Samsung TV owners can restore remote control over connected devices with one Anynet+ setting
Engadget guidance explains that Samsung's Anynet+, the company's name for HDMI-CEC, lets a TV remote control soundbars, consoles and streaming boxes. The setting is usually on by default but is easy to switch off by accident.
HDMI-CEC, or Consumer Electronics Control, lets compatible devices send control signals over an HDMI cable. Audio and video still travel over HDMI; CEC is a separate feature carried on the same connection. In practice it lets a Samsung remote control another device, and it lets turning on a streaming box wake the television and switch it to the right input. Samsung says most of its smart TVs built after 2008 support the function. Anynet+ is typically enabled by default on newer sets, which is why many owners have never had to look for it, and also why it can be switched off by accident while browsing the settings menu.
To check the TV side, press the Home button on the remote and go to Settings, then All Settings, then Connection, then External Device Manager, and confirm Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) is turned on. Models without a Connection menu place the same option under Settings, General, External Device Manager. Samsung has moved the setting between menus over the years, so owners who cannot find it are directed to the set's manual or support page.
The device at the other end of the cable has to cooperate as well. It must support HDMI-CEC, and if it has its own CEC switch, that has to be on too. Manufacturers never agreed on a single name for the feature: LG calls it SIMPLINK, Sony calls it BRAVIA Sync or Control for HDMI, and consoles and streaming players use other labels. On a PlayStation 5, for example, the option sits under Settings, System, HDMI, Enable HDMI Device Link. For CEC to work, Samsung says the connected device must be powered on or in standby, and the initial handshake can take up to two minutes.
Once the connection is established, the TV remote can control the attached device, inputs switch automatically, and turning the device off or putting it to sleep also turns off the TV. Engadget's guidance says leaving CEC on is usually the better choice, because it makes a group of devices behave like one system and cuts down on remote juggling.
There are trade-offs. Samsung says its TVs switch to an HDMI source by default when a connected device reports that it has turned on, so a faulty or unexpected CEC command can change inputs without warning. A television that powers up by itself, keeps jumping to another HDMI device or suddenly stops controlling a unit are all reasons to check CEC on both ends, then reseat or replace the HDMI cable, restart the hardware and install available firmware updates. Owners may also want to disable the feature on devices that should not be shut down by accident, such as a console in the middle of a ranked match. Compatibility is not consistent across brands, and Anynet+ can control up to 12 compatible devices, including up to three of the same type, but only one home theater system.
One caveat matters for anyone using a soundbar or AV receiver: HDMI eARC only works when Anynet+ is enabled, so turning CEC off to stop annoying input switching can leave the user troubleshooting a different audio problem.