Lose YourFireStick Remote? 5 Easy Workarounds!
If you are frustrated about losing your Fire Stick remote, believe me, you are not alone. But what should you do when this happens? Fire Stick has made streaming so much more accessible and convenient in our lives. However, if you lose your remote, it is easy to feel like your days of streaming on Fire Stick are over. Luckily, there are some simple solutions to this problem that you can implement so that you can get back to watching TV in no time.
Table of Contents
- What do you do if you lose your FireStick remote?
- Use Your Phone as a Fire Stick Remote
- Use Your TV Remote as Fire Stick Remote
- Use an Alexa Device as a Fire Stick Remote
- Use a Mouse and Keyboard as a Fire Stick Remote
- Use a Previous Generation Fire Stick Remote
What do you do if you lose your FireStick remote?
If you lost your Fire Stick remote, you can use your smartphone or mobile device by downloading the Fire TV app, a standard HDMI CEC TV remote, an Alexa device, a keyboard, and mouse, or a previous generation Fire Stick remote.
Just about everyone gets their content through streaming these days. Third-party applications make TV easier, more enjoyable, and with less hassle, which is why so many consumers are opting for media streaming devices like the Amazon Fire Stick.
All you need to do is insert this simple device into a compatible TV and you have got an expansive library of content at your fingertips. However, despite the new-age approach that Fire Stick does bring to the table, you still need a remote to operate the device. And much like with all remotes, they tend to get lost from time to time – sometimes for good! When this happens, you may have a hard time using your device, which can leave a lot of eager streamers feeling pretty defeated.
With that being said, you will find that there are a number of different ways that you can approach this situation. To help you understand this further, we are going to break down exactly what you should do when you lose your Fire Stick remote.
After researching Fire Stick forums, I have been able to gather enough information to determine the best course of action for dealing with a lost remote. I was able to conclude that there are multiple different ways that you can approach a lost Fire Stick remote and you should consider each solution to find out which one suits you the best.
Use Your Phone as a Fire Stick Remote
The great thing about owning a Fire Stick is that losing the remote is not the end of the world. In fact, Amazon designed its media streaming product to be so adaptable to this kind of scenario that you can actually control your Fire Stick device using your phone.
To do this, you need to have a smartphone and access to the internet. In addition, you must download the Fire TV app, which will function as a remote control. The Fire TV app is a robust and user-friendly application that enables you to have full control of your Fire Stick. Simply head to the app store and download the Fire TV app to get started.
How to Use a Phone as a Fire Stick Remote With Wi-Fi
Once you download the Fire TV app, you will need to enter your login credentials. Please note that both your TV and smartphone should be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for this to work.
After logging into the app, it should connect you to your Fire Stick without you needing to do anything else. The app will prompt you with a request to enter a 4-digit code. As soon as you turn on your TV, the code will appear on the screen.
By entering the code, your smartphone and Fire TV will sync up, which will open up the remote control interface on your mobile device. With your smartphone in hand and the Fire TV app open, you will have the same functionality as you would with your Fire Stick remote.
How to Use a Phone as a Fire Stick Remote With Mobile Hotspot
You may find yourself in a position without Wi-Fi. Perhaps you are away from home or maybe your network went down. Although you can still use your phone as a Fire Stick remote with mobile data, there is a catch to using the approach – you need a second smartphone.
This method is a bit more tedious but when you are in a pinch and need some quality streaming time, it’s totally worth it. Once you have downloaded the Fire TV app, follow these steps to use your phone as a Fire Stick remote with a mobile hotspot:
- Open a mobile hotspot on your smartphone
- Access mobile hotspot configuration settings
- Rename the hotspot exactly to what your Wi-Fi name was
- Change the hotspot password to exactly what your Wi-Fi was
By taking this approach, you will be able to automatically connect your TV and the Fire TV app. Using your second smartphone, connect to the mobile hotspot and open up the Fire TV app. As soon as you turn on your TV with the Fire Stick inserted, the devices will connect.
Use Your TV Remote as Fire Stick Remote
A lot of Fire Stick users forget that they can control their device with their regular TV remote – provided that it is compatible. With that being said, you should be able to do this with just about any remote from a modern TV.
Thanks to HDMI CEC, you can easily connect your TV remote to your Fire Stick effortlessly. However, keep in mind that a standard TV remote is not going to be nearly as intuitive as a Fire Stick remote. Amazon designed the Fire Stick with a lot of extra features which you will likely not have with any other remote. If you just need standard controls, a TV remote will suffice.
Use an Alexa Device as a Fire Stick Remote
If you have an Alexa device in the house such as an Echo speaker, then you can control your Fire TV using voice commands. If the remote you lost had a voice command feature, this will be an easy transition for you, as the same principles apply.
Keep in mind that both your Fire TV and your Alexa device must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for this method to work. Once connected, use Alexa to control your Fire TV by initiating a voice command.
Use a Mouse and Keyboard as a Fire Stick Remote
Although a mouse and keyboard may not be the most practical replacement for a Fire Stick remote, it will work when you start running out of options. All you need to do is connect your mouse and keyboard to your TV via a USB input.
Once you are connected, you can use the basic controls you need to stream. If you have a wireless mouse and keyboard, this is a much more handy way to control your TV.
Use a Previous Generation Fire Stick Remote
If you have been a Fire Stick user for a while, then you may still have your old remote laying around the house. You can absolutely use this remote to replace the one you lost, as Amazon conveniently designed Fire Stick to be compatible with its previous generation devices.
All you need to do is re-pair the device with your Fire Stick and you will be able to control your TV. If you have an old Fire Stick remote, this should be your first go-to out of all the options that we mentioned.