if you’re using IR to control the volume, then the phone remote won’t work

If you’re using HDMI-CEC to control the volume, then the phone will work.

CEC is consumer electronics control. it allows you to send commands over the HDMI cable. When enabled, it will also let your TV remote send basic navigation commands to the aTV.

ARC is audio return channel, Has nothing to do with CEC, but they’re often available together. Manufacturers call it different things (simplink and anynet are 2 examples) you’ll have to google your TV’s model and CEC to figure out what they call it. a lot of times it’s disabled by default.

Check the remotes section of the aTV’s menu, at the bottom in the volume control section, you’ll want it to say “by HDMI”

you can try unplugging and replugging both ends of the HDMI cable, which will cause your devices to handshake again, maybe something got corrupted and it forget you can do CEC. If you’re using a lower quality HDMI cable, I’d think about replacing it. Doesn’t have to be super expensive. Look for HDMI 2.1, monoprice makes good quality cables, you can order through them, or from amazon, should be under $20

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There are several cases for the Siri Remote, the one I have is big enough for an airtag behind the remote. Makes it big enough to not slip between the cushions as easliy, and if it’s really lost, I can make it ping, or use precision finding to figure out where I carried it off to.

It’s also possible a crumb or something sticky got in there.

Try blowing on it (or use some canned air) as you click the button a couple times

A paper towl with a couple drops of water might also sort it

It’s not the best choice that exists, but if your choices are between tv speakers and a pair of minis, the minis will probably be better.

If you’re buying the minis just for this, don’t, get a true sound bar. If you already have the minis, you can give them a try.

You’ll not get surround, you’ll get stereo.

You can set the minis as the default output for the aTV.

First step for pretty much any issue is reboot. Might fix it. Might not, but it’s easy.

Check main settings app. Apps then TV. Make sure those services are still connected.

Long press on the date time at the top, it pops up a menu that allows to add or remove widgets. Also allows you to pin certain ones to the top of the stack.

Go into the shortcuts app on the phone, create an automation, in the actions section search for watch, and one of the options is change face.

You can also do things with like cinema mode, set waterlock, or turn always on display on/off

Since it’s automation, you can trigger by time, place, a certain app is launched on phone, a certain wifi is joined, a focus mode is set and a few others.

Actually just looked, don’t see the watch item when making an automation, but it is in shortcuts, so you’ll need to make a shortcut that controls the watch, and then call that shortcut with an automation. It used to be available in automations, I have some made that way that still work, so it might be a bug and come back at some point.