Tivi
en
Download

Setup & pairing

How to reset a TV without a remote

Nefarius Apps8 min read

You can reset a TV without a remote. First try a soft restart, which keeps your settings. It fixes most freezes. Use a full factory reset only when the TV stays broken, because it erases accounts, apps, Wi-Fi and picture settings.

Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

A soft restart is simple. Hold the power button on the TV for about five seconds, or unplug the set for 30 seconds. For a factory reset, use the buttons on the TV to open Settings, or use an iPhone on the same Wi-Fi to drive the menus. The exact path depends on the brand.

Before you reset the TV

A factory reset returns the TV to its out-of-box state. It erases accounts, installed apps, Wi-Fi info and picture settings. You must run setup again after it. Write down your Wi-Fi password and streaming logins first.

Try a restart before you erase anything. Sony notes that personal settings stay intact after a power reset. TCL also tells users to try a restart first. Reset only when the problem persists.

If the TV asks for a PIN, try 0000. Samsung uses 0000 as the default. The Samsung section shows how to reset a forgotten PIN with the TV buttons.

Try a soft restart without a remote

  1. Hold the power button on the TV for about five seconds. Many sets restart, show the logo, then turn back on.
  2. If nothing changes, unplug the cord from the wall while the TV is on.
  3. Wait 30 seconds. For a stubborn Sony set, press the TV power button once while unplugged, then wait two minutes.
  4. Plug the cord back in and turn the TV on.

This power cycle does not erase apps or accounts. Use it for a frozen picture or a TV that ignores commands.

Find the buttons on the TV

Look under the center of the lower bezel for a joystick button. Check the side panel for Power and Volume keys. Check the back for a pinhole marked Reset on Roku TVs. Read the model label on the back if you need the manual. Button maps differ by year. You can reach the full Settings menu with these controls on many sets. It is slow, but it works. If the TV is on Wi-Fi and still responds, a phone is faster.

Use your iPhone as the remote

If the TV is on and on Wi-Fi, an iPhone on the same network can drive the menus. To use your iPhone as a TV remote, pair once, then use the D-pad to open Settings and follow the brand steps below. Tivi finds Samsung, LG webOS, and Android TV or Google TV sets on the local network. It needs no account.

Two checks save time. Grant Local Network access on iPhone, or no app will see the TV. If the TV is offline, connect the TV to Wi-Fi without a remote first. If the phone still finds nothing, work through your TV does not show up in the remote app.

Tivi cannot drive every set. It controls Samsung, LG, and Android TV or Google TV. It lists Roku TVs but cannot send them keys yet. For Roku below, use the Roku mobile app or the physical button.

Reset a Samsung TV without a remote

For a restart, hold the TV power button for five seconds. The set turns off, shows the Samsung logo, then turns back on. If that fails, unplug it for 30 seconds.

For a full reset, follow the path from Samsung support.

  1. Open Settings, then All Settings.
  2. Open General and Privacy.
  3. Select Reset.
  4. Enter the PIN. The default is 0000.
  5. Select Reset, then OK. The TV restarts, then shows first-time setup.

If 0000 fails, reset the PIN with the method from Samsung PIN support. On a Smart Remote, press Volume, Plus, Return, Minus, Return, Plus, Return. On a standard remote, press Mute, Plus, Return, Minus, Return, Plus, Return. The PIN returns to 0000.

To control a Samsung TV with your iPhone here, answer the allow prompt on the TV once. Later connections reuse the stored token.

Reset an LG TV without a remote

LG calls it Reset to Initial Settings. It erases apps, settings and saved data, and can fix pairing or software errors. For 2021 to 2025 sets with webOS 6.0 to 25, the path from LG support is short.

  1. Open Settings, then All Settings.
  2. Open General.
  3. Open System.
  4. Select Reset to Initial Settings and confirm.

Older versions use slightly different names. If you do not see System, look under General or Support. If the set stays frozen, hold power for five seconds, or unplug for one minute and try again.

To control an LG TV with your iPhone, enter the 8-digit code the TV shows. The key is stored, so the next connection needs no code.

Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

Reset a Google TV or Android TV without a remote

Sony, TCL and Hisense share the same base system, so the path is similar. For Sony, the steps come from the Sony Help Guide.

  1. Hold the TV power button for five seconds until a Power off message shows. The TV restarts after about one minute.
  2. If it stays broken, unplug it, press the TV power button, wait two minutes, then plug it back in.
  3. For a full reset, press HOME, open Settings, Device Preferences, Reset, Factory data reset.
  4. Select Erase everything. Enter the TV PIN if you set one.

For TCL Google TV, the path comes from TCL support.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Open System.
  3. Open About.
  4. Select Factory reset and confirm.

If you cannot open Settings, use Recovery Mode. Unplug for 30 seconds. Hold the TV power button while you plug the set back in. Keep holding until Recovery appears. Select Wipe Data or Factory Reset, confirm Yes, then Reboot System Now. Timing varies by model.

To control an Android TV or Google TV from an iPhone, enter the six-character code on the TV. Later sessions connect without a new code.

Reset a Roku TV without a remote

Prepare first. A Roku reset needs the Roku account email and password, the Wi-Fi password, and app logins after it. The warning comes from Roku support. Without the linked account, you cannot activate the TV again.

If the Roku mobile app still navigates, use the menu.

  1. Press Home.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Open System.
  4. Open Advanced system settings.
  5. Select Factory reset, then Factory reset everything.

If the TV is frozen, use the physical control. With power on, hold the Reset pinhole for 12 seconds until the light blinks, then release. If your set has no Reset button, hold Power and Find My Remote together for 12 seconds. Pro Series uses side buttons, newer Plus and Select Series use back buttons.

Tivi cannot send Roku keys today. Use the Roku mobile app on the same network or the button above.

BrandSoft restart keeps dataMenu path to factory resetPhysical resetPhone path
SamsungYes, hold power 5 sec or unplug 30 secSettings, All Settings, General and Privacy, Reset, PIN 0000Power button hold, no pinholeTivi or SmartThings on same Wi-Fi
LG webOSYes, hold power 5 secSettings, All Settings, General, System, Reset to Initial SettingsPower or joystick, no pinholeTivi with 8-digit code
Google TV or Android TVYes, hold power or unplugSettings, System, About, Factory reset or Device Preferences, ResetPower hold plus replug for Recovery ModeTivi or Google TV app with 6-char code
Roku TVYes, unplug 10 secHome, Settings, System, Advanced system settings, Factory resetReset pinhole 12 sec or Power plus Find Remote 12 secRoku mobile app, not Tivi
Sony Google TVYes, hold power 5 secHOME, Settings, Device Preferences, Reset, Erase everythingPower button plus unplug 2 minTivi or Google TV app
What each brand needs without a remote.

After the reset

Reconnect Wi-Fi first, because the phone remote needs it too. Sign in with the TV account, reinstall apps, and recheck picture and sound modes. On Roku, set the parental PIN and run a channel scan for antenna. If setup stalls on network, plug in Ethernet for ten minutes, finish setup, then switch back to Wi-Fi.

If no sequence works, check the model manual. Hotel or commercial sets can lock menus with a mode or installer PIN. More resets will not clear those locks. If your set is a Samsung, LG, or Google TV on Wi-Fi, open Tivi and drive the setup from your iPhone.

Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

Common questions

Can I reset a TV without a remote or Wi-Fi?

Yes, for a soft restart. Unplug the TV for one minute and plug it back in. For a full reset without Wi-Fi, use the TV buttons or a Roku Reset pinhole. You will need Wi-Fi again during setup.

Where is the reset button on a TV?

Most Samsung, LG and Sony sets have no reset button. Use the power or joystick button under the center or on the side. Many Roku TVs have a pinhole Reset on the back. TCL uses the power button plus a replug sequence.

What is the Samsung TV PIN when resetting?

The default is 0000. If you changed it and forgot it, use the Volume and Return sequence on the TV to return it to 0000, then try Reset again.

Will I lose my apps if I reset the TV?

A factory reset deletes apps, accounts and settings. A soft restart does not. Write down logins before you confirm.

Can my iPhone reset the TV for me?

An iPhone can drive the menus that start a reset when the TV is on Wi-Fi. Tivi works for Samsung, LG and Android TV or Google TV on the same network. For Roku, use the Roku mobile app.

Sources

One remote for every TV in the house.

Tivi finds the TVs on your Wi-Fi and controls them from your phone. No account, no cloud, nothing leaves your network.

See how it works
More Setup & pairing guides