Alex Ruben
How To Connect Your Old Chromecast with Google TV Remote to Your 4K Streaming Device
If you’ve dug out an old Chromecast remote and want to use it with your shiny new Google TV Streamer 4K, you’re not alone. Sometimes, the original remote is more comfortable or just plain works better than the new voice remote. The tricky part? Pairing it can be a bit weird, especially if the remote’s batteries are low or if the device doesn’t pick up the remote’s signal the first few times. This guide walks through the easiest way to get that old remote talking to your device and how to troubleshoot if things go sideways.
How to Fix Chromecast Remote Pairing Issues with Google TV Streamer 4K
Method 1: Accessing and Navigating the Settings Menu
It’s kind of crazy how sometimes, the simplest step gets overlooked. First off, you’ll want to make sure your Google TV is on and stable. Hit Settings in the top right corner of your home screen or go to Settings > Device Preferences > Remotes & Accessories. Yeah, that’s the menu where all the magic happens. If the menu doesn’t load properly, a quick restart of the device might help — because of course, Windows (or Android TV, in this case) has to make things slightly harder than necessary.
Method 2: Making the Remote Discoverable & Pairing
In Remotes & Accessories, find the option that says Pair Remote or Accessory. The device starts hunting for peripherals — this is where you wanna get your old Chromecast remote close, ideally within a few feet. Now, press and hold the Back and Home buttons at the same time — this combo is usually the trigger for pairing mode. It might take a few tries, and yeah, sometimes it’s dead or the buttons aren’t making good contact, so Новые batteries are your friends here.
Why this helps
Because old remotes don’t have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, they rely on IR signals or pairing prompts. Holding those buttons tricks the remote into broadcasting its presence or entering pairing mode. When the device spots the remote, it prompts you to confirm pairing — at least, in theory. Expect to see the remote show up on the screen, maybe under Voice Remote. If it doesn’t show up, try holding the buttons a little longer or repositioning everything.
On some setups, this can be finicky — sometimes you get one shot, and it works, other times, not so much. Restarting your Google TV device can sometimes make it pick up the remote faster, weirdly enough.
Method 3: Confirming the Pairing & Testing
If the remote shows up, great! It’s time to test it out. Use the remote to navigate — check if the directional buttons, Home, and Back work. If it’s controlling something, it’s a win. Otherwise, repeat the pairing process. Sometimes unplugging and plugging back in the TV or rebooting the device refreshes the Bluetooth pairing or IR detection, which can be a life-saver.
Method 4: Managing and Disconnecting Remotes
If you end up with too many remotes paired or just want to ditch the old one, head back to Remotes & Accessories. Tap on the remote’s name and choose Forget. That clears it from the device memory. Easy, but be aware: on some setups, you might need to do this repeatedly to actually free up the device.
Extra Tips & Common Pitfalls
- Make sure your remote has fresh batteries — dead batteries are the sneakiest way to sabotage pairing.
- Keep the remote directly in front of the Google TV unit, no wireless interference, no extra gadgets between the two.
- If nothing happens, try restarting the device and repeating the process. Sometimes, restart fixes connectivity hiccups.
- If your remote uses IR and you can’t get it to pair via Bluetooth, just point it directly at the TV to see if it reacts — old IR remotes might still do the job even if Bluetooth pairing fails.
Wrap-up
Getting an old Chromecast remote to work with the latest Google TV isn’t exactly plug-and-play, but it’s doable. Sometimes, it takes a couple of tries, a fresh set of batteries, or a quick restart, but eventually, you’ll be back to controlling everything with a familiar feel. Just keep in mind, the process can vary depending on the remote model and device firmware. Those button presses are more important than you’d think—so don’t give up after one failed attempt.
Summary
- Access Settings > Device Preferences > Remotes & Accessories.
- Choose Pair Remote or Accessory.
- Hold Back + Home buttons on your remote to auto-enter pairing mode.
- Watch for the remote to show in the list and confirm pairing on screen.
- Test all the buttons to make sure it’s working like it should.
Fingers crossed this helps
Hopefully, this gets one of those older remotes back in action without too much fuss. It’s kind of satisfying when the old tech finds new life, even if the process was a little frustrating at first. Just something that worked on multiple setups for me — maybe it’ll do the same for you.