On May 23, Warner Bros. transitioned HBO Max into Max. However, the recent transition has not been easy for users as they have faced various problems in the process.
Some have had difficulties signing in on the newly released app or watching their favorite content in Dolby Vision or 4K HDR quality.
Now, users are unable to quickly launch the app via their TV remote.
HBO Max button on Android TV remote not working after Max rebrand
According to reports (1,2,3,4,5,6,7), multiple Android TV owners are unable to open the Max app by pressing the HBO Max button on their remote.
This is happening as the button on the remote is mapped specifically to open the old app. And the developers have not yet released an update that will fix the glitch and allow users to easily launch the new one.
Understandably, this is quite frustrating for users as they now have to manually select the app from the app list on the TV’s launcher. Some are even worried that whether or not the company will fix this issue.
Was confused why the HBO max app wasn’t working on my LG C2 this morning, said wasn’t available in my area. What a dumb update by HBO.
Source
I have a Sony Google tv and the Sony remote’s app buttons can’t be changed with out affecting all the other app buttons.
Source
Users have even questioned the point of releasing a completely new app when the developers could have simply updated the API of the old one.
However, you need not worry as streaming companies generally pay a good sum of money to get a dedicated button on any brand’s TV remote.
And they will not let their investments go in vain, so you can probably expect an update containing the fix soon.
Potential workaround
Luckily, we have come across a workaround that will allow you to use the dedicated button like before. It is recommended that you install the Button Mapper app to manually change the buttons.
However, it is worth noting that without root access, the app won’t let you remap the four bottom buttons on the older Onn TV Box remote. But to do the same on the new Onn TV Box, you don’t need to have root access.
In the meantime, we will keep tabs on the issue with HBO Max button on Android TV remote not working after the recent transition to Max and update this article.
Note: We have more such stories in our dedicated HBO Section. So make sure that you follow them as well.
Featured image source: Max.
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