Yamaha AV CONTROLLER App Not Finding Receiver? (Quick Fix)

Yamaha AV CONTROLLER app not finding receiver, and you have no idea where to start?

Well, in most cases, the network environment is the main culprit for preventing Yamaha’s AV CONTROLLER app from finding your receiver. 

We’ve prepared a variety of troubleshooting steps to walk you through:

For a thorough walkthrough, proceed with the expert guide below!

How to Fix Yamaha AV CONTROLLER App Not Finding Receiver?

Tip: Have you tried performing a power cycle on the Yamaha receiver by disconnecting it from the power supply for 1–2 minutes?

1. Pair with the Same Wi-Fi as the AVR

The first step is to ensure both your mobile device and the Yamaha receiver are on the same network and Wi-Fi thread.

This can be particularly discerning for Yamaha users who utilize a dual-band Wi-Fi router, as pairing the devices separately could lead to connection interference. 

So, let’s start by checking your Yamaha receiver’s Wi-Fi first!

• To check the Wi-Fi on your Yamaha receiver, go to “Network” → “Network Connection” → “Enter” and check if you will be prompted to connect.
• To check the Wi-Fi on most smartphones, go to “Settings” → “Wi-Fi” or “Settings” → “Wireless.”

Instead of changing the network of your Yamaha receiver, we recommend switching the Wi-Fi of your smartphone where the AVR CONTROLLER app is installed.

This takes less than 15 seconds, and when your smartphone is on the receiver’s network, try to discover it in the app.

2. Check for Multi-Router Interference

One of the most common causes for the Yamaha app’s inability to find receiver problems is multi-router interference.

If more than one router, gateway, or modem is active in your household and your smart device is set as the secondary router, the Yamaha app may be unable to undergo setup.

Here’s how to deal with multi-router interference!

Method #1 Disconnect the Secondary Router

If none of your necessary devices are connected to the second router, we recommend temporarily turning the device to “OFF” or unplugging it from the power.

This way, you will be able to connect the AV app without added interference from an extra network.

Note: Do not reconnect the router until the AV CONTROLLER app successfully pairs!

Method #2 Set Second Router in “Bridge” Mode

So, an alternative is to set the secondary router to access point mode by enabling the “Bridge” function in the wireless settings.

This way the network will temporarily become unavailable, and you can prevent it from congesting with your primary router.

Note: You will be prompted to complete extra configurations for the router’s “Bridge” mode!

3. Disable Yamaha’s “MAC Address Filter”

Setting the MAC address filtering of your Yamaha receiver to “On” allows only select devices with particular MAC addresses to connect.

If your smartphone, where the AV app is installed does not exist in the whitelist, the receiver will not be found during the setup.

• To adjust the MAC address filter on your Yamaha receiver, go to “Network” -_> “MAC Address Filter” → “Filter” → “Off.”

The feature is set to “Off” by default, but enabling it by any means must be justified.

As long as the filtering is active, your Yamaha receiver may not be able to connect with any of your devices, including the ones you may cast music or audio from.

4. Update the AV CONTROLLER app Version

Another reason why the Yamaha AV CONTROLLER app not finding receiver is because of an outdated version.

As you probably know, the Yamaha receiver and the AV CONTROLLER app, require the most current operating version in order to synchronize.

So, let’s start with updating the app on Android devices first!

4.1 How to Update AV CONTROLLER app on Android?

1. Open the Google Play Store on your Android smartphone.
2. Tap on your profile icon and go to “Manage Installed Apps.”
3. Now, find the Yamaha AV CONTROLLER app in the section.
4. Click the “Check for Updates” button next to the application.

4.2 How to Update AV CONTROLLER app on iPhone?

1. Navigate to the App Store and tap the “My Account” button.
2. Next, scroll down to “Pending updates and release notes.”
3. Locate the Yamaha AV CONTROLLER app within the listings.
4. Tap the “Update” button next to the app to initiate the process.

Note: Verify the phone has established a secure internet connection before starting the update!

5. Grant Yamaha App’s Network Permissions

Not granting the Yamaha AV CONTROLLER app full permission over your phone’s network may prevent it from locating the receiver during setup. 

You can manually configure the network permissions of a select app on both Android and iOS, so it’s important to ensure that the CONTROLLER app has full access.

Let’s start with a permissions lookup on the Android OS!

5.1 How to Check App Permissions On Android?

1. Go to “Settings” and navigate to the “Apps” section.
2. Tap on the AV CONTROLLER app from the menu.
3. Tap “Permissions” and scroll downward on the page.
4. Ensure all permissions of the applications are enabled.

5.2 How to Check App Permissions On iPhone?

1. Open the “Settings” app and go to “Privacy & Security.”
2. Scroll to the “Local Network” field in the settings menu.
3. Next, search for the AV CONTROLLER app on the page.
4. Ensure the local network access for the app is set to “On.”

Notice: Ensure you’ve saved the settings changes before exiting the permissions tab!

6. Reset your Smartphone’s Network Settings

The Yamaha app’s connection capability is linked with the network settings of the smartphone, so restoring them to default values may be an effective solution.

However, your phone will lose all saved Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, and VPN/APN data, including all your connection profiles.

• To network reset an Android, go to “Settings” → “System” → “Reset options” → “Network Reset” → “Confirm.”

• To network reset an iPhone, go to “Settings” → “General” → “Reset” → “Reset Network Settings.”

Note: Once the network reset is finalized, your smartphone will likely reboot and prompt you to reestablish the internet connection.

7. Restore the Receiver to Factory Defaults

There’s a strong possibility that the AV CONTROLLER app is unable to find the receiver due to an underlying issue with the system settings or network configuration.

So, if none of the steps so far had any effect against the fault, we advise a clean factory reset on the Yamaha receiver.

Here’s a thorough step-by-step guide on how to factory reset the Yamaha AVR:

1. Power off the receiver in order to access Standby mode.
2. Hold the “Straight” button and proceed to press “Power.”
3. While holding “Straight,” press the “Right Program Arrow.”
4. Release all buttons once “INIT-CANCEL” shows on the AVR.
5. Keep pressing “Straight” until “INIT-ALL” is on the display.
6. Wait until the receiver finalizes the factory reset and then test.

Note: It takes the Yamaha receiver approximately 60 seconds to perform the factory reset, so cease all interactions during that time period of initiation.