The Xfinity Voice Remote is a handy tool for navigating your entertainment options. Not only does it have voice control, but you can quickly turn on closed captions, audio descriptions, and much more for any viewers that might have trouble keeping up. It also recognizes thousands of commands in Spanish, so multilingual speakers can choose the language that’s easier for them. The downside is the remote doesn’t work with third-party devices, but it should work under all other circumstances. If you find your Xfinity Voice Remote isn’t functioning the way it should be, there are several things you can try.

Before you go too far, there are a few simple steps you should try first. These minor problems are easy to fix and will save you a lot of time.

8 Check the batteries

A lot of remote problems can be solved by simply replacing the batteries. If the LED on your remote doesn’t light up — or if it flashes red five times — that’s a good sign your remote needs a new set. It varies from model to model, but most use AAA batteries.

7 Make sure nothing is blocking the signal

Look at your TV box. Is there anything in front of it that might inhibit the signal from the remote to the receiver? Is the box turned to face the wrong way? While Xfinity Voice Remotes are capable of working when pointed in any direction, sometimes glitches still crop up. Make sure there is a clear line of sight from your remote to the box.

6 Re-pair the remote

Sometimes, your remote will lose its pairing, especially if the batteries die. You may need to re-pair with the TV box. The exact process depends on the model of remote you use, but for most, you’ll aim the remote at the box and press the pairing buttons (often Xfinity + Select). However, it can vary greatly with certain models, and there are also options like using your voice to program the remote.

5 Check for updates

All modern Xfinity TV boxes are designed to update automatically each night. However, if yours somehow misses an update, all you need to do is disconnect it from power, wait 15 seconds, and then reconnect it. As the box reboots, it will check for updates.

4 Check the IR sensor

If the infrared (IR) sensor on the remote is faulty, it might not be transmitting a signal when you press the buttons. An easy way to check this is to use your phone’s camera app; aim the camera at the remote and press a button. You should see a flash or continuous red light. If not, the remote might be faulty (but make sure to check the batteries first.)

3 Factory reset your remote

If nothing else you’ve tried so far works, give the remote the ol’ factory reset. However, the method you use will vary depending on your remote. For the Xfinity Voice Remote XR11 (the one with a Setup button), you would use the following method:

1. Press and hold the Setup button until the remote’s LED shifts from red to green.
2. Enter the numbers 9-8-1.

If you have the Xfinity Voice Remote XR15, the method is slightly different.

1. Press and hold the A and D buttons in the center of the remote at the same time until the LED changes from red to green. This should take roughly three seconds.
2. Enter the numbers 9–8–1.
3. If successful, the LED on the remote will blink blue three times.

If you have the Xfinity Voice Remote X16, a model without no setup button and no number buttons, do the following:

1. Hold down the Info and Home buttons for five seconds until the status light beeps. These buttons aren’t labeled with words, but with symbols. Look for an i and a house symbol.
2. Press Power, then the back arrow, and then the Volume Down button in that exact sequence.
3. The remote’s LED will flash blue three times if you were successful.

Depending on your remote, you might hear another beep once the code is entered. This will perform a full factory reset on the remote. Doing so will unpair it from whatever TV box it was previously linked to, so you will need to re-pair the remote following the steps above.

2 Factory reset the Flex Streaming TV box

If you have Xfinity Flex — the free streaming box provided to Xfinity Internet customers — then you might need to perform a factory reset, if all other methods have failed.

1. Turn off your Xfinity Flex.
2. Power on the device while holding down the WPS button for 10 to 15 seconds. The LED on the box should turn an amber color. Different models of boxes have the button in different places, but it looks like two arrows pointing towards one another in a circle.

From this point, the Flex Streaming TV Box will launch its Disaster Recovery Image and proceed to a firmware update. Let it complete this process, and then try the remote once more.

1 Spend your downtime binge-watching, not repairing the remote

The Xfinity Voice Remote might sometimes present a few problems, but it generally makes life a lot more convenient. The next time that convenience is threatened, try one of these tricks to get the remote back to normal operation and enjoy your favorite shows without interruption.