Test your remote control batteries using a smartphone camera

If your remote control is one the blink, you can test the batteries using the camera on your smartphone. — dpa

Is your remote broken? Or is it just that the batteries have run out? Your smartphone camera can help you answer these pressing questions.

Smartphones, in most cases, can detect infrared light. Just open the camera app and point the sensor towards the infrared diode on the remote control.

When you press a button on the remote, infrared light will appear on the smartphone screen in the form of a quivering white or purple dot.

If you don't see a flickering dot, or it is very, very dim, then you probably need to change the remote's batteries. If the dot is strong, then something else is wrong.

Warning: This doesn't work with all smartphones. If nothing happens, try switching from the main camera to the front-facing camera. — dpa