Best Big Button TV Remotes for Seniors in Australia: Simple Buying Guide
Most TV remotes have forty or fifty buttons, tiny labels, and at least a dozen keys nobody ever touches. For anyone with less than perfect eyesight or a slightly shaky hand, that is a daily nuisance, and one wrong press can leave the TV stuck on the wrong input with nobody sure how to get it back.
A big button remote fixes most of that. It has a handful of large, clearly marked keys for the things people actually use, power, volume and channels, and leaves the clutter out. This guide explains the types, names the ones you can buy in Australia, and covers the one thing that catches families out: whether the remote needs to control streaming. If you are choosing a new television too, our guide to the best smart TVs for seniors is a good place to start.
Quick answer
For most people a One For All big button universal remote is the easy choice, and it is sold widely here at JB Hi-Fi, Bunnings, Big W and on Amazon Australia. If eyesight or a shaky hand is the main issue, the EasyMote is purpose-built, with large backlit buttons and a lock so the settings cannot be changed by accident, and it is sold in Australia through Vision Australia and Big Buttons Australia. One important catch: these simple remotes control ordinary TV, volume and power, not Netflix or other streaming apps. If the person mostly streams, read the streaming note below before you buy.
How the main options compare
Find the line that matches the real problem, then match it to the kind of remote that solves it.
| The real problem | Better fit |
|---|---|
| The buttons are too small to see | A big button remote with backlight, such as the EasyMote or a One For All big button |
| Wrong buttons get pressed by mistake | A fewer-button remote that locks, such as the EasyMote or Flipper |
| The original is lost or broken | A One For All universal or replacement remote |
| The setup codes never match the TV | A learning remote that copies the old one |
| They mainly watch Netflix or other apps | Keep the streaming remote and read the streaming note below |
What matters most when choosing
Big, clear, well-spaced buttons
The whole point is buttons you can find without your glasses. Look for large keys with good spacing, so a thumb does not catch two at once, and clear high-contrast labels. A backlight is a real help for anyone who watches in a dim room of an evening.
Only the buttons they need
Fewer buttons is calmer, not poorer. Most people only use power, volume, channel up and down, and the numbers. A remote that shows just those, and hides or leaves out the rest, is far less confusing than a full handset. Some have a slide-down cover that keeps the extra keys out of sight until they are wanted.
Universal codes or a learning remote
There are two ways these remotes get set up. A universal remote is told a short code for your TV brand. A learning remote instead copies each button straight from your old remote, one at a time, which is handy when no code seems to fit. If you still have the original remote, a learning model is the surest match.
Can it be locked?
Once a remote is set up the way you want, a lock stops the settings being changed by a stray press. This is worth having if the user finds buttons confusing, or in a household where the remote gets handled by a few different people. It saves a lot of those calls that begin with the screen has gone funny.
What it actually controls
This is the part families miss. A simple big button remote controls ordinary broadcast TV, the volume and the power, and many will also handle a set-top box like Foxtel iQ or Fetch. Most do not run Netflix, ABC iview or the menus on a streaming device, because those need arrow keys and a select button. If the person mainly watches live TV, that is no loss. If they mostly stream, see the next section before buying.
The best simple and big button remotes
One For All big button universal: the easy mainstream pick
One For All is the brand most people find first, and it is easy to buy in Australia at JB Hi-Fi, Bunnings, Big W and on Amazon Australia. The big button range strips the handset back to the keys that matter, with larger buttons and a simple layout. It is a universal remote, so you set it up with a code for your TV.
May suit someone who
Wants a tidy, larger remote for everyday TV, and has a fairly common TV brand.
Things to check
It is code-based, so have your TV brand handy for setup. The plainer models are for broadcast TV rather than streaming apps.
Plain-English verdict
The safe, widely available choice for a simpler everyday remote.
EasyMote: best for low vision and a shaky hand
The EasyMote is built for exactly this job. The buttons are large, tactile and backlit, so they are easy to see and feel even in low light, and there is a wrist strap so it is less likely to be dropped or lost. Once it is set up, the settings can be locked so they cannot be changed by accident. In Australia it is sold through Vision Australia, Big Buttons Australia, the Dementia Shop and Amazon Australia, and it works with ordinary TVs as well as Foxtel iQ and Fetch boxes.
May suit someone who
Has low vision or trouble with small buttons, or anyone caring for a parent who finds standard remotes confusing.
Things to check
It is made for ordinary TV, volume and power, plus a set-top box, and does not do streaming apps, play or pause. It is bought from a specialist supplier rather than the big electronics chains.
Plain-English verdict
The most accessible option, and the one to look at first for sight or dexterity needs.
A learning remote: best when the codes will not match
Some TVs, especially older or less common ones, never seem to take a universal code. A learning remote gets around this by copying each button straight from your existing remote. You teach it once, button by button, and it then works like a simpler version of the original. You can find these on Amazon Australia and through specialists like Big Buttons Australia.
May suit someone who
Still has the original remote, and has had no luck with code-based universal ones.
Things to check
You need the working original remote to teach it. Setup takes a few minutes of copying each button across.
Plain-English verdict
The reliable answer when nothing else will pair with the TV.
Flipper: favourite channels and a slide cover
The Flipper has just six large buttons on the face, and a panel that slides down to reveal the numbers when they are needed. You can set a list of favourite channels so the user flips only through the ones they watch. It is bought online from Amazon Australia rather than the local chains.
May suit someone who
Wants the fewest buttons on show, and would benefit from a short list of favourite channels.
Things to check
It is an online order, so allow for delivery. Like the others here, it is for broadcast TV, not streaming apps.
Plain-English verdict
A clever choice for cutting the clutter right down to a few favourite channels.
If they mainly watch Netflix or other apps
A big button remote will not run streaming apps, because moving around Netflix or ABC iview needs arrow keys and a select button that these simple remotes leave out. If the person mostly streams, there are kinder fixes. The remote that came with a streaming device like a Chromecast, Apple TV or Roku is usually simpler than the TV’s own, with only a few buttons. It often helps to set the TV so it switches on straight to the streaming device, so there is no input to change. Our guide to the best streaming devices for seniors covers the easiest of these, and how to watch Netflix or YouTube on a smart TV walks through the setup.
Remote buying checklist
- Are the buttons big, well spaced, and clearly labelled, ideally backlit?
- Does it show only the buttons they actually use?
- Will it work with the TV, by code or by learning from the old remote?
- Can the setup be locked so it is not changed by accident?
- Does it need to control streaming? If so, a simple remote is not the answer.
Setting one up
- Put the batteries in. Most take two AAA, which are often not included.
- For a universal remote, enter the short code for your TV brand from the booklet, then test power and volume.
- For a learning remote, hold the old and new remotes facing each other and copy each button across, one at a time.
- Check power, volume and channels all work the way you expect.
- If the remote has a lock, turn it on so the setup stays put.
Your rights if something goes wrong
Even a small purchase like a remote is covered. Under the Australian Consumer Law, anything you buy from a shop comes with automatic consumer guarantees: it must be of acceptable quality and do what it is meant to. If a remote arrives faulty, stops working early, or never pairs with the TV as described, you are entitled to a remedy, and these guarantees apply on top of any warranty.
Your agreement is with the seller, so go back to the shop or website you bought it from, not the maker. For a minor fault they may repair or replace it; for a major failure you can ask for a refund. Keep your receipt or order email. This matters most with the specialist and online buys, where it is worth checking the returns policy before you order, especially for an older or less common TV the remote may not match.
Before you finish
Download the free Family Tech Safety Checklist to help check phone safety, passwords, scam messages, emergency contacts and medical alarm details.
Our pick overall
For most homes, a One For All big button universal remote is the easy, available choice for everyday TV. If sight or a shaky hand is the real issue, the EasyMote is the more thoughtful answer, with big backlit buttons and a lock. And if no code will pair with the TV, a learning remote that copies the old one will get there.
Final recommendation
Easy mainstream pick: One For All big button universal, from JB Hi-Fi, Bunnings, Big W or Amazon Australia. Best for low vision and shaky hands: EasyMote, from Vision Australia or Big Buttons Australia. Best when codes will not match: a learning remote that copies your old one. And remember, if streaming is the main use, keep the streaming device’s own remote instead.
Next steps
If the person streams more than they watch live TV, start with the best streaming devices for seniors and how to watch Netflix or YouTube on a smart TV. If hearing the TV is also a struggle, our guides to soundbars for clearer TV speech and wireless TV headphones may help. You can also browse the rest of our TV and entertainment guides.
Researched and checked against current Australian retailer listings.
FAQ: big button TV remotes
Will a big button remote work with my TV?
Most do, either by entering a short code for your TV brand or by copying your existing remote button by button. Very old or unusual TVs are where a learning remote, which copies the old one, is the safer bet.
Can it control Netflix and other streaming apps?
Generally no. Simple big button remotes handle ordinary TV, volume and power, and often a set-top box. Moving around streaming apps needs arrow keys and a select button, so for streaming you are better keeping the remote that came with the streaming device.
What is the difference between universal and learning remotes?
A universal remote is set up with a code for your TV brand. A learning remote copies each button straight from your old remote. If you still have the original and codes have not worked, a learning remote is the surer match.
Can I stop the settings being changed by accident?
Yes, on remotes that have a lock. Once it is set up, locking it keeps a stray press from changing anything. The EasyMote and Flipper both allow this.
Where can I buy one in Australia?
One For All is sold at JB Hi-Fi, Bunnings, Big W and on Amazon Australia. The EasyMote and other accessible remotes are available from Vision Australia, Big Buttons Australia and the Dementia Shop. Flipper is ordered online from Amazon Australia.
