Imagine you have just upgraded your home entertainment system with a new Apple TV and a sleek soundbar.
You are excited to enjoy your favorite shows and movies in high-quality sound, but as you sit down and grab the remotes, you realize you have three separate ones to deal with–the Apple TV remote, the soundbar remote, and your TV remote.
It feels like a hassle to keep switching between them just to adjust the volume or power functions. Is there a way to simplify things and control the soundbar with your Apple TV remote?
In this article, we’ll show you multiple methods for using your Apple TV remote to control your soundbar. Get ready to say goodbye to remote control chaos and hello to a more streamlined viewing experience.
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Can Your Apple TV Remote Control Your Soundbar?
Yes, your Apple TV remote can control the soundbar–regardless of brands such as Samsung, Vizio, Bose, or Yamaha.
However, because it’s not specifically manufactured for controlling the soundbar, the Apple TV remote can only control the volume and power function of the soundbar.
Other functions like connection method (HDMI, Optical, Bluetooth, etc.) or sound mode (Music, Bass, Movie, etc.) can only be controlled by the soundbar remote.
There are four ways to make your Apple TV remote control a soundbar. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Directly Control the Soundbar
The first way is to directly control the soundbar. Some soundbars allow any kind of remote to control them, whether it’s a TV remote or a streaming device remote.
For example, our LG SN8Y below can be controlled by any remote, including the Apple TV remote, without the need to connect or pair anything. All you need to do is turn on the soundbar and point the remote towards it to control the volume and power.
This method doesn’t require you to activate the HDMI CEC feature on your TV, and the soundbar and the Apple TV don’t even need to be connected.
However, if your soundbar can’t be easily controlled in this way, you will need some more complex setups involving the HDMI CEC feature, sound settings, and hardware.
Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered with the simplest instructions and most effective ways to make your Apple TV remote work with your soundbar.
2. Connect Your Apple TV and Soundbar via Bluetooth
If your soundbar doesn’t support direct control via remote, the very first thing you can do is connect your Apple TV and soundbar via Bluetooth.
But before you begin, make sure your Apple TV supports Bluetooth–read a section of our article here to know.
Once you’ve confirmed it’s Bluetooth-supported, follow these steps to control your soundbar with the Apple TV remote.
Step 1: Make sure your smart TV, soundbar, and Apple TV have a stable power supply.
Step 2: Set up the Apple TV on your smart TV:
Connect your Apple TV to your smart TV using an HDMI cable;
Use your TV remote to switch to the input channel that corresponds to your Apple TV.
Step 3: On the Apple TV home screen, go to Settings.
Step 4: Select Remotes and Devices.
Step 5: Next, choose Bluetooth, and change your soundbar’s connection method to Bluetooth(BT).
Step 6: Once your soundbar appears on the Bluetooth menu of your Apple TV, select it to connect.
3. Connect Your Apple TV to the Soundbar, Then to the Smart TV
Another way to control your soundbar with the Apple TV remote is by connecting the Apple TV to the soundbar, then to the smart TV, taking advantage of the HDMI passthrough feature.
Follow these steps:
Step 1: Provide stable power for your smart TV, soundbar, and Apple TV.
Step 2: Plug one HDMI cable into the HDMI IN port of the soundbar and the HDMI port of the Apple TV.
Step 3: Plug another HDMI cable into the HDMI OUT (ARC/eARC) port of the soundbar and the HDMI IN (ARC/eARC) port of the TV.
Step 4: Switch the connection method of the soundbar to HDMI ARC;
Step 5: Set up the soundbar on the TV’s sound settings menu. Often, this will be automatically set up once all the HDMI cables have been plugged in.
However, if that is not the case, you can consult our other article about how to set up a soundbar on a smart TV (including Samsung, Sony, LG, and Hisense).
Step 6: Change the sound output of your TV to HDMI ARC/eARC if it doesn’t automatically change.
Step 7: Press the Input button on your TV remote and switch to the HDMI ARC/eARC input.
4. Connect Both the Apple TV and the Soundbar to the Smart TV
This method allows you to connect both the Apple TV and the soundbar to the smart TV, which means the sound output of the Apple TV will be directed to the smart TV while the soundbar will also be connected to the smart TV’s output.
Consequently, the Apple TV’s sound output will be transmitted through the soundbar, allowing you to control the soundbar using the Apple TV remote.
You can connect the devices using two HDMI cables or one HDMI cable and one optical cable, or via Bluetooth. Follow the instructions below for each method to get started.
Using Two HDMI Cables
Step 1: Provide stable power for your smart TV, soundbar, and Apple TV;
Step 2: For the first HDMI cable, plug it into the HDMI ports of the Apple TV and the smart TV;
Step 3: For the second HDMI cable, plug it into the HDMI OUT (ARC/eARC) port of the soundbar and HDMI IN (ARC/eARC) port of the TV;
Step 4: Switch the connection method of the soundbar to HDMI;
Step 5: Set up the soundbar on the TV’s sound settings menu. This may be automatically set up once all the HDMI cables have been plugged in.
If not, refer to this article on how to set up a soundbar on a smart TV (including Samsung, Sony, LG, and Hisense);
Step 6: Change the sound output of your TV to HDMI ARC/eARC (if it doesn’t automatically change);
Step 7: Press the Input button on your TV remote and switch to the Apple TV.
Using One HDMI Cable & One Optical Cable
Step 1: Provide stable power for your smart TV, soundbar, and Apple TV;
Step 2: Plug the HDMI cable into the HDMI ports of the Apple TV and the smart TV;
Step 3: Plug the optical cable into the Optical ports of the soundbar and the TV;
Step 4: Switch the soundbar’s connection method to Optical;
Step 5: Change your TV’s sound output to Optical (if it doesn’t automatically change);
Step 6: Press the TV remote’s Input button and switch to the Apple TV.
Via Bluetooth
Step 1: Provide stable power for your smart TV, soundbar, and Apple TV;
Step 2: Plug the HDMI cable into the HDMI ports of the Apple TV and the smart TV;
Step 3: Navigate to the Bluetooth menu in your TV’s settings;
Step 4: Switch the soundbar’s connection method to Bluetooth (BT);
Step 5: Once your soundbar appears on the Bluetooth device list on the TV, select it;
Step 6: Press the Input button on your TV remote and switch to the Apple TV.
Troubleshooting
If you encounter any issues while connecting your Apple TV to the soundbar and TV, don’t worry. You can consult the troubleshooting section in our other article here for some of the most effective soundbar solutions.
To Sum Up
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can enjoy high-quality audio from your Apple TV through your soundbar and TV.
Whether you choose to connect your devices via HDMI, optical, or Bluetooth, you can now control your soundbar with your Apple TV remote and take your home entertainment to the next level with no more worry about remote chaos.
What about your experience in using one remote for all? Is there any secret recipe you want to share with us?
Let us know in the comment section below.