Before throwing in the towel on your Sony Bravia, you have one option: you can try to restore the TV to its factory settings. This isn’t the same as just turning it on and off again; this will make your TV as though you’re unboxing it for the first tie. Yet, this can get complicated if you don’t have the remote.
Never fear! You don’t need the remote to factory reset your Sony Bravia TV. All you need is a little patience and a few moments of your time. For everything you need to know about performing a factory reset on your Sony Bravia without a remote, stick around and keep reading.
Try Power Cycling Your TV Before Restoring It to Factory Settings
If your TV isn’t working as expected, you don’t have to immediately restore it to factory settings. You should first try to power cycle it. For many people, this is a step beyond “turn it off, then turn it on again.”
You can do this by:
- Unplug the TV from the socket for two minutes.
- Plug the TV back in.
If the TV doesn’t turn on right away, turn it off by holding down on the power button. Sony notes that if you followed these steps, but the TV wouldn’t turn on, make sure that power is flowing to the TV. If you were able to find the remote but the TV won’t turn on, make sure your batteries are charged.
Instructions for Factory Resetting Your Sony Bravia TV
You can stop tearing up the living room looking for that remote. You can reset it manually. However, this depends on what type of TV you have. Most Sony Bravia’s have one power button located under the screen. If this sounds like your device:
- Unplug the TV from its electrical socket. This will drain it of any residual energy.
- Hold down on the power button while you plug the TV back in.
- Continue holding down on the button until you see a white light. This generally takes 10 to 30 seconds.
- Release the button.
If you don’t see the white light turn on, repeat these steps again.
Follow These Steps if Your TV Has Three Buttons
If you have an older Sony Bravia TV, it might have more than one button. There are two other types of models: one with three buttons and another with an entire keypad.
If your Sony Bravia has three buttons, follow these steps to factory reset it:
- Unplug the TV from its socket.
- Hold down on the power button AND the volume (-) button.
- Hold down for 10 to 30 seconds until you see a green light.
- Wait a few moments until the TV resets itself.
Again, if these steps don’t work, start over from step one.
Following These Steps if Your TV Has More Than Three Buttons
If your TV has more than three buttons:
- Unplug the TV.
- Hold down on the power button and (-) for 30 seconds.
Once the TV turns on and off:
- Navigate to “Home.”
- Select “Settings,” then “Storage Reset.”
- Choose “Factory Data Reset,” then “Erase Everything.”
If you followed these steps and don’t find success, consult your user manual.
You Could Download an App and Use That as a Remote
If you’ve lost or replaced your remote, you can always download the App Remote application on iTunes or Google Play Store. It’s compatible with most smartphones, including Android and iPhone.
Instead of having to press multiple buttons more than once, you can simply use the app to restore your TV to factory settings. You can do this by:
- Pressing the home button.
- Choosing “Settings,” then “Storage and Reset.”
- Selecting “Erase Everything,” then “Yes.”
If this doesn’t work, make sure your smart device and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. Otherwise, you’ll be unable to use the app.
Why You Would Factory Reset Your TV?
Many people have owned Sony Bravia TVs for years, and never factory reset them. That’s because power cycling (described above) is able to remedy most issues. However, you may want to factory reset your TV if:
- You’re selling it. If you’re selling your TV, you don’t want its new owner to access your information. For instance, Sony Bravia has access to Google TV, where you can watch your favorite shows and movies. If you don’t want someone else accessing your history, factory resetting your TV would erase it.
- The volume, picture, or responsiveness isn’t working as expected. It might appear as though your TV isn’t working properly. This could happen if a setting were changed without your permission or if you changed the settings by accident.
- You want a clean slate. If you’ve owned your Sony Bravia for a few years, you might want to experience your TV as though you’re using it for the first time. Restoring it to factory settings would accomplish just that.
A Final Word
You have a few options when resetting your Sony Bravia TV without the remote. You can either hold down on the TV’s buttons or download the Remote app.