For those of you who still use ES File Explorer on your Android TV device, some helpful advice to maintain sanity...

by nyteryder79

This is the last version of ES File Explorer that has mostly intuitive remote control navigation on Android TV and the least amount of bloat:

Just remember to disable auto updates in Google Play, otherwise you'll be back up to the crappy bloated version with horrible Android TV remote control navigation.

To install:

  • Download this apk
  • Copy to a flash drive
  • Plug flash drive into your Android TV device
  • Optional - Backup your ES File Explorer settings
  • Uninstall the currently installed version
  • Install this one
  • Start up Google Play
  • Go to Settings
  • Turn off automatic application updates

I'll probably be using this one until Solid Explorer comes to Android TV, which hopefully won't be too much longer .

EDIT: /u/sircod made a brilliant suggestion here . He found a re-signed version of the version of ES I mentioned above. By installing this one instead, Google Play will no longer attempt to update ES. This way you can still auto update all of your other apps while keeping this specific version of ES!

Zelius

I switched to AnExplorer Pro in the meantime. It's a paid app and doesn't support network shares, but at least it works decently with the remote and allows for automatic updates.

jss1234

I use total commander. Its free and Amazing. There's a plugin for smb shares

Andrroid

Thanks m8er

rovaals

I have a mouse paired to my nexus player. I need it for the TMN Go app anyways. But i wish i could get as much features in another file explorer. SMB and Google Drive access are important to my setup.

proxicent

So tragic how they've ruined this once-great app.

inkubux

I switched to total commander, on the TV controls are just perfect. The Smb plugin is a bit hard to setup but it works really well when it's all setup.

sircod

You can also install a resigned version so that the Play store won't update it.