List of alternative launchers for Android TV

by denilsonsa

For whatever reason, it's really difficult to discover alternative launchers for Android TV. Sure, you can find a couple of them, but there are so many terrible results that you will end up wasting quite some time.

Thus, I've compiled this list of alternative Android TV launchers. It's not comprehensive (I'm certain I missed some, please suggest them in comments); I'm not endorsing any particular one; and I have not tried all of them. Some are free, some are paid. Some contain ads. Some contain IAP (in-app purchases). Some require too many intrusive permissions.

My wishes for a good launcher:

  • Easy to categorize apps into folders or tags.
  • Easy to sort the list of apps inside the same folder/row/block. Maybe even keep it always sorted.
  • Support both native Android TV and sideloaded non-TV apps.
  • Display more than three items per row. (Come on! Large wide screen TV has enough room to fit more!) Bonus points for adjustable size.
  • Easy to open App Info (and Force Close) for any app.
  • Displays the current time. Bonus points for also displaying the date.
  • No ads.
  • No intrusive permissions.
  • Bonus points for open-source, also published on F-Droid .

So far, I haven't found any launcher that checks all of these points. Heck, most of them don't even get half of these.

Other tools:

Please, add other launchers to this list (post in the comments).

Dear mods, if you think this kind of content is relevant, it could be sticky or could be turned into a wiki page. (But I'm sorry I won't have time to keep it up-to-date.)

Edit 1: Added mLauncher . I swear I installed it either from Google Play or from F-droid, but now I can't find it anymore.

Edit 2: Added No Keyboard .

Edit 3: Added Selective Launcher and SimpleBox Android TV BOX and Taotlus .

Edit 4: Added Kodi .

Edit 5: Added tvQuickActions .

Edit 6: Added nielsvanvelzen/tv-launcher .

wewewi

Over 2/3 of the apps on this list are abandonware and/or complete garbage. I can't believe people are still mentioning the original Sideload Launcher by Chainfire from 2015! Oo

My only wish would be to find a decent replacement proposal with support for the channels feature that was introduced in Oreo, minus the Discover UI ads. ShieldTV has been left alone so far, thanks to Nvidia actively lobbying against the sudden apparition of ads on their SIX YEARS OLD hero device that single-handedly kept the platform relevant for so long, but it's only a matter of time before they are forced to give up, and all hell will break loose.

Anyway; as far as I'm concerned, this post will only serve to send newcomers on the wrong tracks. Instead of cataloging as many alternatives and crap as you could find (why even mention ad-ridden apps with intrusive permissions?!), you should have focused on the few decent ones, while explaining what is making them worthwhile.

Used_Comb772

stumbled upon this today https://gitlab.com/etienn01/flauncher

Thorfinn66

Leanback on Fire v1. 48 Google Leanback Launcher on steroids

https://github.com/tsynik/LeanbackLauncher

Button Mapper from the author of Sideload Channel Launcher 3

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dxidev.automate_tv

Launcher Manager by SweenWolf (The guy behind Wolf Launcher 😁)

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/app-firetv-noroot-launcher-manager-change-launcher-without-root.4176349/

TV App Repo 1.1.4

https://github.com/ITVlab/TvAppRepo

Use phone for controlling TV box. Can also launch apps.

Zank Remote - Remote for Android TV Box

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=zank.remote

Serverless Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse for PC/Phone

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.appground.blek

Serverless Bluetooth Keyboard & Mouse Premium

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.appground.blekpremium

theresadfdert

MVP !!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS HELPED PEOPLE A LOT !!!!!

Rediwed

Yeah, there are basically 0 good Android TV launcher besides the vanilla ones.

I just wish I could sideload the Shield launcher on my CCwGTV

Tel864

Thanks. I thought i went through quite a few before I gave up, but apparently I didn't. That list lists some I never knew about and I've seen some suggestions here I didn't know about, I guess I gave up too soon. I can live with the stock launcher I have on my Shield, but if ever changes to the new version I have on my CCwGTV I'll start looking again because I don't like it.

mosley93

Has anyone tried to use Kodi as a launcher?

titooo7

I'm using HALauncher on my Sony TV to get ride for google tv launcher ads.

At first I didn't like it much but after spending some minute setting up add it doesn't look that bad: https://imgur.com/a/36yeW4Y

Megabyte7637

Nice

AddendumPhysical8423

I think running a launcher on a tv is trash. Some stock launchers are trash also, but I'd rather stock than any of these. I shouldn't need to pay extra to like my home screen, I shouldn't need to see ads on my paid device, I shouldn't need to open the launcher back up each time I press home even though I set it as default. I'll just go find a way to root my tv or load a custom firmware on it instead, if I can't I'll keep studying until it is possible.

roblav96

From the developer working on the Jellyfin AndroidTV client: https://github.com/nielsvanvelzen/tv-launcher

c-j-o-m

I wrote this guide a long time ago about using Square Launcher 3. I still use it and am super happy with it.

I think it check all your demands except for open source.

You can't download directly since is not truly an Android TV, but it DOES support both TV and non TV apps and works with TV remote.

It may take some time to learn how to make it look exactly how you want, but it's not so difficult too.

CalmRecognition

Is there any TV box launcher here to rename application names?

I'm just searching a launcher which can auto-add new installed apps into a list/ or to any category, and allow me to rename them.

Thx.

imanimmigrant

do any of these have the option to have just one big button to open HDMI?

my mom's tv is a xiaomi that is set to go to HDMI on boot but every time she presses the back button accidentally she can't find her way back to HDMI and has to wait until I get home before she can watch tv again.

I tried shafa guanjia but I can't see an HDMI option in it anywhere.

Dwarphus

I need to mod Android TV (Onn UHD/4K Box) to COMPLETELY DUMB IT DOWN and make it act exactly like an OLD-SCHOOL ANTENNA-ONLY STANDARD TV whereby you turn it on and channels IMMEDIATELY display in full-screen views only and your ONLY controls are Channel and Volume +/- and ALL OTHER remote buttons are disabled, so there is no possibility of exiting the single network/channel app that's visible, no menus to be opened by chance, etc.

This is for an elderly person that has no capacity WHATSOEVER of operating anything more than power on/off, channel +/-, and volume +/-, NOTHING MORE. (So, I'd like to disable the 4 +1 instant-/quick-launch remote control buttons, too.)

Does anyone know which launcher(s) or OS(es) might accomplish the above, or get closest to it?

THANKS FOR ANY ASSISTANCE!

nonamoe

SquareHome is also a good launcher to ATV I found.

dark_ricky

Top tv launcher requires bit of tinkering. But it's worth it

Safe_Professor_2282

There is very interesting app for button remapping https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dev.vodik7.tvquickactions

TeutonJon78

You're missing Sideload Channel Launcher 3 (and 2, I guess. He also makes a few other older launchers).

It would also be good to include "last updated" info. All but 2 of the launchers haven't been updated in years (Sideload Channel Launcher 3 and FLauncher).

Heavensonfire82

I'm using flauncher on CCWGTV. Is there any chance of getting the ambient mode back, like on Stock Launcher? Also have Button Mapper, but cannot find a way to activate ambient mode manually. Thx for your support.

tabularasaeffect23

Launchy launcher is my fav for sure. It lacks thr ability to order my favorites though which is definitely the one feature it could use. Thanks for posting this!

Dxsty98

Wow... This... This is bad

Bachihani

Action launcher should tick all the boxes