soundbar.
#1. Turn On the Bose Soundbar
Connect the HDMI cable to the power source and turn on your Bose Soundbar. Ensure that the cables are connected properly and the power supply is stable.
#2. Setup HDMI-CEC
Next, to control the Bose Soundbar with the TV remote, make sure to enable the HDMI-CEC feature. For convenience, you need to use the Bose remote control app as a virtual remote to carry out these steps.
[1] Install and launch the Bose Music app and navigate to the Settings option.
[2] From the settings menu, select the Power section.
[3] Click the Advanced CEC option and Option 4 or Option 5.
[4] Close the Settings menu and now the HDMI-CEC option will be enabled.
#3. Program TV Remote to Bose Soundbar
After enabling the HDMI-CEC feature, follow these steps to program a universal remote to the Bose Soundbar.
[1] Open the Bose Music app and navigate to the Settings menu.
[2] From the Universal Remote Section, choose the Advanced option and unpair the existing remote.
[3] Press and hold the Volume Down (-) and Left Navigation buttons for 5 seconds.
[4] Click Pair New Remote and press the Volume Up (+) button on the remote.
[5] Finally, tap Done. This will pair your TV remote to your Bose Soundbar.
Note: If you have a Samsung Soundbar, you can use the Samsung Soundbar remote app to control it without a remote.
#4. Teach Bose Soundbar to Receive Remote Commands
Once you pair the remote with the Soundbar, prepare the Bose Soundbar to accept the commands from a universal remote.
[1] Press and hold the TV button on the Soundbar remote until you see the white light in the Bose Soundbar.
[2] Then, press the Volume Up button from the old remote.
[3] Press the Volume Up button and hold it on the newly paired remote until you hear a sound from the Bose Soundbar.
[4] After a few seconds, you will see the white light glow on the TV button which means that the device has learned the command.
[5] Now, repeat the same steps for each command including Mute, Volume Down, Power ON, and OFF.
Once done, press any command buttons to test the Soundbar with the TV remote.
How to Control Bose Soundbar With Samsung TV Remote
[1] First, turn on your Samsung TV without a remote and switch on the Bose Soundbar.
[2] On the Samsung TV remote, press and hold the Volume Up button until the red light blinks on the Soundbar.
[3] Next, hold the Volume Up again until you hear a sound from the Soundbar.
[4] Now, go to the TV Settings and select the Sound option.
[5] From that, select Sound Output.
[6] Finally, select your Bose Soundbar device and start controlling it from your TV remote.
How To Control Bose Soundbar With Sony TV Remote
[1] After enabling the HDMI-CEC from the Bose Music App, turn off the TV and Bose Soundbar.
[2] Turn on your Sony TV without a remote or with a remote and switch on the Bose Soundbar.
[3] Go to the Settings menu on your TV and select Display & Sound option.
[4] Select Audio Output and choose Soundbar.
[5] Follow the on-screen instructions and click Done to complete the pairing process.
That’s it. Now, you can control the Bose Soundbar using the Sony TV remote.
How to Control Bose Soundbar With Apple TV Remote
[1] Turn on your Apple TV with a remote and go to Settings.
[2] Select Remotes and Devices from the list.
[3] Choose Volume Control and click Learn a New Device.
[4] On the Apple TV remote, press the Volume Up button.
[5] When you see the flashlight, press the Volume Down button.
[6] Enter the name of your remote and tap Done.
[7] Press and hold the Volume Up button on the Apple TV remote until you see the flashing light on the Bose Soundbar.
[8] Now, the Apple TV remote is ready to control your Bose soundbar.
Note: If the Apple TV remote is not working, you can fix it by following the basic troubleshooting methods.
FAQ
Check if there is any object hiding the path between the TV and the remote sensor. Also, make sure that there is no damage to the IR emitter of the TV remote.
Yes. The Auto-wake feature will automatically turn on the Bose Soundbar when you turn on your TV.
Yes. You can download the Bose SoundTouch app on your smartphone and use it to control your Bose Soundbar without a remote controller.
