An Apple Remote lets you remotely control your Apple TV, some third-party iPod docks, iPod Hi-Fi, and features in some Mac applications such as Front Row, Keynote, iTunes, and DVD Player.
About the Apple Remote
The Apple Remote operates on an infrared (IR)-based transmitter. If it has an unobstructed line-of-sight to the receiver, the Apple Remote can function at distances of up to 30 feet (about 9 meters).
Notes
- Some Macs do not include a built-in infrared (IR) receiver. Computers without an IR receiver can instead work with the Remote application for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Check your Mac's documentation, or look in System Profiler (within the USB section) to see if your Mac includes an IR receiver.
- If your Mac has an IR receiver, but does not seem to respond to an Apple Remote, make sure the infrared receiver is not disabled in Security preferences.
- If you do not want your IR-capable Mac to respond to an Apple Remote, you can disable the IR receiver in Security preferences.
About the battery
The Apple Remote uses a CR2032 coin battery, which is easy to replace. Apple TV or Mac OS X will display a warning icon when the remote's battery gets low. To find out how to replace the battery, see this article.