You can make apps easier to reach without installing anything: open the Apps tab on Android TV, or customize the available home-screen rows in Settings. A third-party launcher is optional when the built-in layout is not enough, but setup and Home-button behavior vary by TV model and software version.
Find your apps with the built-in Android TV interface
On Android TV, the Apps tab lists installed apps. Use the remote’s D-pad to select the app you want. If finding apps is your main problem, start here; changing the launcher is not necessary.
Google describes the Home screen, Discover, and Apps tabs in its Android TV Home screen guide. Google TV has its own navigation and app area, so Android TV tab names and settings paths are not guaranteed to match. On Google TV, use the on-screen app area and the menu labels shown on your device.
Customize Android TV home-screen rows
On Android TV devices that offer the option, you can show or hide supported rows from the home screen:
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- Open Settings.
- Go to Device preferences > Home screen.
- Select Customize channels.
- Turn available rows on or off to change what appears on Home.
Google notes that “Not all Android TVs have these settings” in its Customize your Android TV home screen instructions. If the path is missing, your model or software may not expose those controls; do not assume another menu has the same options.
Reorder a row when your TV supports it
- On the Home tab, use the D-pad to focus the row you want to move.
- Press left twice on the D-pad and choose Reorder, if that option appears.
- Move the row to the desired position, then press the center D-pad button to confirm.
Available row controls depend on the device. Google’s home-screen instructions also say some suggested shows and movies on the Home tab cannot be turned off. Preview audio and video can be disabled in Home screen settings where that control is available.
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When a third-party launcher makes sense
Consider a replacement launcher only if the built-in Apps tab and row controls do not give you the organization you need. Android supports third-party applications that replace the device launcher at the platform level: the Android Open Source Project Compatibility Definition Document, section 3.8, describes support for apps that replace the home screen. That capability does not mean every TV exposes a universal setting for choosing a default launcher, or that every launcher works with every model.
| What to compare | Built-in home screen | Third-party launcher |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Use the Apps tab and any row controls available in the TV’s settings. | Install a compatible Home app and follow its device-specific setup instructions; the exact default-selection steps vary. |
| Compatibility | Settings and row behavior vary by model and software version. | Check support for your exact TV and software version, including whether the Home button opens the launcher. |
| App discovery | Installed apps are available from the Apps tab. | Organization depends on the features that particular launcher actually offers. |
| Recommendations and content | Some suggestions cannot be disabled; preview audio and video controls may be available. | Layout and content depend on the launcher. Do not assume it removes every ad or recommendation. |
| Recovery | Continue using the TV’s original home screen. | Before changing defaults, know how to restore the original Home app if the new one does not behave as expected. |
For example, the open-source LtvLauncher project documents its own installation and Google TV caveats, including an accessibility-based route for cases where the Home button does not open its launcher. That is specific to that project, not a general Android TV procedure. Avoid copying advanced commands or disabling system packages unless you have checked the instructions and recovery steps for your exact device; disabling a system component can disrupt TV functions.
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Choose the simplest setup that solves the problem
- Apps are hard to locate: use the built-in Apps tab first.
- Home is crowded: check whether your Android TV offers channel customization and row reordering.
- You want a different layout: investigate a third-party launcher only after confirming device compatibility, Home-button behavior, and a way back to the original launcher.
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