Your Google TV has a secret menu — right here’s what occurs while you unlock it


Some of the perfect options in your Google TV aren’t seen out of the field, and the Developer Options menu is one among them. Enabling it offers you the flexibility to take away bloatware, set up customized apps, and tweak animations to hurry up efficiency.

How to Enable Developer Options on a Google TV

Developer Options on Google TV are tucked away within the settings, very similar to they’re on Android telephones and tablets. While they’re primarily supposed for builders and superior customers, there are some helpful instruments inside that anybody can make the most of.

To get began, you will first must allow the Developer Options menu in your Google TV:

  1. Go to your Google TV dwelling display, then choose the Settings icon within the top-right nook.
  2. Scroll down and choose System.
  3. Select About and go to the Android TV OS Build entry.
  4. Press the OK button seven instances; as you do, you’ll see a countdown letting you understand how many faucets are left.
  5. Once full, it’s best to see a message that claims “You’re now a developer!”.
  6. Go again to the System menu and choose the Developer choices entry.

Enabling Developer Options will not instantly change how your TV appears or performs, nevertheless it unlocks a set of helpful options which can be usually hidden.

Uninstall bloatware and sideload APK recordsdata

Clear out apps you by no means use

Your Google TV comes with a set of pre-installed apps, a lot of which you may by no means use. Some are added by Google, others by the TV producer. These “bloatware” apps can litter up your property display, take up cupboard space, and even run within the background with out you noticing.

Thankfully, there is a technique to eliminate these undesirable apps now that you just’ve enabled Developer Options:

  1. On your Google TV, head to Settings > System > Developer choices.
  2. Scroll down and choose USB debugging, then choose OK to verify.
  3. Next, open the Play Store and seek for ADB TV.
  4. Download and set up the ADB TV app in your Google TV.
  5. Launch the app and comply with the prompts to permit all the mandatory permissions.
  6. Select Connect, tick Always permit from this laptop, and select Allow.
  7. Once related, flick thru the checklist of put in apps.
  8. Select any app you need to take away, then go to Actions > Uninstall.
  9. Repeat the method to wash out different bloatware apps you don’t want.

ADB TV additionally shows system apps, so watch out to not delete something important. Deleting the incorrect one might have an effect on how your TV works and even break important options.

Once you have cleared out the bloatware, you may set up new apps — even ones not accessible on the Play Store. To do that, open ADB TV and go to the Install tab. Now, pair your telephone with the TV utilizing the on-screen code. After pairing, merely obtain APK recordsdata to your telephone (sticking to trustworthy APK sites) and use the app to put in them immediately in your TV.

Alternatively, you may transfer APK files from your Android phone to your TV and set up them manually. Either manner, you’re not restricted to the apps accessible on the Play Store.

Speed up navigation

Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required

If your Google TV feels a little bit sluggish when transferring between menus or opening apps, you are in all probability not imagining it. By default, Google TV makes use of easy visible transitions to create a elegant expertise. However, these delicate animations can sluggish efficiency down, particularly on older fashions or these with lower-end {hardware}.

Reducing or turning off these animations is without doubt one of the best methods to make your Google TV run faster. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings menu in your Google TV.
  2. Navigate to System > Developer choices.
  3. Scroll down to seek out Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator period scale. Set every of those to 0.5x to make all the things sooner, or Off in order for you most velocity with no fancy results.

Once you make these modifications, your TV will not waste sources on visible results, which is able to assist enhance efficiency. You’ll discover the distinction immediately whereas navigating menus and launching apps.

Limit background processes

Free up reminiscence for what issues

Background process limit option in Google TV Developer Options
Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required

Google TV runs on Android, so it manages apps very similar to a smartphone — permitting some to maintain working within the background even after you have left them. This makes it simple to leap again in with out restarting the app.

While this is not an issue with just some apps working within the background, having too many can sluggish the system down. One manner to enhance efficiency is by limiting what number of background processes are allowed to run:

  1. Open the Settings menu in your Google TV.
  2. Navigate to System > Developer choices.
  3. Scroll right down to Background course of restrict.
  4. Choose At most, 2 processes or At most, 3 processes, relying in your wants. Try each to seek out the suitable steadiness of conserving apps open and efficiency.

This setting tells your system to cut back background exercise and deal with the duty at hand. That manner, your TV stays responsive, and the apps you are actively utilizing get the efficiency increase they want.


Unlocking the Developer Options menu in your Google TV brings a number of advantages. Plus, it’s fully protected so long as you are cautious, so there’s no purpose to not strive it. You’ll be capable to sideload extra apps, tweak efficiency settings, and make your gadget run sooner and smoother. It’s simply one among the Google TV settings you should look into.



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