To reduce promotions on an Android TV or Google TV home screen, use a launcher or package cleanup such as TV Detox. Ads inside streaming apps are a separate issue: changing the home screen does not establish that those ads will disappear. TV Detox uses Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which lets a computer communicate with an Android device, and its instructions include safeguards for changing TV packages.

Choose an approach based on where the ads appear

ApproachWhat it addressesDocumented limit
TV Detox cleanup and launcherSelected preinstalled packages and the TV home screenTV Detox warns that disabling Google TV’s home screen has caused some TVs to restart continuously.
AdGuard for Android TVAds in apps and browsers, including banners and pop-upsAdGuard says it cannot block YouTube ads. The app requires a license.

A replacement launcher can change what appears when you open the TV’s home screen. It does not, by itself, filter ads inside streaming apps. AdGuard describes a separate filtering approach for apps and browsers, with a specific exception for YouTube.

Set up TV Detox carefully

You need a computer and a TV on the same local network, plus access to Developer options and USB or wireless debugging. Menu names vary by device. Newer Google TV and Chromecast devices may require wireless pairing and a pairing code.

  1. Connect the TV and computer to the same local network. TV Detox uses the connection to communicate with the TV through ADB.
  2. Enable Developer options and USB or wireless debugging on the TV. Use the debugging method that fits your setup.
  3. Follow TV Detox’s setup instructions and review the proposed package list before making changes. Its instructions call for an explanation of the risks and confirmation for each change.
  4. Keep an undo list and disable only the packages you have reviewed. TV Detox describes its cleanup as disabling apps rather than deleting them and includes undo steps.
  5. Leave the stock Google TV home screen enabled. TV Detox keeps it enabled by default. The project warns that disabling it has caused some TVs to restart continuously; some affected devices required a factory reset.
  6. Turn off USB, network, and wireless debugging when setup is complete. TV Detox warns that other devices on the local network may ask to control the TV while debugging is enabled.

TV Detox says it has tested the project on Android TV 9, 11, and 12, and Google TV 14. That is the project’s stated testing scope, not a guarantee for every TV model running those versions.

After making changes, return to the home screen and check that the TV loads the launcher you chose and that the apps and controls you rely on still work. Keep the undo information available in case you need to reverse a package change.

Treat memory figures as device-specific

tv-home reports that disabling 25 packages on a TCL Google TV with 2 GB of RAM changed home-screen memory use from 192 MB to 83 MB. In a separate test, TV Detox reports free memory changing from about 660 MB to about 1 GB on a TCL Smart TV Pro running Google TV/Android 14 with 2.3 GB of RAM. The first reading followed 15 days of uptime, and TV Detox says restarting accounts for part of the difference. These are separate project-reported observations, with different devices and memory measures.

What AdGuard filters

AdGuard for Android TV says its app filters ads in apps and browsers, including banners and pop-ups. It also states that it cannot block YouTube ads, and that the TV app requires a license.