Disable Apple Remote Control
I have two computers in the same room, about five feet from one another. One is an iMac acting as a media center for playing music, videos, etc. and the other is a MacBook Pro that I use to work on. After I got the iMac hooked up and bumping my tunes, I very quickly realized that I was going to need the remote to control the volume, pause, and play. The only problem was the remote was controlling both my iMac and MacBook Pro, so I had to disable the remote on the MacBook Pro.
To disable the remote control:
- Open “System Prefences”
- Click “Security”
- Check the box “Disable remote control infrared receiver”
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Actually you can “pair” your remote with a specific mac. This will allow you to use the current remote with the mac you want to control, but still allow the other mac to be controlled by other remotes. There is an apple support article here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1619
Why not use the iPhone Remote to control as many Apples as you would like?
@Kap: I paired it with the iMac and it was still controlling my MacBook Pro.
I agree with Kap. I have an Apple TV, Macbook, Macbook Pro, and an iMac at home. Each one has it’s own paired remote, and I can operate them independently.
It was the AppleTV that got me the first time. I got annoyed with FrontRow popping up on my laptop.
Having the remote paired also prevents “rogue” remotes from playing tricks on you in public. Next time you are at a starbucks, point your remote at a few unsuspecting laptops and watch the fun.
Jenny, pairing stops another remote controlling a paired Mac. It doesn’t stop the remote it is paired with from controlling another Mac. To do this, pair your MacBook Pro with it’s own remote, then no other remote can operate it.
@David: Thanks, yeah I don’t need a remote with my MacBook Pro. That’s why I did it the way I did. I just wanted to control the iMac with a remote.
Why do you run a “Apple Blog” when you know little about how to even use a Mac?
@MacRat: This is your one and only warning…don’t come here and troll. It’s simply not welcome.
With new MacBook Pro’s and the Air the remote is an option, so having the ability to turn off the IR function is quite handy if you don’t want people turning on Front Row for you.
But I’m sure the likes of MacRat are more than aware of that…
I need to confess. I use my remote to mess around with Macs which I see out and about. There! I said it.
josh lighten up… I think macrat was simply pointing out that there is a better way to do it… and anyone of us who consider’s ourselves ‘nerds’ all had the same thought initially… limiting a function to one machine is less efficient than enabling a function on 2 machines…. what if the world is 10 seconds away from blowing up, you’re strapped to your couch with rope, and the only way to stop the bomb is to start the latest family guy through front row?? :)
on your MBP, of course…
Even if you don’t “need” the remote for the MBP, just pair it anyway, and then stash the remote in a file cabinet – at least that way, you can still use the remote, but the remote will only control the correct computer.
Of course, that’s not to say it won’t control yet another Mac that you might have show up at some point.
David was right – that’s the better way to go. The remote function is handy to have, even if you don’t use it often; it just needs to be “paired” for security.
Disabling the infrared thing will probably save you some battery life because it no longer needs power
Great article. Worked perfectly for me
Thanks, this is what I needed to know. Another thing I found useful was that you can disable the ‘pop’ sound effect that occurs when you increase/decrease your volume level. I found when watching movies through itunes that the ‘pop’ was much more abraisive if not louder than the media volume. You can turn it off in your Sound preferences under Sound Effects. Deselect the option that reads, “Play feedback when volume is changed”
hi
I have a new mac and a apple tv and i cant turn off the tvs remote. in the security its doesnt let me even to pair it. its dark. im really new in mac so i really need a help. thank you
hi
what if in the security its doesnt let me even to pair it. its dark. im really new in mac so i really need a help. thank you
and all the security things are dark
This was great, thanks! I’m the same as you, I *never* use a remote to control my MBP, so pairing a remote and then “filing” it just doesn’t make sense for me. Why bother with that, when you can just turn the thing off? I can now watch my shiny new AppleTV as a happy bunny.
THANK-YOU!! this has been driving me NUTS!
Thank you Thank you Thank you!!! thank you so much for sharing this info, that dam remote was driving me crazy. Cheers Sash
Thanks alot for this, I have been looking!
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Thanks this helped tremendously
Thanks big dawg… it worked for me. I have your exact same setup… 27″ iMac and MacBookPro and this was a major annoyance. Much props.
Haha such a simple solution! I can’t believe I didn’t know this before! My Apple TV/MBP syncro’d annoyance is over!
Thank you!
I had the same exact problem James – It forced me to use the Remote app on my iPhone to control my Apple TV to avoid my computer getting screwed up.
Awesome tip.Thanks.Just ignore vermins like MacRat.
Thank you, thank you!
My annoyance with the remote, for the iPod Hi Fi, “controlling” my MacBook Air is OVER…!