I use Google TV every day — these are my 6 favorite hidden tricks

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Google TV is the go-to platform for many streaming boxes and smart TVs, and it’s easy to see why. The platform has been around for ages, it supports literally millions of apps, and it has reasonably low system requirements.

There are loads of features worth knowing if you want to get the most out of Google’s OS. But what about the little-known tips and tricks? Here are a few pointers you might not know about.

The default Google TV launcher is fine, but there’s no shortage of complaints about it. This includes performance issues on some devices, recommendation overload, and ads on the home screen. It also comes with Gemini or Google Assistant, which can be handy but not ideal if you simply want to watch content. However, Google does give you one built-in solution.

You can enable apps-only mode by tapping Settings > Accounts & Sign-in > your Google account > Apps only mode . This mode will remove those tabs at the top of your TV screen, hide recommendations on the home screen, and disable voice functionality and search. It doesn’t address all these issues, but it certainly goes a long way to cleaning up your TV box menu.

What if you’ve enabled apps-only mode and are still disappointed with the default Google TV experience? Fortunately, you can actually change the launcher altogether to give your TV box a new look and feel.

Our top recommendation is Projectivy Launcher , available on the Play Store . Projectivy offers a simple, fast, and ad-free Google TV experience, while also delivering plenty of customization options. These options include wallpaper plugins, animated backgrounds, custom icons, and the ability to launch specific apps from boot.

Projectivy isn’t the only notable third-party Google TV launcher. Other alternatives include AT4K, Arc, and Dispatch. Either way, you don’t have to stick with the Google TV launcher if you want a cleaner, faster experience.