An ad-free Android TV
This guide provides instructions on how to remove advertisements from Android TV devices by disabling the default Google TV launcher. It suggests using ADB commands to replace the stock interface with third-party alternatives like Projectivy.
Why it matters
It reflects growing consumer frustration with 'ad-supported' interfaces on smart home hardware and the desire for user-controlled software environments.
I like Android TV. It runs every app I care about, it’s cheap on a Chromecast , and it’s built into plenty of TVs. What I don’t like is ads.
Google TV, the default interface on most Android TV devices, puts a large banner at the top of the home screen promoting whatever Google wants you to watch next. Apps only mode is supposed to strip the home screen down to your apps, but the banner stays. There’s no setting to change the launcher, and YouTube adds its own ads on top.
After setting up a few devices around the house, I landed on a setup with no ads at all, and a nicer interface to go with it.
I’ve set this up on two Chromecasts with Google TV and a Hisense TV, and it should work on most Android TV devices.
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