The best launchers for Android TV

As with the desktop operating system, Android TV also allows you to change the interface by simply installing an app launcher, commonly known as “launchers”. Not too many available for TV and Android TV players, but enough to make a list of the best. We have chosen all the ones that are worth installing.

The Android TV interface hasn’t evolved excessively until last year, and it’s not that Google made any excessive changes to its Chromecast with Google TV beyond polishing the aesthetics and adding larger images for the headers. This interface is convenient when using the remote control, it also offers a certain level of customization on the cover grid. What else do you want ? You can always choose a launcher for Android TV, let’s see which are the most recommended.

Launcher

This is the latest to arrive and the most interesting of all those currently available in the Google Play Store. Of course, you have to keep in mind that still in development, with what that implies; no matter how, as we see in our analysis, it works as expected.

FLauncher maintains the interface with Android TV cards while adding a higher level of customization to the cover. You can apply wallpaper, choose different categorizations for channels and apps, FLauncher lets you hide apps so the rest of the family can’t see them and shows apps not compatible with Android TV (those installed in APK and not developed strictly for TV) as well as others.

FLauncher is a very lightweight, ad-free application that is free to download. He seems to us the best in his style.

HAL Launcher

This is a simple replacement for the native Android TV interface that does not add improved aesthetics, but the ability to launch applications not officially supported by Android TV. HALauncher allows you to integrate all these applications in the grid, it is also customizable in interface colors, backgrounds and other aesthetic details. And with a downside: you might not be able to set it as the default startup app, so you’ll have to open HALauncher like any other app.

This launcher for Android TV is free in exchange for ads. This, yes, can be deactivated for free: go to the settings of HALauncher and deactivate the option “Show advertisements”.

Simple TV Launcher

The “simple” comes to the hair from this launcher it’s the easiest thing you will find: allows you to add six of the applications installed on a somewhat coarse, but effective grill; with the ability to access all applications from their own drawer. It weighs less than a megabyte, perfect for low capacity Android TV devices.

Simple TV Launcher is ad-free, up-to-date, and open source.

TV Launcher – Smart – Easy to use

Another launcher without too many options which is useful if you need to clean your TV screen of unwanted items. And it basically does what its category dictates: it’s a Launcher for applications you have installed on the TV or player compatible with Android TV. No more no less.

TV Launcher is not very heavy, it keeps itself up to date in terms of updates, it is free and contains ads.

Google TV Launcher

Don’t have the Google TV interface and want to try it out? It is possible to do this, although the process is a bit more complicated than downloading an app from the Play Store or installing an APK file. You need to delete the startup app that comes by default on your device, with what that implies.

The Google TV launcher is much more visual, it is very attractive and pleasant to use. This can make your device somewhat unstable, especially if it has fairly fair requirements. And it includes Google’s recommendations: Recommended content in the form of ads.

Other Android TV launchers

Finally, we leave you a small list of other alternatives to the Android TV docking interface. We have not included them in the recommendations because they are outdated, but they are still valid: try them before giving up their use.