Gathin23/cleanyourtv | Repo of the Day

Clean Your TV. Debloat any Android TV or Google TV over Wi-Fi and swap the ad-filled home screen for a clean Apple TV-style launcher. No root, fully reversible. cleanyour.tv

Summary

CleanYourTV is a collection of tools, model-specific debloat instructions, and an Apple TV-style launcher for Android TV and Google TV devices. Over Wi-Fi, it uses Android’s debugging bridge to back up settings, disable unwanted packages without uninstalling them, and install a replacement home screen that can be restored.

What it is useful for

The project is useful when an Android or Google TV ships with manufacturer content rows, sponsored app recommendations, telemetry, advertising services, or preinstalled apps that are not needed. An engineer can tailor the result by identifying apps they use, arranging a four-app dock and app grid, naming HDMI inputs, and deciding whether to retain features such as Chromecast, updates, or the voice assistant.

The replacement launcher provides a focused app view, large text for the selected app, an app library, input and network shortcuts, a clock screensaver, and configurable themes. Optional status text can show CPU, free memory, and free storage, but it remains disabled unless enabled in the configuration.

Model-specific debloat lists are included under examples/, covering Android TV and Google TV models from brands such as Sony, TCL, Xiaomi, Philips, and Hisense, as well as streaming devices and projectors. This makes the repository more useful for real deployments than applying one generic package-removal list to every device.

Platform limitations are important. Fire TV supports only the debloat portion because Fire OS does not allow a third-party home launcher; the 2015 Fire TV Box also rejects the package-management route. Some China-market TCL sets refuse launcher installation. Samsung Tizen and LG webOS use different systems, and the supplied documentation notes that a 2021 Samsung set exposes neither ADB nor pm disable-user.

How engineers can use it

Put the computer and TV on the same Wi-Fi network.
On the TV, open Settings → Device Preferences → About, press OK on Build seven times, then enable USB debugging under Developer options. Enable a Network or ADB debugging option if one is present.
Open the repository’s PROMPT.md in a coding assistant with shell access, such as Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini CLI, and enter the TV model.
Accept the debugging authorization on the TV and complete the assistant’s checklist before it changes packages.
Review the backup and completed changes using the TV screenshots. The documented workflow discovers device-specific bloat, asks before retaining functionality, builds and installs the launcher, and sets it as Home.

No root access or cable is required. The README describes changes as reversible and says restoration is a one-line operation, but the exact restore command is not included in the supplied text; follow the repository README and generated backup rather than guessing it.