How To Program A Philips Universal Remote (Even Without Codes)

It's a scenario many of us have suffered through. You're watching TV and get the itch for a movie, but when you go to turn your DVD player on, you turn the TV off. Then starts the game of going through half a dozen remotes, unintentionally power-cycling unrelated devices because you've succumbed to a life of chaos, technology, and controllers.

Thankfully, companies like Philips started offering a solution many moons ago, and the universal remote became a household savior. Pairing a new or even secondhand Philips universal remote shouldn't be a complicated process. Typically, there's a set of codes for specific brands, which we'll touch on shortly. However, even if you don't have a code, we can help get that Philips universal remote connected to your most essential electronics. Alternatively, you can also take advantage of devices with HDMI-CEC compatibility, such as the Xbox Series X.

For the purposes of this walkthrough, we'll be working with Philips universal remotes that have a designated "Setup" button, typically near the middle of the remote. This includes SRP4121M, SRP6221B, and SRP6012W models.

There are a lot of different universal remotes on the market, so make sure you're working with a Philips-branded remote specifically before trying any of the following steps.

The easiest and most intuitive way to assign your universal remote to a device is by using a code. Most universal remotes come with a list of codes assigned to individual brands. Sometimes, they're included at the end of the user manual. It's a long list that covers the best and the worst brands on the market, but it's not exhaustive of all electronic brands.

If a code isn't listed for a specific manufacturer, you may need to contact them to see if one exists to skip to the next section. Otherwise, with this list, you should be able to program your universal remote to your devices. When you're ready to pair the remote to a device:

1. Manually turn on the device.
2. Press and hold the Function you want to assign to (e.g. TV, DVD Cable, Aux, or BluRay).
3. Press and hold the "Setup" button until the LED indicator turns on.
4. Input the four-digit code associated with the device's brand. If the right code was entered, the LED light should turn off.
5. Test different functions on the remote to ensure it works properly.

If you happened to have lost the code list, or the listed code didn't work during the setup process, you still have options for pairing the remote to your device. The process will differ between universal remotes, but the following should work on any Philips universal remote with the "Setup" button.

To perform a code search through the remote:

1. Repeat the steps above to Step 4.
2. When you get to Step 4, input "9 – 9 - 1" instead of a designated brand device code.
3. Slowly and repeatedly press the Power and intended Function button until the device turns off.
4. Once the device turns off, press "Setup" to set the code.

Since there are so many different codes to go through, this could take upwards of 15 minutes to complete. Unfortunately, it's the most inefficient way of trying to program the universal remote, and it's very easy to miss the right code as it cycles through. 

Though it appears to be an older model remote from 2011, the SRP5004 model remote may still be in circulation for some users. Since the setup process is a bit different, we wanted to cover how to set it up both with and without a code properly.

If you have the code list:

1. Manually turn on the device.
2. Press and hold the button you want to assign on your Philips remote for 5 seconds. E.g. Press and hold "TV" to program your TV.
3. If the LED light is on, setup mode is activated.
4. Find the corresponding code and input it on the remote. If the LED turns off, the code was input incorrectly.
5. Aim the remote at the device you're pairing, and then press and hold the Power button.
6. Once the device turns off, release the Power button.
7. Press the Function button you are assigning twice to end setup.

If you don't have the code list, repeat the steps above. At Step 4, input "9 – 9 – 9 – 9" instead of a designated code. The remote will automatically cycle through the entire database of available codes. Repeatedly pressing and holding the Power button until the device turns off. If it comes across one that works, it will power down the device. At that point, press the Function button to assign it and end setup.