Setting Up Your GE Remote

Because GE offers so many different types of universal remote controls, you could have a large one, a slender one, or even one that flips open and closed like a cell phone. Fortunately, the steps to program a GE universal remote are the same for almost every model.

When you program a GE universal remote, you should program it for one device at a time. Follow the steps through to completion to program the GE remote for your television, and then go back and program the universal remote for your DVD player, and so on.

To begin, manually turn on the first device. Press and hold the Setup or Code Search button on the GE remote (the button name will vary on different remote models.)

Once the universal remote's indicator light is illuminated, release the button. Press the button for the device for which you want to program the universal remote (such as TV or Cable.) Hold this button in until the universal remote's indicator light flashes and then remains lit. Enter the code for the device using the number buttons on the GE remote.

The indicator light on the universal remote should turn off as soon as you finish entering the code. Point the universal remote towards the device you programmed and press the power button. If the device does not turn off, the GE remote was not programmed to work with it. Repeat the steps with the next code number from the list that matches your devices. If your device name is not listed in the GE universal remote code list, or if none of the codes program the remote, try programming it with the Code Search function.

Make sure the device for which you want to program the remote is turned on, and that the GE universal remote has good working batteries in it. Batteries that are weak may keep the universal remote from being programmed. Press and hold the Setup or Code Search button.

Again, the name of the button will vary between GE universal remote models. Once the indicator light is lit, you can stop pressing the button. Press the button with the name of the device for which you want to program the GE universal remote (such as TV or DVD) and release it immediately. The indicator light should flash a time or two and then simply stay lit.

All you have to do now is point the GE universal remote at the device you selected, press the Power button and release it.

The catch is that if the device does not turn off, you must wait at least two seconds and try again. The GE universal remote will attempt to program the right code for the device, cycling through all of its built-in codes. This can take up to 250 attempts.

When the universal remote (finally) catches the right code and is programmed, the device will power off. Once this happens, press the Enter or Save button on the GE remote to complete the programming process.