Among the discussions of the new Fire TV remote that was just released, several people said they wished that Amazon added an input button for changing their TV’s input. While it’s not as convenient as a dedicated button, both the existing and the new Fire TV Voice Remote are actually capable of switching inputs on your TV and it works regardless of whether you have a Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, or Fire TV Cube. In case those people, or you, aren’t aware of how to do it, here are instructions for how to change TV inputs using a Fire TV remote.
Quick Guide
To change inputs on your TV using your Fire TV remote, you must have either the 2nd-gen Alexa Voice Remote or the 3rd-gen Alexa Voice Remote. (If your remote doesn’t have a power button at the top, then you have one of the remotes and cannot switch inputs.) You also need to have your TV set up with the Fire TV under the “Equipment Control” menu in the Fire TV’s settings. With the right remote and the TV set up, all you need to do to switch inputs is say “Switch to [INPUT_NAME]” into your remote’s microphone and then point your remote at your TV. For example, say “Switch to HDMI 2” to change to that input on your TV. If you have any issues, such as switching to the component, composite, or antenna inputs, then try adjusting settings at Settings > Equipment Control > Manage Equipment > TV > Input Switching or try adding the devices connected to your TV by going to Settings > Equipment Control > Manage Equipment > Add Equipment. If you continue to have any issues, try following the detailed guide below.
Detailed Guide
- Ensure you have a Fire TV remote that is capable of switching the TV’s input. Only the 2nd-gen Alexa Voice Remote and the 3rd-gen Alexa Voice Remote are capable of switching inputs. If your remote doesn’t have a power button at the top, then you have one of the remotes that cannot switch inputs.
- Ensure that your TV is configured with the Fire TV under Settings > Equipment Control. If you’d like to start fresh, go to Settings > Equipment Control > Manage Equipment > TV and then higlight the “Change TV” option but don’t select it. While the option is highlighted, press the Menu (☰) button on your remote to remove your TV and start the set up process from the begining.
- Optionaly, go into the Settings > Equipment Control > Manage Equipment > TV > Input Switching menu on your Fire TV to see if anything needs to be adjusted for how your TV works. You probably don’t need to change any of the settings there, but it should be the first thing you modify if you have any issues after following this guide.
- With the correct Fire TV remote in hand and your TV set up in the Fire TV’s settings menu, you’re now ready to switch inputs. Simply hold down the microphone button on your Fire TV remote, say “Switch to [INPUT_NAME],” let go of the microphone button, and then immediately point the Fire TV remote at your TV until the input changes. For example, if you want to change to a specific HDMI input on your TV, you would say something like “Switch to HDMI three.” Note that the Fire TV remote is not able to switch to the component, composite, or antenna inputs on some TV models. See the next step for a possible solution if that’s the case.
- Optionally, you can tell the Fire TV which TV input it is connected to and what else you have connected to your TV to make switching inputs a bit easier. This extra configuration may also allow you to switch to devices connected to your component or composite inputs if you’re unable to switch to them by the input name. First, go to Settings > Equipment Control > Manage Equipment > Fire TV and select the TV input that your Fire TV is connected to. By doing so, you’ll then be able to simply say “Go Home” into your remote’s microphone to switch your TV back to your Fire TV’s input.
Now go to Settings > Equipment Control > Manage Equipment > Add Equipment and add all the devices that you have connected to your TV. Be sure to configure which input each device is connected to when adding the device. Once a device has been added, you’ll be able to say “Switch to [DEVICE_NAME]” to change inputs to that device. For example, you can say “Switch to Xbox” or “Switch to Cable” without needing to remember which specific input each device is connected to.
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Interesting article. I have 4 TV’s – 1 Sony, 1 Samsung and 2 Insignia.
I have Fire Cubes (Gen 2) hooked up to each so I’m using the same voice remote on all. I set up every TV exactly the same (it makes things easy).
Using voice control to change all inputs works perfectly on my Sony and Samsung (just as Elias explains above).
I cannot get input switching to work FROM the Fire TV Home screen TO the TV Antenna input on either of my Insignia TV’s (which is really annoying). I must use the Insignia TV remote to switch. I should point out I can use voice control to switch my Insignia to another input like DVD.
The Fire TV Setup does recognize the TV’s as Insignia.
I’ve run into similar things where input switching works perfectly on one TV but not completely on another TV. If you haven’t yet, try setting up “Live TV” equipment, like in this guide: https://www.aftvnews.com/how-to-change-ota-tv-antenna-tuner-channels-with-alexa-and-an-amazon-fire-tv-cube/
If that doesn’t help, maybe a different IR profile for the Insignia TVs will fix it. The Fire TV defaults to the first one that you say works, but sometimes there are additional profiles that may be better. It’s under Equipment > TV > Infrared Options > IR Profile. If neither of those work, your last option is to mess with the various Input Switching options from step 3 above.
Update: I spent the weekend tinkering with every conceivable option as shown above but no dice, my Cubes will not switch to the Insignia TV Antenna input with voice control. I did come across a few curiosities though: I first tried changing the IR code group, initially they were IR Code Groups 1 thru 7 BUT there was no 6 although there were TWO Groups 1’s listed??? I tried them all coming closest with Group 7. While asking Alexa to switch to “Antenna Input” then “TV Input” with/without the word “Input” nothing happened. However when I asked to switch just “Input” success!!! The input switched from Fire TV Home TO TV OTA Antenna Input. YAY!!! Except when I asked to switch BACK to Fire TV or Fire TV Home or HDMI 1 Nothing happened, one way only? BOO!!!.
I searched then entered the appropriate IR Remote Code for Insignia TVs, After entering the code directly , dozens upon dozens of IR Code Group numbers appeared…at this point I gave up and reset to default. Probably easier to buy a new Sony TV that switches out of the gate…maybe I can convince my wife!
howdo you setup equipment such as sky tv or xbox, they are not listed on the available equipment you can add
This might be a case where the equipment options differ from country to country. For me in the US, “Xbox” is listed as one of the equipment options, as is “Game Console,” that can be added and there are “Cable” and “Satellite” options for TV provider equipment.
I am unable to switch inputs from my 4K Max to my cable boxes’ HDMI input, HDMI 1. My TCL TV is recognized in the 4K Max Equipment Settings. When I hold the microphone button and say, “Alexa, switch to HDMI 1,” she always responds, “Hmm, I can’t switch to that input.”
Have you also configured the tv’s hmdi in equipment settings?
This is good when it works. I have a Vizio tv and it never works when I need it. My wife only uses the FireStick 4K but she keeps the Chromecast with Google TV remote around to change inputs.
My LG tv is able to switch to ‘antenna’ aka TV but once there I cannot change channels. Am I missing something?
Actually tv is Samsung. Fire stick tv is 2nd generation.
I have no issues with this, however I think it’s down to the tv I have, pressing the home button on the fire stick switches to that fire stick, same thing happens with my PlayStation when I turn it on or press the ps button it switches to the PlayStation.
I have a tcl tv
My Firestick remote will switch to the input I have the Firestick plugged into if I simply hit the Home button. It’s always worked and I don’t have much use for it to switch to my other devices, just its own is convenient.
My experience with this is hit and miss. My Firestick remote used to turn my Sansung TV on and switch to INPUT at the same time, but lately, it won’t switch the input when the TV turns on.
My first gen remote works flawlessly. Might want to check the CEC settings on your TV.
I used to be able to do that and we lost power one night and never again.
I use my Samsung remote to control my firestick !
Samsung remotes implementation is really convenient
Ok so this is using Alexa in the voice remote and IR to switch the inputs
this is ok for people who do not have a TV with CEC, (of which I do have one in a bedroom)
but they really should have included an option in the setup for people using a CEC enabled TV
to select if you want to use the IR from the remote or CEC
I find it really baffling that they have not yet implemented CEC control for TV on/ off and input switching
If they did then we could set it up on our CEC enabled TV’s so that we don’t need to point the remote at the TV and also so we could use an echo device paired to a fire TV device to switch the TV on/off or switch the input by asking Alexa on the echo
The funny thing is that I know it already has this capability hardware wise and is already half way there software wise because
I have CEC setup and I have all my 4k sticks paired up to echo dots
and if my TV is off and I ask Alexa from the echo dot to show me a camera the TV turns on and shows the camera , same if I ask it to tune to and OTA channel from the recast ,and if the TV is on and on another input it switches to the fire stick input
Stranger still is the fact that when I setup my 3 4k sticks I noticed that
each time (not sure if this happened when the sticks were signed onto my account or when I actually linked them to my echo dots,I forget now)
I added a stick there was a device added in my Alexa device list named “TV”
after adding the sticks I had “TV” listed in there 4 times (one was already in there for an IR hub I use to control the TV on/off , creating a conflict)
It seems like Amazon has this as planned feature and never implemented it yet , or maybe it is there so serve some other purpose?
It really is a shame because I can use a workaround if I want to turn the TV on with Alexa from the echo via CEC control by just asking Alexa to tune to channel on the recast
but then if I want to switch the TV off or switch the input I need to go fumbling for the remote again when all this should be available through CEC control with Alexa on the echo
they are just so close to making it perfect seems like not mush more work at all would need to be done here to get this working
It actually is possible on my 2nd gen chromecasts paired to my gen 1 google home minis to switch the TV on and off through CEC with Google assistant
Unless I just have not been ale to figure out how to set it up properly for the fire TV/echo , but I have asked both fire TV support and Alexa support and they don’t know how to do it either if it is possible
Had this working for a few weeks. It seems the interface update killed it. Is there a way to recover this? I have a firestick 4k.
Completely worthless. Just tried to do the steps to start fresh and new but then it wouldnt allow me to go back into the manage equipment settings. It said I needed to pair the tv with alexa voice and so on first. But that was all still functional. Sadly I had to factory reset the whole thing. Definitely do not use these instructions. They do not work! Was using a Firestick 3rd gen.
I rate this article 1 star. I don’t want to talk, especially at 1 AM with my partner in bed next to me. I really expected an explanation of the missing INPUT button. It says “Press the input button to open a horizontal Menu. 2. Go to next input by pressing” navigation buttons. WHERE THE HELL S THAT INPUT BUTTON!!!
I’m fascinated that Amazon would produce a product that just takes absolute control of your TV and doesn’t allow you to choose HDMI inputs.. Even unplugging my Firestick doesn’t help. I can still turn the TV on or off with the Firestick remote… My original remote is completely overridden..
your notes that you send out to help with Fire TV are “AWESOM” Thank you so much. I purchased a Fire TV Cube a couple of weeks ago and have not been able to add my former USB memory stick to it so that I can access some of the programs that I had before with my previous Firestick 4K. Could you PLEASE offer some words of assistance or provide me some directions to do this?
When I ask Alexa to change to HDMI 2 which is connected to my cable box, she is unable to. I tried setting up my TV again from scratch in the Equipment settings, but that didn’t help. It’s a TCL. I’m not sure what other settings to try.
Hi. I left a detailed reply with some questions a few days ago but I haven’t seen it appear. I was wondering if I did something incorrectly? Thanks.
hey
These aren’t quite working for me either. My RCA TV from 2011 (ish) doesn’t seem to have HDMI-CEC, which seems odd. There is no “Fire TV” option in my Equipment menu, so I can’t configure the individual inputs or have any control over specific devices other than my TV. I’m able to add a receiver, cable box, soundbar, but nothing more specific so I can assign to a specific input on my TV. My TV controls can be set to change 1 input at a time and in a single direction, so I have to say “Change Input” at least 5 times to get through all of the inputs back to HDMI2 if I was on HDMI1 to begin with. The range of capabilities mentioned in this article don’t seem to be available anymore, or perhaps they rely on HDMI-CEC for device and input detection.. Either way, I can’t get it to work the way I’d hoped, which would be to assign devices to specific inputs and have the Fire TV switch to the correct one via voice commands “Switch to PS3”, “Switch to Component”, “Go Home”.