psatt67 wrote:
I have used an Apple Remote with my mid-2012 MacBook Pro for a long time, usually to run PowerPoint shows without needing to stay by the keyboard.
Last year, however, the Apple Remote stopped working. I am still able to pair and unpair the remote and the laptop -- but aside from the ability to "pair," it cannot do anything else (like forward a slide).
Assuming the problem was with the remote, I bought a new one. But the new remote has the same problem: you can pair it with the machine -- so I assume the infrared is working -- but nothing beyond that.
This problem did not go away when I recently changed from OS10.14 to OS 10.15.7.
The Apple remote has been deprecated as far as I remember...this was done as security advances on the machines.
Maybe the change was 10.14 to 10.15 ...(?)
—Infrared Receiver Control in Catalina
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251093685
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT200131
Certainly not there on my 16"MBP macOS 11.1
You can restore form back if mission critical to your work.
You can try and verify if you have the preference—
infrared Apple Remote with macOS is
> System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General> then unlock the padlock, and then look under Advanced.
If the hardware and software supports the IR remote, then you'll see a checkbox to enable/disable the IR remote, and a button to pair an IR remote.
Restore your Mac from a backup
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203981
submit Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback