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On the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote, the star-marked customizable button can be assigned to a favorite TV app. Press the button, choose the app, and select Create shortcut. Later, press and hold the same button for 1–2 seconds to replace the shortcut. This feature is specific to that remote model; it is not a universal remapping option on every Google TV remote.
Check that your remote supports app shortcuts
The documented app-shortcut feature belongs to the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote, the remote supplied for Google TV Streamer (4K). Look for a button marked with a star. Google calls it the customizable button.
That button supports three shortcut categories: a favorite TV app, Google Home, or device inputs. The procedure below applies to the star-marked button, not to every physical button on every Google TV remote.
- Supported case: a Google TV Streamer Voice Remote with the star button.
- Not established by Google’s instructions: arbitrary remapping of the Home, Back, volume, or other standard buttons.
- If your remote has no star button: check the documentation for your specific Google TV device and remote. Do not assume that the Streamer shortcut menu is available.
Google describes the button this way: “The customizable button allows users the option to create a shortcut to a favorite TV app, change inputs, or open the home panel with just a click.” The wording refers to the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote, rather than to Google TV remotes generally.
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What you need before you start
There are only a few prerequisites, but each one determines whether the shortcut flow will appear:
- The right hardware: use the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote and identify the physical star button. A generic Google TV remote with no star key is not covered by this procedure.
- An app offered for your device: the app must be available through Google TV search and installation. Availability can differ by device and location.
- A completed app installation, if needed: an app can be selected only if it appears in the shortcut list. Google does not promise that every installed app will be listed.
- A short press versus a long press: a normal press activates the existing shortcut; holding the button for about 1–2 seconds opens the editing choices.
You do not need to rearrange the Google TV home screen to create the physical-button shortcut. App order and shortcut assignment are separate controls. Likewise, changing the shortcut later does not remove the previous app from the device.
Assign an app to the star-marked button
You can create the shortcut from the remote without opening a separate account page or changing a general system setting.
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- Locate the star button. Confirm that you are using the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote and identify its star-marked customizable button.
- Press the customizable button. The shortcut-selection interface opens.
- Choose the favorite-TV-app option if the interface first asks what kind of shortcut you want to create.
- Select the app. Pick the application shown in the list that you want this button to launch.
- Select “Create shortcut.” Wait for the confirmation message before leaving the screen.
- Test the assignment. Press the star button once from another screen. The assigned app should open directly.
The shortcut is an app launch action, not a change to the app’s position on the Google TV home screen. You can still arrange apps separately through Google TV’s app-management controls.
If the interface presents the shortcut categories in a different order, look for the option describing a favorite TV app. Google identifies the available categories as a favorite TV app, Google Home, and device inputs. Select the app itself before choosing Create shortcut; merely highlighting an app or leaving the picker does not complete the assignment.
How the shortcut works after setup
Once the assignment is saved, use a normal, brief press of the star button to launch the selected app. The button is a direct entry point, so you do not have to open Home and navigate across the app row first.
The shortcut does not create a second copy of the app, change your subscription, or alter the app’s own settings. It simply associates the physical key with the selected shortcut. The app remains available through Home and the app list, and you can replace the association without uninstalling anything.
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If you assign Google Home or an input instead of an app, the same star button follows that choice. Only one shortcut choice is active at a time; changing categories replaces the previous action.
Change the assigned app later
The same button can be reassigned whenever you want to use a different favorite app.
- Press and hold the star-marked customizable button for 1–2 seconds.
- Choose a new shortcut category or another favorite TV app.
- If you choose the favorite-app category, select the replacement app from the list.
- Confirm the new choice when prompted.
Google also documents a settings route when the button is being used for device inputs: All Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Set up remote buttons > Customizable button. From there, select the shortcut you want. The long-press method is the direct way to edit the assignment; the settings path is useful when you specifically need to manage an input shortcut.
Changing the shortcut does not uninstall the old app. It only changes what the physical button does. The previous app remains available from the Google TV home screen or app list unless you remove it separately.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsA long press is an edit gesture, not the way to launch the current app. If you hold the button when you intend to open the app, the shortcut-selection interface may appear instead. Release after roughly 1–2 seconds when you want to edit, and use a quick press for everyday launching.
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What to do when the app is not listed
Google’s instructions do not promise that every installed application will appear in the customizable-button picker. If the app you want is absent, first verify that it is available for your device and region.
- From Google TV, open search.
- Enter the app’s name.
- Open the matching result.
- If an install option is offered, install the app and complete any on-screen setup.
- Return to the star-button shortcut flow and check the app list again.
Google’s Google TV app-installation guidance covers searching for and installing apps. Installation alone is not a guarantee that an app will become eligible for the shortcut picker: Google does not publish an exhaustive compatibility list for this button.
- No search result: the app may not be distributed for your device or location.
- Search result but no install option: it may already be installed, may be incompatible, or may not be available in your region.
- Installed but still missing from the shortcut list: the app may not be supported by the shortcut feature; the documentation does not provide a way to force it into the picker.
Do not confuse an app’s appearance in Google TV search with eligibility for a physical-button shortcut. Those are separate availability decisions. A title can be searchable yet absent from the picker, and the official instructions provide no manual command, hidden code, or unsupported remapping step to add it.
The YouTube button is a different kind of shortcut
The remote’s dedicated YouTube-branded button does not function as a general-purpose app-remapping button. Google’s remote overview says you can press and hold that button until the installed YouTube apps appear, then select the preferred one.
- Press and hold the YouTube-branded button.
- Wait for the list of installed YouTube apps.
- Select the YouTube app you want that button to open.
This selection is limited to the YouTube apps presented by Google. It does not establish support for assigning an unrelated streaming, music, utility, or game app to that branded button. Use the star-marked customizable button when you need a favorite app outside the YouTube family.
| Button or method | What it can launch | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Star-marked customizable button | A favorite TV app, Google Home, or device inputs | You want a general favorite-app shortcut on the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote |
| YouTube-branded button | A choice among installed YouTube apps | You want to select which YouTube app the dedicated button opens |
The two buttons use different selection rules. The star button offers the broader favorite-TV-app category, while the YouTube key is tied to the YouTube apps that Google presents. Do not expect the YouTube long-press menu to show unrelated apps, and do not expect the star-button menu to provide arbitrary remapping for every other key.
Do not confuse a physical-button shortcut with home-panel buttons
The phrase “add/remove buttons” can refer to two unrelated interfaces. A Google TV Community question uses that wording for quick-access buttons on the Google TV home panel, not for assigning a physical remote key. Its answer is from a community Product Expert, so it should not be treated as the authoritative procedure for the star button.
A home-panel control changes what appears in an on-screen interface. The customizable-button procedure changes the action performed by a physical key. If your goal is to press a button on the remote and open an app immediately, follow the star-button steps in this article rather than looking for home-panel editing controls.
You can read the community discussion for context about that wording at “How to add/remove buttons”, but use Google’s official remote instructions for the hardware shortcut.
Remote compatibility, regional limits, and software differences
Google identifies the customizable star button specifically with the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote. Other Google TV devices and remotes can have different button layouts and capabilities. If your remote lacks the star marking, the absence of a shortcut menu is expected rather than evidence that you missed a setting.
Google also notes that features, services, and apps are not globally supported in the same way. Device model, country or region, and software version can affect both whether an app can be installed and whether it appears in a shortcut list. The steps remain the same on supported hardware, but the available choices can differ.
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Troubleshoot the shortcut step by step
The button does nothing
- Verify that the remote is the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote and that you are pressing the star-marked button, not a similarly shaped key.
- Press the button once from a normal Google TV screen. A long press is used for editing; a short press is used to activate the assigned shortcut.
- If there is no star button on the remote, the documented feature may not apply to your hardware.
- If you have not completed the setup flow, press the star button and select an app followed by Create shortcut; an unassigned button has no favorite app to launch.
The app opens the picker but is not present
- Search for the app on Google TV by its exact name.
- Install it if Google TV offers it for your device.
- Return to the shortcut picker and check again.
- If it remains absent, treat that as an availability or compatibility limitation. Google provides no supported method to add an unlisted app manually.
The long press does not show editing choices
- Hold the customizable button continuously for about 1–2 seconds rather than tapping it repeatedly.
- Release it when the shortcut-selection interface appears.
- For an input assignment, open All Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Set up remote buttons > Customizable button and manage the shortcut there.
- Confirm that you are holding the star-marked key. The YouTube-branded key opens its own YouTube-app selection, not the general shortcut categories.
You expected a different physical button to be configurable
Google’s documentation identifies the star-marked key as customizable and documents the YouTube key separately. It does not document general remapping of the other remote buttons. A missing remapping option is therefore not evidence that the menu is hidden; it may simply be outside the supported design.
The app or shortcut behaves differently by location
Google notes in its device-support guidance that features, services, and apps can vary by device, region, and software version. An app that is available in one country or on one Google TV device may not be offered on another. Apply that qualification both to app installation and to the shortcut list.
Examples of useful assignments
A frequently used streaming app
Choose the favorite-TV-app shortcut, select the streaming app shown in the list, and select “Create shortcut.” A short press of the star button then takes you directly to that app instead of requiring navigation through Home and the app row.
Google Home controls
If you prefer device control rather than app launching, the customizable button can be assigned to Google Home instead. Choose Google Home from the shortcut categories during setup or while editing the assignment.
A television or receiver input
The same button can be used for device inputs. Select the input shortcut category, then choose the available input. If you later need to edit that assignment through the system menu, use All Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Set up remote buttons > Customizable button.
Buying a different remote: when it matters
The Google TV Streamer Voice Remote is the physical product Google identifies for this customizable-button workflow. If you already have that remote and can see the star key, no replacement purchase is needed to create an app shortcut. If your current remote has no star button, first check its own device documentation; the existence of a different Google TV remote does not establish that it supports the same feature.
Hardware alone cannot make an unavailable app appear in the picker. App distribution, device compatibility, region, and software version still control what Google TV offers. Treat a replacement remote as a hardware-compatibility decision, not as a guarantee that every app can be assigned.
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- It does not turn every Google TV remote button into a user-defined key.
- It does not guarantee support for every app installed on Google TV.
- It does not make the YouTube-branded button launch arbitrary apps.
- It does not make a home-panel quick-access control equivalent to a physical remote shortcut.
- It does not override regional, device, or software-version availability limits.
- It does not uninstall, move, duplicate, or otherwise change the selected app; it only assigns the button action.
If your current remote lacks the star-marked customizable button, the documented app-shortcut workflow is not available on that hardware. The Google TV Streamer Voice Remote is the relevant model identified by Google; buying different hardware is not necessary when you already own that supported remote.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Quick reference
| Goal | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Assign an app | Press the star button, choose the favorite TV app, select the app, then choose “Create shortcut” | The star button opens the selected app |
| Replace the assignment | Press and hold the star button for 1–2 seconds and choose another shortcut | The button uses the new app, Google Home, or input choice |
| Manage an input shortcut | All Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Set up remote buttons > Customizable button | Input-related shortcut settings open |
| Choose a YouTube app | Press and hold the YouTube button, then select an installed YouTube app | The dedicated button opens the selected YouTube app |
| Find an unavailable app | Search Google TV and install it if offered, then revisit the picker | Availability is checked; listing is still not guaranteed |
Frequently asked questions
Can I assign Netflix, a music app, or another non-YouTube app?
Yes, if the app appears in the favorite-TV-app list for your Google TV Streamer Voice Remote. Select it and choose “Create shortcut.” Google does not guarantee that every installed app will appear, so installation and listing are separate checks.
Can I remap the Home or Back button?
Google’s documented instructions cover the star-marked customizable button and separately describe the YouTube button. They do not establish arbitrary remapping for Home, Back, volume, voice, or other standard keys.
Can the star button open Google Home instead of an app?
Yes. Google lists Google Home as one of the shortcut categories. Press and hold the star button to edit the assignment, then choose Google Home.
How do I restore an app I replaced?
Press and hold the star button for 1–2 seconds, choose the favorite-TV-app category, select the previous app if it is listed, and confirm. Reassigning the button does not uninstall the app.
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Why does my YouTube button not show my streaming apps?
The YouTube-branded key is limited to the installed YouTube apps that Google presents. Use the star-marked customizable button for a favorite app outside the YouTube family.
Is this the same as adding buttons to the Google TV home panel?
No. Home-panel quick-access controls are on-screen interface elements. The star-button shortcut changes what a physical remote key does.
Will installing an app make it appear in the shortcut picker?
It may allow you to check again, but Google does not promise that every installed app is eligible. If the app remains absent, there is no documented supported method to force it into the list.
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Do I need to buy the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote?
Not if you already use the supported remote with its star button. If your current remote lacks that button, check the documentation for your own hardware; another remote is not guaranteed to provide the same shortcut feature.
Official instructions
- Set up the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote customizable button
- Meet Google TV Streamer Voice Remote
- Install apps on Google TV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I assign any app to the star button?
You can assign a favorite TV app that appears in the shortcut picker. Google does not guarantee that every installed app will be listed.
Which Google TV remotes support this?
Google documents the feature for the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote, identified by its star-marked customizable button. It is not established for every Google TV remote.
How do I change the shortcut?
Press and hold the star button for 1–2 seconds, then select another app or shortcut category.
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Google documents that button for choosing among installed YouTube apps, not for arbitrary app remapping.
What if my app is missing?
Search for it on Google TV and install it if offered, then check the picker again. Installation still does not guarantee eligibility.
Is this different from home-panel buttons?
Yes. Home-panel buttons are on-screen controls; the star shortcut assigns an action to a physical remote button.
The Bottom Line
Use the star-marked customizable button on the Google TV Streamer Voice Remote: press it, choose a favorite TV app, and select Create shortcut. Press and hold it for 1–2 seconds to change the assignment. The YouTube button and other Google TV remotes follow different, more limited rules.
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