Free My TV is an open-source home screen that replaces the stock launcher on Google TV and Android TV, with versions for LG and Samsung too. It hides the sponsored rows and promos, shows trending picks from your own apps, and switches to a dark theme after sunset. Here is the full setup guide, using Claude Code to do the install.
What you need
Your own TV: Google TV or Android TV (Android 8 or newer, for example TCL, Sony, Hisense or Chromecast with Google TV), LG webOS 3 or newer, or a recent Samsung Tizen TV.
A laptop on the same Wi-Fi as the TV.
Claude Code installed and signed in (the project site also mentions Codex and Antigravity).
A free TMDB account and API key from themoviedb.org, used for the trending picks.
The project: github.com/simbasjungles/free-my-tv (MIT licence) and freemytv.io.
Step by step (Google TV and Android TV)
Turn on developer mode. On the TV, go to Settings > System > About and click Android TV OS build seven times until it says you are a developer.
Turn on USB debugging. Go to Settings > System > Developer options and switch on USB debugging.
Note the TV's IP address. You'll find it in the network settings, something like
192.168.1.50.Get your TMDB key. Create a free account on TMDB, request an API key, and copy the API Read Access Token.
Ask Claude Code to install it. On your laptop, open Claude Code and paste this prompt, with your own IP and city:
Install Free My TV (github.com/simbasjungles/free-my-tv) on my TV at 192.168.1.50. I live in Pune.Paste your TMDB token when Claude asks for it. It goes into
config.propertieson your laptop. Don't share or commit that file.Allow debugging on the TV. When the TV asks to allow USB debugging from your laptop, select allow.
Set it as your home screen. On the TV, open Free My TV, choose Home Screen, and accept the debugging prompt with Always allow.
If you prefer to do it by hand, the README also has a ready APK you can install with adb connect <TV-IP>:5555 and adb install -r FreeMyTV.apk.
TCL owners: TCL blocks background running by default. The README gives an extra adb command for this, so follow the TCL section.
LG and Samsung: these don't use Android. LG installs through LG's Developer Mode, and Samsung through Samsung's Developer Mode and the community TizenBrew Installer. Follow the brand steps on freemytv.io.
How to undo it
In Free My TV, go to Home Screen and choose Original. That brings back the factory home screen, screensaver and apps. Uninstalling the app while it's active also restores everything. If the new home screen crashes three times in five minutes, it switches back on its own.
Make it your own
The code is open, so you can ask Claude to change it. For example:
In the free-my-tv project, add a row for my most-used apps at the top, make the clock bigger, and turn off the crypto prices. Rebuild and install it on my TV at 192.168.1.50.Good to know
What it changes: the TV isn't rooted and nothing is uninstalled. It uses Android's own developer commands to change the home screen and turn off the stock launcher and some promo apps. The project site says Play Games and YouTube Music get turned off. Picture, sound, inputs, Google services and the Play Store are on its never-touch list.
Memory: the README reports 96 MB instead of 242 MB, about 60% less, measured on one 98-inch TCL Google TV. Your TV may differ.
Data: it says it has no accounts, analytics or tracking. It contacts TMDB for picks, Open-Meteo for weather and Binance for crypto prices. Crypto prices are on by default; set
show_cryptotofalseif you don't want them.Warranty and terms: enabling developer options is a built-in feature, but disabling system apps is a change your TV maker may not support. We couldn't find a manufacturer statement on this, so check your warranty terms first, especially on a new TV. Free My TV is not affiliated with Google, TCL, LG, Samsung or any streaming service.
Ads inside apps stay. It replaces the home screen. It doesn't remove ads inside YouTube, Prime Video or other apps.
Wi-Fi quirk: apps holding a saved Wi-Fi network are never disabled, so you may need to forget and reconnect your network first.
LG: Developer Mode expires after about 40 days unless you renew it.
Only do this on a TV you own.
Sources
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