So you’ve just bought your shiny new GE universal remote, and you’re excited about programming it to work with your TV or any other device. But the question is: How do you program it?
In this blog post, I will guide you on how to program any GE universal remote with any device, be it a TV, DVD player, Blu-Ray etc.
There are two easy and straightforward ways to program a General Electric remote with any device. The first option is the quickest, taking less than five minutes, and is the one I suggest.
It is called the Direct Code Entry method. You need to know the GE remote codes for the device you want to program it with in order to use this method.
If you don’t know the codes for your remote, dont worry; I will show you how to find and use them to program the remote.
The second way takes a little longer (about ten minutes max). It is called the Auto Code Search method.
I would only suggest you use this method if you can’t find the codes for your GE universal remote, or if the codes you try don’t work.
How to Program a GE Universal Remote with Codes?
Before you can begin programming your remote with the Direct Code Entry method, I recommend that you find the correct codes for the device that you want to program.
Normally, with a brand new GE remote, you should also get the programming codes alongside the remote’s manual.
But I understand that your original code list may have gotten lost. To that end, I have provided a straightforward but comprehensive guide on how to locate the appropriate codes for your device below.
How to find the correct GE universal remote codes for your device
Related: Complete GE universal remote code list (CL3, CL4, CL5, CL6)
First of all, you must find out which Code List Version (CL) your remote uses. Currently, there are CL3, CL4, CL5, and CL6 code lists.
To know your remote’s CL version,open its battery compartment and look for a sticker on which the manufacturer has mentioned some information. Check out the image below to see an example.
You can see that the remote in the image above uses the CL4 code list. Suppose you wish to program the remote to function with your Vizio TV, and your remote uses the CL4.
All you have to do is visit the official page for GE remotes: byjasco.com universal remote codes, and click the button named “Lookup CL4 Codes”.
This will take you to the next page where you can select your device category (in this case, TV) and brand name (in this case, Vizio) to see it’s unique programming codes.
I have also uploaded a large code list for several devices to the blog post at this link. You can try them out if the codes you find at byjasco.com don’t work for you.
Programming a GE Universal Remote with codes
Once you have found the correct codes for your device, as described above, it is time to program the remote control to work with your device. Here is a brief and summarized step-by-step guide on how to do it:
Summarized Guide
- Manually turn on the device you want to program and make sure all other devices around it are switched off.
- Press and hold the remote’s Setup button until the red light turns on.
- Select the device button (e.g., TV, DVD, CBL, AUD), then press and release it.
- Enter the first 4-digit code for your device using the number keys.
- The red light will turn off if the code is correct.
- Point the remote at the device and test the buttons to see if they don’t work as expected.
- If its not working, repeat steps one to four above using another code from the same list.
I know that some people may not be familiar with using a universal remote control. Therefore, I have provided a more detailed step-by-step guide and a sample video on how to program your GE universal remote control with codes below.
Detailed step-by-step guide
- Find the code list (CL3, CL4, CL5 or CL6) for the specific device that you want to program your universal remote control with.
- Manually switch on the device you wish to control and turn off any other devices placed near it.
- Press and hold down the “Setup Button” until the red light on the remote control turns on and remains on.
- Once the red LED is on, release the “Setup Button”.
- Press and release the device button you wish to control. For example, if you want to program your GE universal remote with a TV, then press the TV button.
- After pressing the device button, the red light on the remote will blink once and remain on.
- Next, use the number buttons on the remote to enter the first four digit remote control codes for your device.
- Test the device to see if the GE remote is fully functional and that the device responds properly.
- If the remote’s buttons don’t operate the device, return to “Step 3” above and try again using the next code for that device.
If the Direct Code Search method doesn’t work to program your GE universal remote control, you can try the Auto Code Search method, which is described below.
How to Program a GE Universal Remote without codes?
If you are unsuccessful with programming your GE universal remote with codes, or you just couldn’t find the right codes for your device, then there’s another option. It is called the Automatic Code Search method.
Your GE remote can find the exact code that works with your device by itself. As I explained earlier in this post, the procedure takes a little more time. But if you are patient and follow the steps below, you should be successful.
Programming a GE Universal Remote without codes
Summarized Guide
Below is a summarized guide on how to program your GE universal remote without using the codes for your device.
- Power on the device you want to pair the remote with.
- Keep the “Setup/Search” button pressed until the LED light turns on.
- Next, press the device type button (TV/DVD/CBL/AUD), and the LED will blink and then stay on.
- Press and release the Power button every 5 seconds until the device turns OFF.
- Then turn on your device again.
- Continue pressing the Volume Up button every three seconds until the device turns off.
- Lastly, press the device type button to save the code to the remote control.
Detailed Step by step guide
The guide above is a good resource for experienced universal remote control users. However, those who are new to universal remotes may find it difficult to follow.
In light of this, I have included a more detailed and in-depth step-by-step process for programming your universal remote without codes. You can find it below.
- Step 1: Manually switch on the device you wish to control and turn off any other devices placed near it.
- Step 2: Press and hold the Setup Button until the red indicator light turns on.
- Step 3: Once the red indicator light turns on, release the Setup Button.
- Step 4: To program a TV, Press and release the TV button. The GE universal remote can control six types of devices: TV, CBL, Blue Ray, Aux, Aud, and Strm. If you wish to do Auto Code Search for another device, press and release the appropriate button.
- Step 5: After pressing the button for the device you wish to control, the red light on the remote will blink once and remain on.
- Step 6: Point your remote at the device, then press and release the power button to start the code search.
- Step 7: The red indicator light will start flashing while it searches.
- Step 8: If a compatible code is found, your device will turn off and the red indicator light on the GE remote control will stop flashing and remain on.
- Step 9: If the red LED indicator stops flashing without your TV turning off, simply repeat the process again from “Step 4” above.
- Step 10: Once your device turns off, manually turn it back on.
- Step 11: Point your General Electric universal remote at the device again and press and release the Volume Up Button.
- Step 12: After pressing the “Volume Up Button”, the red indicator light will blink once and remain on.
- Step 13: At this stage, if a compatible code is found, your device should turn off again.
- Step 14: If the device doesn’t turn off after pressing the “Volume Up Button”, simply continue to press and release the volume up button.
- Step 15: Once your device turns off, that means your remote now has the compatible code.
- Step 16: To store this code in your remote, simply press the same device button which you pressed in “Step 4” above. In this example, we will press the TV button since we are programming the remote control with a TV.
- Step 17: Now turn on your device using the GE remote and test all its buttons to make sure your remote is fully functional with this device.
- Step 18: If the GE remote is not fully functional with your device, simply return to “Step 2” to repeat the process and find a better code.
Ge universal remote manual download
Conclusion
In conclusion, programming your GE Universal remote is a straightforward process, and you have two methods to choose from based on your preferences and the availability of codes.
The Direct Code Entry method, which is quick and efficient, requires you to locate the correct codes for your device.
On the other hand, the Auto Code Search method is a more time-consuming but reliable option, especially if you can’t find the specific codes for your remote.
No matter which method you opt for, with patience and following the step-by-step instructions provided, you can easily program your GE Universal remote to work seamlessly with your TV, DVD player, or other devices.
Whether you have the codes or need to perform an automatic search, this post has equipped you with the knowledge to take control of your entertainment system.
So go ahead, enjoy the convenience of your GE Universal remote, and make your viewing experience more enjoyable and hassle-free.
