How To Change the TV Input With a Firestick Remote

As excited as people were when Amazon released the new Firestick remote, there were those who wished it had a button dedicated to changing the TV input. While they may not be as convenient as a customized button, there are still ways you can use your remote to change the input. These techniques work whether you’re using a Firestick, Fire TV, or a Fire TV Cube.

Check them out in this article.

Requirements to Change TV Input With Firestick Remote

Your remote must be either the 2nd or 3rd-generation Alexa Voice Remote. If your remote doesn’t have a power button at the top, you won’t be able to use it for this task.

Some TVs may not work at all to change inputs using your Firestick remote, while others may work partly. Sony and Samsung have many TVs that work perfectly for input selection from a Firestick/Fire TV remote. Fire TVs, of course, should work just fine. The feature is a hit or miss.

Let’s look at how to change the input using your Fire TV device remote.

1. You need to ensure that your Fire TV or other branded TV is configured correctly. Go to the Fire TV device (Stick, Cube, or actual Fire TV) “Settings” and select “Equipment Control.”
   
2. Choose “Manage Equipment,” select the “TV” option, then choose “Input Switching.”
   
3. Select “Input Change Type” and ensure it matches your original TV remote’s functionality for input switching. On some TVs, you push the “Input/Source” button repeatedly while others use an Up/Down or Left/Right configuration after pressing “Input” or “Source.”
   
4. If needed, select “Confirmation Command.” This function is for TVs that require the “Enter/OK” button after selecting an input.
5. If needed, select “Exit Command.” This function is for TVs that require the “Exit” button to close the menu/overlay on your screen.
6. Some TVs work out of the box when you say “Alexa, switch to HDMI 2” using CEC-Enabled features.
7. For other TVs, you need to label the inputs, such as Blu-Ray for HDMI 2 and PlayStation for HDMI 3. Go to “Settings -> Equipment Control -> Manage Equipment -> Add Equipment.” Choose the device name and follow the prompts to set it up and test it. This method uses infrared (IR) signals sent to the TV. Afterward, you can tell Alexa to “switch to [device name].”
8. Now, you are ready to use the Fire TV remote. Press and hold the “microphone button,” then say, “Switch to HDMI 2,” and then point the remote at the IR receiver on the TV. It should change the input. You don’t have to say “Alexa” when using the remote. With labeled devices set up through the Fire Stick or Cube, you may be able to say, “Switch to Blu-Ray” or whatever device you added, such as Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PC, etc.
9. If the remote fails to change the input, you can try saying “Switch input two times” or whatever number you need. On TVs where you press the “Source/Input” button to advance to the next input, it should accept the command, as long as you set up the TV in your Fire device correctly.

As you can see above, the process to have your Fire TV remote change your TV input is confusing and variable based on certain TV models and capabilities. If you have an actual Fire TV, you still need to add devices so that they have a name, then you can say something like “Switch to Roku.” Also, you can say “go home,” “switch to home,” to return to the “Home” screen.

Method One: Set Up the Remote to Switch Inputs

With the correct remote and Firestick settings for your TV, you’re now ready to switch inputs. The steps outlined here will show you how it’s done.

1. Hold down the microphone button on your Firestick remote.
   
2. Say, “Switch to (appropriate input).”
3. Let go of the microphone button and point the remote at the TV. The remote uses an infrared (IR) signal to communicate for volume up/down and input selection.

Your TV input will change to the Fire TV HDMI channel or whatever input you specified, such as HDMI 2.

Method Two: Configure Fire Tv

You can configure your Fire TV to recognize the different devices connected to your television set. For instance, you can name HDMI one as Firestick, HDMI two as Xbox, and so on. This will make it easier to switch between inputs.

This is how you set that up.

1. Open the Firestick’s “Settings” on your TV set and go to “Equipment Control.”
   
2. Click “Manage Equipment,” then choose “TV” and pick the input it’s connected to.
   

To change the TV input to your Fire TV, all you have to do now is hold down the microphone button and say, “Go home.”

To set up the rest of the input devices, follow these steps.

1. Navigate to “Settings” and select “Equipment Control.”
   
2. Click “Manage Equipment,” then “Add Equipment,” and proceed to configure the inputs to the relevant devices.
   

Once the devices have been added, you can now use the microphone button on the remote to go from one input to another. Say “Switch to Xbox,” and your TV set will go to the appropriate HDMI channel. This method means you don’t have to remember the specific input, such as HDMI 2, that a device is plugged into.

Using HDMI-CEC to Change Inputs with a Firestick Remote

HDMI-CEC is a language used by a lot of devices to communicate with each other. The feature primarily gets used to turn the TV on and select the correct input based on the device. As your Firestick connects to your Fire TV through an HDMI cable, you can use HDMI-CEC to change the TV input with your Firestick remote.

1. Enable CEC on your TV. The option often resides in “Settings,” “System,” then “CEC.” However, it may vary depending on the TV brand and model.
2. Check that CEC is also enabled on Fire TV by navigating to “Settings -> Display & Sounds.”
   

Your Fire TV is now configured. When you press the “Home” button on the remote, the TV automatically switches to the Fire TV HDMI channel.

FAQs: Changing TV Input using Fire TV Remote

Can I use a mobile app to switch inputs?

Yes, you can use the Fire TV app to control your TV and switch inputs. The app can be downloaded on your smartphone or tablet. However, it has to be on the same Wi-Fi network as your Firestick for it to work.

What if I use an automatic HDMI switch on my TV for several devices?

The best method is to unplug the multi-HDMI switch and plug in each device, one at a time, in the same TV input. Set up the devices using the settings in your Firestick, Cube, or Fire TV. Plug all devices back into the HDMI switch and test the results. If each device has a name, it should go to the correct input for the specified device, as long as your HDMI switch has the auto feature, and it works correctly.

Firestick Remote Hacks

The Firestick is a great streaming device. Unfortunately, the remote doesn’t have a dedicated button to switch the TV input. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use it to go from one HDMI channel to another. With this guide, you will find different ways to change the TV input using your Firestick remote. You will also learn other remote shortcuts that can enhance your Firestick experience.

Have you used your Firestick remote to change the TV input? How did you go about it? Let us know in the comments section below.