How to change your Google TV home screen
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Google TV (until recently called Android TV) used to be pretty clean. It had apps lined up and a few recommended videos, but very little else. Not anymore.
The platform’s home screen features ad shows about services you may not have subscribed to, as well as a large featured section with algorithmically curated recommendations and trailers. There’s also a small row of apps in the middle of everything that can make it difficult to find what you’re actually looking for.
If you’ve fallen victim to Google TV’s redesign, know that downloading the launcher can clear up the confusion. These apps act like paint for your operating system, changing their appearance while still retaining their actual functionality.
The only caveat with this approach is that you have to open the app every time you turn on your TV, as third-party launchers aren’t the system default. You can remap the ‘s remote control to assign unused buttons to quickly invoke the launcher.
There are several options available for download in the Google Play Store. These are our favourites.
FLauncher is completely free and open source, so there are no ads. This is probably the most feature-packed launcher we’ve found and the first launcher on this list. can be moved, hidden, or completely uninstalled.
[Related: How to make Android look like iOS]
You can also create custom categories to organize your apps. For example, you can keep sports services in one list, TV and movie services in another list, and system utilities at the bottom.
There are some other cool features like shortcuts to system settings and the ability to choose wallpapers from a built-in gallery or set from a USB drive. FLauncher doesn’t look very nice, but it has all the features you need and you’ll never need to see the default home screen again.
The name is a little silly. They might have called it “Launchy McLaunchface.” But don’t let that let you down, because this free and very minimalist launcher gets the job done. Tools cannot be reordered or removed from the list.
The main customization you’ll get with Launchy Launcher is the ability to add a wallpaper by choosing one of your own pictures using a USB drive or browsing our free image collection. This app may seem too basic, but you can make it look great with just a few button presses.
Granted, Launchy Launcher doesn’t offer enough customization options for everyone, but it’s good enough for some. After all, some people just want a list of apps.
The dashboard is an overlay, a different approach than the other apps on this list. Of course, it won’t replace your home screen, but it will allow you to open one app without closing the other, so you may never need to use another launcher again.
Basically, holding down the home button brings up the dashboard on top of what you’re looking at. That way you can browse the app without stopping playback. You’ll see your recent apps at the top, and a grid of apps at the bottom that you can sort however you like.
It also provides quick access to the HDMI port and other inputs, TV display settings, and a button to activate the TV screensaver. Finally, and more interestingly, we can see the IP address of the device. This is useful when troubleshooting network issues.
If you like the retro look of your Android TV, this is the one for you. Basic TV Launcher is exactly what the name suggests, it just offers a row of apps with a search bar at the top.
Not much else. You can mark certain apps as favorites and access system settings via a dedicated button. But that’s about it. The real draw here is the nostalgia and the user interface designed to be as simple as possible.
This makes Kodi a very good and unconventional launcher. Especially if you’re already using it to watch TV shows and movies stored locally on your hard drive, for example.
It helps that Kodi is also highly customizable.For example, the list of skins you can download and work with is endless. And you can obsessively tweak everything about how your application works: color schemes, visible and hidden features, and even user interface sounds.
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