Disable the Apple Remote Control
The Apple Remote Control used to be bundled with all new Macs, but unless the remote is paired specifically to your Mac a single remote can control multiple Macs at the same time. This is annoying if you’re trying to control a single Mac with the remote and suddenly FrontRow is activated on all other infrared capable Mac OS X machines in the room.
There’s two solutions to this problem, one is to pair the remote to a machine, and the other is to disable the Apple Remote Control from activating a Mac completely.
Turn Off the Mac Remote Control
This will disable any remote control from working in Mac OS X:
- Launch System Preferences
- Click on the “Security” control panel
- Click on the lock icon in the lower left corner and enter your Admin password
- Select the checkbox next to “Disable remote control infrared receiver”
- Close System Preferences
As you can see in the screenshot below, you can also select to “Pair” the remote which will cause only the paired remote to work with its paired Mac, but I think it’s easier to just disable the IR receiver on Macs where you don’t use the remote. I get the feeling not many Mac users use the remote controls anyway, which is probably why Apple stopped bundling them with new Mac purchases.
Check out some more Mac tips and tricks too.
I think I seriously have about 10 of these remotes laying around. I’ve never found a good use for them but for years Apple would include one with a system so they just kept piling up with each new hardware upgrade.
Any ideas on putting them to use would be appreciated.
The remotes are actually a potential security risk, I’m in IT and we disable this on every new Mac that comes through the door. Anything that can launch programs without strict user approval needs to be turned off, period.
@Chuck – other than playing media at home I don’t see a purpose for the remotes at all.
Why would I want to disable this? Any advantage?
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And how you unpair it in Lion, i’d updated to 10.7 and that check box isn’t there :S
In Lion 10.7.x you have to click the “Advanced” button at the bottom of the Security prefpanel.