Wondering why is my Xfinity remote blinking blue? Well, continue reading to find this out!
We understand the frustration when you find out that your Xfinity remote is no longer working and the blue light is constantly blinking.
Well, no worries, this is not a serious issue and we’ll walk you through this guide to help you easily troubleshoot and get your Xfinity remote working!
The blue blinking light on your Xfinity remote signifies a lost pairing with the TV box, often due to low batteries, an obstructed infrared signal, or interference.
Let’s uncover the possibilities!
Why is My Xfinity Remote Blinking Blue?
How to Fix When Xfinity Remote Blinking Blue Constantly?
Tip: Follow the steps in the order they are listed.
1. Hard-Reset the Xfinity Remote
In case you didn’t know, there is a very nifty way to refresh the Xfinity remote control easily and quickly, which might solve the blue light in seconds.
The hard reset or also known as a complete power cycle will refresh the remote control but will not unpair the unit from the Xfinity TV box.
Follow the steps to hard-reset your Xfinity remote control:
- Open the battery cover and eject the AA batteries.
- Then, press each of the remote buttons twice!
- Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds.
- Then, install the AA batteries back into the remote.
- Finally, check for the blue light and test the remote.
Note: Check the Xfinity remote control for any stuck buttons!
2. Replace the Remote Batteries!
Weak or dead batteries can frequently cause communication issues between the remote and the Xfinity cable box by restricting them from sending IR signals.
This ultimately unpairs the remote from the TV box, which results in a blinking blue light, which won’t go away on its own!
You need to replace the Xfinity remote batteries with a fresh pair!
How to Replace the Xfinity Remote Batteries?
- Press the battery compartment tab on the remote.
- Hold and slide down the battery compartment cover.
- Gently eject the old batteries inside the compartment.
- Then, embed a fresh pair of 2 x AA-type batteries.
- Slide the compartment cover back onto its place.
Once you are done replacing your remote batteries then go in front of the control center and try controlling your Xfinity cable box.
In case the blinking light is persistent, continue reading ahead.
3. Inspect & Clean the IR Sensor
The Xfinity remote and cable box communicates via IR (infrared) signals for effective control.
As we’ve mentioned, the blue light indicates the inability of the remote to control the Xfinity TV box.
Hence, when the IR sensors cannot communicate, the Xfinity remote control won’t work!
Follow the steps below to inspect and clean the infrared sensors!
Step #1 Clean the Xfinity IR Sensors!
- First, hold your Xfinity TV remote control.
- Locate the IR sensor on top of the remote.
- Info: The sensor looks like a small red bulb.
- Impact the IR sensor for any hard damage.
- Then clean the IR sensor using a soft cloth.
- The Xfinity cable box also has an IR sensor.
- Clean the TV box IR sensor the same way.
- Restart your Xfinity TV box when you’re ready.
Step #2 Perform an IR Emitter Test!
- First, turn off the lights to darken the place.
- Then, open the camera on your smartphone.
- Point the remote toward the phone camera.
- Press buttons on the Xfinity remote control.
While you push each button on the remote, look for the purplish light through the camera, right from the IR sensor (red bulb) on your remote.
If there is a purplish light, then the Xfinity remote IR is functioning and sending signals.
If there is no purplish IR signal, clean the IR sensor again and use the camera to test again.
In case there is no light, double-check the batteries, and move on to troubleshooting your Xfinity TV box.
4. Power Cycle the Xfinity TV Box!
It’s not unlikely that the remote is blinking in blue due to lost communication with the Xfinity TV box, because it’s frozen, stuck in a boot loop, or not working properly.
The quickest way to address this would be to power cycle the Xfinity TV box and refresh all operational services.
Here is how to power cycle the Xfinity cable box in easy steps:
- First, unplug your Xfinity cable box from the outlet.
- Then, leave the unit unplugged for about 5 minutes.
- Check and ensure that all cables are firmly attached.
- Next, plug your Xfinity cable box back into the outlet.
Tip: By leaving the cable box unplugged for longer, you’ll decrease the chance of overheating!
5. Check for IR or Bluetooth Interference!
Sometimes the nearby presence of other Bluetooth-enabled devices can interfere with the IR signals even when there is a clear line of sight.
So, it’s important to check and see if there are any Bluetooth or wireless (WiFi) devices set up nearby, and if so, test by turning them off temporarily.
Then check whether the blue light blinks!
Here are some of the devices, proven to cause IR interference:
- Microwave ovens
- Wireless cameras
- Cordless phones
- Baby monitors
- Bluetooth transmitters
Reminder: Always test the Xfinity remote control from very close proximity!
6. Inspect the Remote for Physical Damage
Sometimes the Xfinity remote has pairing issues due to physical damage such as a dirty battery compartment, stuck or damaged buttons, a cracked casing, or a broken IR sensor.
The biggest fear is liquid getting inside the casing of the remote since in most cases this is lethal for the controller.
Therefore, carefully inspect your Xfinity remote and check to see if there is any physical damage, which might explain the blue blinking light.
Tip: Look for cracks, dents, or damage on the remote's casing as well as dust accumulation in the battery compartment, then clean if necessary.
7. Unpair & Re-Pair the Xfinity Remote
In case nothing helps and the Xfinity remote continues to blink blue light, then try unpairing and re-pairing your Xfinity remote control.
This step can resolve all software and pairing-related issues with your Xfinity remote control and reset it to the factory settings.
You’ll have to re-do the pairing though, and we got you covered!
Step #1 Unpair Xfinity Remote:
Remote With a Setup Button:
- First, locate the Setup button on the Xfinity remote.
- Then, hold the Setup remote button for 3 seconds.
- Wait for the status light to turn from red to green.
- Type 9-8-1 on your Xfinity remote control keypad.
- Wait until the remote status light blinks green twice.
Remote Without a Setup Button:
- Locate the A (Triangle) and D (Diamond) buttons on the remote.
- Simultaneously press and hold down the A and D remote buttons.
- Release only after the remote status light turns from red to green.
- Next, type the 9-8-1 on your Xfinity remote control using the keypad.
- Finally, wait until the Xfinity remote status light blinks blue twice.
Step #2 Re-Pair Xfinity Remote
- First, plugged the Xfinity cable box to power.
- Push the Setup button on your Xfinity remote.
- The color should change from red to green.
- Next, press the Xfinity button on the remote.
- Wait until the remote status light blinks green.
- Then, you’ll receive a three-digit pairing code.
- Type the pairing code on your Xfinity remote.
- Your Xfinity remote is paired with your TV Box.
Still Need Help?
If you have tried everything and your Xfinity remote is still blinking blue after repairing it with the TV box, then contacting Xfinity Support is the best option.
They can help you further in terms of replacement or troubleshooting so best of luck!
Note: Don’t forget to check your warranty!
Quick Recap:
Hence, the reason why is my Xfinity remote blinking blue could be due to very weak or dead remote batteries.
Also, the blue light blinks when the remote cannot send signals so cleaning the IR transmitter and IR receiver in your Xfinity setup should also help!
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.