Getting started

• What ADB is and why it matters on a TV

  Before touching anything, it is worth understanding what ADB actually is, who put it there, and why using it is entirely ordinary.

• Uninstalling a preinstalled app without root

  One command, and the explanation of why it breaks nothing permanently.

• The first packages you can safely remove

  Where to start when there is no entry for your model: what is almost always safe, and what never is.

• The complete guide to cleaning up an Android TV

  The whole process gathered in one place, in the order it has to happen.

• Seeing what apps your TV has installed

  The TV menu shows you part of it. The real list is considerably longer, and that is where the interesting things are.

• Installing ADB on Windows, macOS and Linux

  You do not need Android Studio or a two-gigabyte download. It is a few megabytes and it works on all three systems.

• Identifying your TV's exact model

  The marketing name is no use for searching. The code on the sticker round the back is.

• How to enable ADB debugging on an Android TV

  It is hidden behind seven taps in a menu. Here is the exact path, and what to do when your model does not show it.

• How much does cleaning up a TV actually help?

  Neither a miracle nor a waste of time. Here is what to expect from the hardware you have.

• Finding out which Android version your TV runs

  The Android version decides which commands work. Here are two ways to find it.

• Connecting to your TV over Wi-Fi with ADB

  No cables and two commands. Plus the three things that usually go wrong and how to fix them.

All guides