The Remote Control Has Too Many Buttons

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Modern televisions can do far more than switch between a handful of channels, but that extra functionality can make the remote surprisingly difficult to use. If you regularly press the wrong button or struggle to find the setting you want, you may not need a new television. You may just need to simplify the one you already have.

Start by finding out which buttons you actually use. For many people, that means power, volume, channel controls, mute, input, and perhaps a streaming service or two. The rest may rarely get touched.

Your television may allow you to customise parts of the experience. Depending on the model, you might be able to rearrange apps, change the home screen, or set a preferred input so the television starts where you expect it to.

Look through the accessibility settings as well. Modern televisions can offer features such as larger text, subtitles, high-contrast menus, voice guidance, and other options designed to make the screen easier to navigate.

If the remote has become difficult to see, check whether the television manufacturer offers a simpler compatible remote. Some models also work with universal remotes that have fewer buttons and a more straightforward layout.

There is another useful trick: learn the handful of buttons you actually need rather than trying to understand everything the remote can do. Keep the instruction manual somewhere accessible, or save a digital copy if the manufacturer provides one.

If several remotes are sitting beside the television, work out whether you still need all of them. A soundbar, streaming device, and television can each have their own controller, but there may be a way to consolidate some functions into one remote.

Avoid changing settings at random if something is already working. Write down or photograph important settings before experimenting, particularly if you are adjusting picture, audio or network options.

Technology is supposed to make watching television easier, not turn finding the volume button into a small puzzle. You do not need to use every feature your television offers. Set it up around the way you actually watch, keep the controls you use most accessible and ignore the rest. A simpler remote experience can make a surprisingly noticeable difference to everyday life.