Simple TV remotes: big-button remote controls

Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.

A simple TV remote replaces a crowded handset with a few large, clearly marked buttons: on/off, volume, channel up and down, and little else. They cost from under £10, but you must check the remote will work with your particular television or set-top box before buying.

Who a simple remote suits

• Anyone who presses the wrong button and ends up on a blank screen or strange menu.
• People with reduced sight, arthritis or a tremor who struggle with small, close-set keys.
• People living with memory problems, for whom forty buttons are thirty-four too many.
• Households juggling two or three remotes for the television, box and soundbar.

How remotes talk to the television

It helps to know one piece of background. Most traditional remotes use infrared, an invisible beam of light: you have to point them at the set. Many newer smart televisions, streaming sticks and some set-top boxes use Bluetooth or radio instead, which works without pointing. Simple replacement remotes are nearly all infrared. They work with the great majority of televisions and many boxes, but not with devices that only accept Bluetooth or radio. That is the commonest reason a simple remote disappoints.

The main types

• Learning remotes. You hold the old remote nose-to-nose with the new one and it copies each button you choose. These are the most flexible, because one button can come from the television remote (volume) and another from the box remote (channels). They only copy infrared remotes.
• Pre-programmed universal remotes. You enter a code for your television brand from a booklet. Quick to set up, but may not control a separate set-top box as well.
• Brand-specific simple remotes. Made to work with one make of television straight from the packet, with no setup at all.
• Accessible remotes from TV providers. Some pay-TV and broadband television providers supply a large-button or accessible remote for customers who need one. Ask your provider's accessibility team before buying anything.
• Voice control. Many newer televisions and streaming devices let you hold a microphone button and say "BBC One" or "turn up the volume". A smart speaker can also control some televisions.

What to look for

• Compatibility. Check the listing covers your television brand and, if you watch through a box, that box too.
• The right number of buttons. Decide what is really needed. For many people that is six: power, volume up and down, channel up and down, and mute. Others need number keys or a subtitles button.
• Large, raised, well-spaced keys with strong colour contrast. Backlit or glow-in-the-dark keys help in a dim room.
• A comfortable shape that will not slip, ideally with a wrist strap.
• A bright colour so it does not vanish down the side of the sofa.
• A locked setup. Good remotes need a deliberate key combination to reprogram, so they cannot be scrambled by accident.
• Standard AAA or AA batteries that are easy to change.

Rough price guide

As a rough guide at the time of writing (November 2026): basic universal remotes cost from around £8 to £15; big-button learning remotes around £12 to £30; and specialist remotes designed for dementia or sight loss around £25 to £45.

Setup tips a family member can help with

1. Work out which remote does what at present. Often volume is on the television remote but channels are on the box remote.
2. Fit fresh batteries in both old and new remotes before teaching a learning remote; weak batteries cause failed copies.
3. Copy only the buttons that are needed, and test each one.
4. Set the television to switch on showing the usual channel source, so nobody has to press "Input" or "Source".
5. Switch on subtitles permanently in the television menu if they are wanted, and set a sensible volume.
6. Put the original remotes in a labelled drawer. They will be needed for retuning and settings.
7. Tape a note of the remote's setup code inside the battery cover.

Other ways to make the television easier

• Accessibility settings. Most televisions have a menu for high-contrast screens, larger menu text, spoken guides and audio description, which describes the action for people with sight loss.
• Subtitles and clearer sound. See our guide to TV headphones and hearing amplifiers.
• Good lighting near the chair makes any remote easier to read; see lighting for ageing eyes.
• A fixed home for the remote, such as a caddy on the chair arm.

Mistakes to avoid

• Not checking compatibility. If the present remote works without pointing at the television, it may be Bluetooth or radio, and an infrared remote may not replace it.
• Throwing the original away.
• Choosing a remote that is too simple. If the user watches catch-up services, they may still need arrow keys, OK and Back.
• Forgetting the second box. A remote that controls the television but not the set-top box solves half the problem.
• Buying from an unknown seller with no returns. Compatibility is hit and miss, so make sure you can send it back; see returns and refunds.

Common questions

Will one simple remote work both my television and my set-top box?

A learning remote usually can, provided both original remotes are infrared. Check the product description for your box by name.

The television is stuck on a "No signal" screen. What happened?

Usually the Input or Source button has been pressed. Press it again on the original remote and choose the socket your box is plugged into. A simple remote without that button prevents the problem.

Are there remotes for people who are blind or partially sighted?

Yes: tactile remotes with distinct shapes, plus voice control and spoken menus on many televisions. Sight loss charities such as RNIB can advise.

Do I need a TV licence?

The remote makes no difference, but some people can get the licence free; see our free TV licence guide.