Master your Android TV with these 25 tips

While it may not have the name recognition of Roku or Fire TV, Google’s Android TV has become a major player in streaming.

Google says its operating system now runs on more than 110 million devices. Those include smart TVs from Sony, TCL, and Hisense, along with streaming players such as the Nvidia Shield TV, TiVo Stream 4K, and the Walmart Onn Streaming Device.

Yet I’d wager most users aren’t taking full advantage of their Android TV devices, as many of the platform’s best features are tucked ever-so-slightly out of sight. This guide will help you make the most of your Android TV device with faster ways to navigate, find things to watch, and customize your entertainment setup:

What’s Android TV?

Just to be clear, this guide covers devices that run Android TV, which is somewhat separate from devices that run Google TV (such as the latest Chromecast). While Android TV and Google TV have the same underlying operating system, support the same apps, and share many of the same features, they also have different home screens and settings menus. (We have a separate list of tips for Google TV in particular.)

Not sure which device you have? If your home screen has a “Live” tab at the top, or a “Top picks for you” row that appears above your main app list, that’s Google TV. If you instead see a list of favorite apps, followed by separate rows of content for each app, that’s Android TV.

Arrange your Android TV home screen

Set up your favorites: Putting your favorite apps into the top home screen row can be huge time saver, well worth the minute or two of setup it requires:

• To add new apps to the list, scroll to the end of the row and hit the + button.
• To move or remove an app, long-press the select button.

Add “Channel” rows: One of Android TV’s best features is the ability to browse content from different apps straight from the home screen. Even better, you can customize these rows to only show the apps you care about most:

• Scroll to the bottom of the home screen and select “Choose channels.”
• From the sidebar menu, toggle the recommendations you want to see on the home screen. (Note that some apps offer separate rows for movies, TV shows, and featured content.)

Rearrange “Channel” rows: Once you’ve selected your home screen rows, reposition them by scrolling to the left of any row, then hitting the “Move” button. (You can also quickly delete rows by scrolling over to the “Remove” button.)

Add or remove “Play Next” items: Certain apps on Android TV will automatically add movies or shows to the “Play Next” row on the home screen as you watch them, but you can also manage this list automatically:

• Remove items by long-pressing and selecting “Remove from Play Next.”
• Add items from any channel row by long-pressing and selecting “Add to play next.”
• Remove the Play Next row entirely from the “Choose channels” menu (described above).

Install apps remotely: Instead of navigating the Google Play store on your TV, you can send apps to your Android TV device from any web browser. Just head to the Google Play Store, search for an app, and on the app listing page, select “Install.” Choose your Android TV device from the list, and the app will show up on your TV moments later.

Navigate Android TV faster

Use voice control: With Google Assistant on Android TV, you can quickly search for content, launch movies or shows, and tune to specific live channels. Try hitting the voice button on your remote and using the following commands:

• “Watch [show name] on [streaming service]”
• Tune to “[live channel name].” (Works with YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Philo.)
• “Show me comedy movies from the 80s.”
• “Show me comedies on [streaming service].”
• “Show me movies with [actor/director name].”
• “Launch [app name].”
• “Fast forward three minutes.”
• “What should I watch?”

View your apps list: Depending on your Android TV version, you pull up the full apps list by either scrolling to the “Apps” tab or clicking the “All Apps” button from your favorites row. With some Android TV remotes, you can also long-press the home button to view the full apps list.

If those options aren’t efficient enough, install ATV Launcher and add it to the front of your favorite apps row. That way, you can access all your apps with just a click.

Quick app switching (Shield TV only): Double-tap your remote’s home button to bring up a recent apps list. Remove apps from this list by scrolling down to the “X” button beneath each one.

Cast from your phone: All Android TV devices have Chromecast built-in, so you can launch videos and music from your phone, tablet, or browser. Just tap the Cast icon in supported apps—pretty much every major streaming service supports this—then select your Android TV device from the playback menu.

Connect a smart speaker: With a Google or Nest smart speaker, you can also control your Android TV device hands-free. Try saying, “Hey Google, watch [show name].” Then, use commands like “Hey Google, pause,” or “Hey Google, rewind.”

If you’re having trouble with this, try adding “on [streaming device name]” to your voice command. You can also use the Google Home app for iOS or Android to give your Android TV device a name that’s easy to say.

Use your phone as a remote: In the Google Home app for iOS or Android, select your Android TV device, then hit the “Remote” button. After a one-time pairing process, you’ll be able to control your TV through a virtual remote on your phone.

Set up your watchlist on Android TV

Many Android TV devices now include a section called “Discover,” where you can find new shows to watch and add them to your watchlist. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Add recommendations to the watchlist: Select any show in the Discover tab, then select “Watchlist.” Or, long-press any show and select “Add to watchlist.”

Add from the web: Strangely, you can’t add shows from search results to the watchlist on Android TV. But if you search on Google in your web browser, you can select “Want to watch,” and they’ll appear in your Android TV watchlist.

Add from mobile: Using the Google TV app for iOS or Android, you can look up movies or shows and add them to your watchlist.

Get better recommendations: To make the Discover section more relevant, find the “Improve your recommendations” button, which should appear in the “Top picks for you” section. This will show a series of movies and shows, which you can like, dislike, or skip.

If you can’t find this option, head to Settings > Device Preferences> Home Screen, then select “Content Preferences.”

Filter your services: To control which streaming services appear in the Discover tab, scroll to the very bottom, select “Choose services.” then check or uncheck the services you want to see.

Android TV settings tweaks

Minimize Google data collection: Head to Settings > Device Preferences > Usage Diagnostics, then toggle this setting off to prevent Google from gathering data on your app usage.

Minimize tracking: Head to Settings > Device Preferences > About > Legal Information > Ads, then select “Delete advertising ID.” This won’t stop all forms of tracking, but it does cut off an easy way for apps to build a profile of your behavior.

Turn off video previews: Disable autoplay trailers on the home screen by heading to Settings > Device Preferences> Home Screen, then disabling the “Enable video previews” and “Enable video previews” toggles.

Connect Bluetooth headphones: To listen privately on Android TV through Bluetooth headphones, head to Settings > Remotes & Accessories, then select “Add Bluetooth accessories.” Set your headphones into pairing mode, then follow the on-screen prompts.

Control your A/V gear: Android TV offers lots of granular options for controlling the volume and power on your TV, soundbar, or A/V receiver. However, the location of these settings can vary by device.

First, try heading to Settings > Device Preferences > Display & Sound. From here you may see “Power Control” and “Volume Control” options, along with a “Change IR setup” feature for mapping the controls on your remote.

If you don’t see those options, try heading to Settings > Remotes & Accessories, then selecting your remote control. From here you may see options to change your TV and Audio setup.

Manage your storage: If your Android TV device starts running out of storage, clear up space by heading to Settings > Apps > See All Apps. This will show a list of all installed apps along with the amount of disk space they’re using, so you can easily identify storage hogs. Select any app from this list, then select “Uninstall” to remove it.

Extra Android TV customizations

Set up a Google Photos slideshow: If you’re a Google Photos user, your Android TV device can automatically show personal photos in screensaver mode.

In the Google Home app for iOS or Android, select your Android TV device, hit the gear icon, and select Ambient Mode > Google Photos. Now, select an album, or choose “Select family & friends” to pick specific people that you want to see.

Remap remote buttons: For advanced Android TV users, Button Mapper is a must-have app, allowing you to customize your remote control with alternative actions and shortcuts. Use it to launch a specific app by long-pressing the back button, or to use your remote’s Netflix button to launch a different app instead.

Launch unoptimized apps: Apps that aren’t optimized for Android TV won’t appear on your home screen if you try to sideload them. That’s where a third-party app called Launcher, comes in handy, as it’ll list any apps you’ve installed that are excluded from the home screen. You can then add Launcher to your favorite apps list for even faster access.

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