Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Search for the remote
• Method 2 of 3: Ask around
• Method 3 of 3: Prevent the problem
• Tips
• Warnings

You have lost the remote control of your television. Chances are it is still somewhere near your couch or television. Look around all the places you can think of and ask other family members if they know where the remote might be. Have you already looked between the cushions of the sofa?

To step

Method 1 of 3: Search for the remote

1. Look at the obvious places. Chances are you lost the remote control in the room where you watch TV. Many people place the remote control near the television or near where they are sitting. It is very common for people to lose a remote control in the sofa.
2. Look for hidden places. Look under books, magazines, blankets and coats - any items that might be on top of the remote. Search between the cushions of sofas and chairs. Look under and behind furniture.
   • Look next to the kettle, on the shelf in the hall, in the bathroom cabinet, and any other places you might have taken the remote.
3. Think about the places you've been. Maybe you took the remote out of the room with you, or put it down while your head was away from it and so accidentally left it where it shouldn't be. Think about if you put the remote somewhere on your way to the bathroom, your bedroom, the kitchen, or the front door.
   • Look in the fridge. If you ate or drank anything in the last few hours, you may have put the remote in the fridge when you got your food.
   • Maybe you recently picked up the phone while watching TV and put the remote down during the call. Or maybe the doorbell rang during your favorite television show, you took the remote out of the room with you and left it somewhere in your hall.
4. Feel your blankets. This is a useful method if you are watching TV in bed. The remote will often end up under the sheets or blankets and the best way to find it is to run your hands over your duvet until you find something that feels like a rectangular box. If this doesn't work, look under your bed and then check the foot of your bed.

Method 2 of 3: Ask around

1. Ask other family members. If someone else has used the remote recently, they may be able to tell you where they are. The person may have left the remote in a place where it would not normally be placed. Or maybe he or she left the remote without thinking about it in a part of the house that you don't often visit. By asking someone else, you can find out where you are not even if you can't find the remote right away.
2. Find out if someone took the remote. Your teen may have brought the remote to his or her room and forgot to bring it back. Your toddler may have hidden the remote control as a joke. Your dog may have taken the remote somewhere to chew on it. Think about who could have done such a thing and why.
   • Look in your child's toy box. You never know if your son or daughter might have picked up the remote.
3. Ask for help. You don't have to go looking for the remote on your own. Ask your friends and family to help you find the missing device. It can help if you can give them a good reason to find the remote. When you find the remote, you can go and watch a movie together or see the show that starts in 20 minutes.

Method 3 of 3: Prevent the problem

1. Take better care of your remote. If you keep a closer eye on your remote from now on, you may be less likely to lose it. Try to keep your wits about you and always deliberately place the remote control somewhere. Try to form a mental picture of the remote so you can remember where it is.
2. Pick a place specifically for placing the remote control. Never place the remote control in any other place than this one. This can be the coffee table, the place next to the television or a special holder that you attach to the sofa or table.
   • If you frequently lose the remote control, consider purchasing a remote control holder so that you have a permanent place for the remote control.
   • Stick a strip of Velcro on the back of the remote control and attach the matching strip of Velcro to the TV. Secure the remote control to the Velcro strip on the television when not in use.
3. Make the remote control more visible. Attach a piece of brightly colored tape, a reflector, or a long, fluffy tail to the remote. Tie a ribbon around it, give the device wings or glue plastic feet to it. Add something you think makes the remote more visible so you don't forget it. Try not to add anything that will impair the performance of the device.
4. Consider buying a universal remote. Such a device works with most brands of televisions, eliminating the need to use a lot of remote controls that are easy to mix up. You quickly use separate remote controls for the television, DVD player, stereo and other devices. It may be easier for you to keep an eye on a remote control than about four.
5. Attach a GPS tracker to your remote. Several companies now sell small, relatively inexpensive trackers connected to a smartphone app. Clip the tracker to your remote in case you lose it again. You can set your smartphone to beep when the remote is nearby. Some apps will even try to find your remote when it is far from you.

Tips

• Your sibling may have picked up the remote. Ask your sibling for the remote.
• Certain brands have a function that allows you to find the remote control. Find the button for this function on your device and follow the beep until you find your remote.
• You will not always find the remote on your first search attempt. Keep trying. Think about where you last saw or used the remote control. Look behind your television.
• Buying a cheap universal remote can also help. This is a device that you can use for most brands of televisions. This way you have to use a lot less remote controls. Keep the remote in a safe place to use as a spare.
• Consider sewing or buying a remote control holder for the sofa backrest to prevent this from happening again.
• Let other people help you find the remote. The more people help it search, the faster you will find the remote.
• Some TV providers have a button on the receiver to make the remote beep and flash to help you find it.

Warnings

• You may need to purchase a new remote if you cannot find it. Look for a remote that works with your television, or buy a universal remote and use it until you find the lost remote.