Smart TVs (AKA Android TVs for the most part) have come to revolutionize the overall living room experience and this trend is growing at a staggering rate. In 2019, 200 million smart TVs were shipped and it is predicted that that by 2025, the figure will go up by 266 million. So if you’ve recently jumped the bandwagon or planning to do so soon, you can use these 17 tips and tricks to use your Android TV more effectively and conveniently in 2020. We have covered things that you can do with your Android TV and improve your smart TV experience even better. So on that note, let’s begin.
Here, we have mentioned all kinds of tips and tricks for Android TV. From sideloading apps to customizing the interface, everything is covered. You can glance over the tricks below and click on the link to move to the corresponding point.
- Wireless File Transfer
- Video Calling with Duo (PiP Support)
- Custom Screensaver
- Enable Wireless ADB
- Install Apps Without APK Transfer
- Sideload Launcher
- Use Google TV on Android TV
- Make Use of Google Assistant
- Use Your Android Phone as Remote (No IR Needed)
- Use Android TV as a Computer
- Take Screenshots on Android TV
- Customize the Recommendations Carousel
- Customize your Home Screen
- Mirror Your Phone/Computer Screen
- Cast Windows 10 on Android TV
- Data Saver Mode
- Connect PS4 Controller for Games
1. Wireless File Transfer
This is the first Android TV trick that you should know. There are times when you want to send files to your Android TV but have to look for pen drives for file transfer which is a hassle. Not anymore.
2. Video Calling with Duo (PiP Support)
If you are not aware, Google Duo has arrived on Android TV and it’s available on the Play Store. You just need to plug in a webcam and Android TV will take care of everything. Keep in mind, your Android TV should be on Android 9 build to be able to use this feature. The best part about Google Duo on Android TV is that even Picture-in-Picture mode (PiP) works.
3. Custom Screensaver
Android TV does come with a native screensaver feature (Backdrop), but it’s very limited and you can’t set your own photos. Secondly, the much-loved Google Photos integration with Android TV is gone due to a security issue. So basically, you don’t have many options left to display your personal set of photos either from your Google account or internal storage.
If you want to tweak your Android TV then enabling ADB is a must. You can sideload apps without APK transfer, uninstall bloatware, enable hidden features, and more. Here is how you can do it. Open Settings on your Android TV -> Network and Internet -> Your WiFi network and make a note of the IP Address. You will need it later.
Now move to your computer and install ADB. No matter if you have a Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, or a Linux machine, you can set up ADB by following our linked guide.
As I mentioned above, enabling ADB opens the floodgate for advanced customization and tweaking on Android TV. As such, you can even install apps without transferring the APK file on your Android TV. Just enable wireless ADB (point 4) on your Android TV and then move the APK to the Platform Tools or ADB folder of your computer.
Sideload Launcher is for those users who frequently install APK files and need quick access to those apps. You can install Sideload Launcher (Free) from Android TV’s Play Store and pin it on your home screen. Whenever you want to open third-party apps that are generally not available on Android TV, just open this Launcher and you will find all your apps.
Recently, Google introduced Google TV with its new Chromecast and further announced that from next year, Android TVs will transition to Google TV. However, you don’t have to wait for that long.
The next Android TV trick that you must learn is using Google Assistant to its full advantage. For example, you can search for movies, music, and videos with just a press of a button and it will pull the content from various apps instantly. Apart from that, you can check the weather, your next schedule on Calendar, and ask just about any question that you can do on your smartphone.
Android TV boxes come with some really decent remotes. The Mi Box comes with a really nice, lightweight, and sleek remote. However, these Bluetooth remotes can only go so far when it comes to ease of use, especially when you need to type text on your TV.
The best thing about this is that when you need to enter text on the Android TV, you can use the on-screen keyboard in your mobile to do so, which is definitely much faster than using the lean back keyboard that Android TVs come with.
Android TVs come with USB ports and standard connectivity options like Bluetooth, which means you can use them as makeshift computers. Besides consuming media through a variety of platforms on Android TV, you can use it to browse the internet (as we saw above) and perform basic tasks like checking your email or editing online documents. For this, you can use a wireless keyboard-mouse combo like the Logitech MK270 ($17.88).
For a lot of smart TVs, the process of taking screenshots is the same as Android smartphones. You can press the Volume Down and Power button on the remote simultaneously and the screenshots are saved in “/sdcard/Pictures/Screenshots“.
However, certain TVs might not support that and in order to get it going, you will have to establish an ADB connection (see point 4 of this article), and you’ll need a Windows or a Mac PC. For the process, we’re using a Windows PC but the ADB commands remain the same.
Android TV, as a platform, tries very hard to always have something new for us to watch. This can be both a boon and a bane; and while some people may like the “Recommendations” that Android TV offers, I don’t want to see recommendations from just about every pre-installed source on my Android TV.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to customize the sources that show up in the recommendations carousel on your Android TV. To do this, just follow the steps below:
For people who are moving from non-smart TVs to Android TV, the interface might be overwhelming given there is a whole list of apps on the home screen itself. So if you just want the right apps on the home screen and re-arrange things based on your preference then press and hold the “OK” button (the circular one in the middle of navigation buttons) while the app is highlighted.
With Chromecast integration, you can easily mirror your smartphone on the TV. You can play videos, music, and display photos that are available locally on your smartphone right on your TV. And it does not need any pairing process or any additional hardware. All you need is an Android smartphone that is connected to the same WiFi network as your TV.
While Chromecast works fine if you are using an Android smartphone or using Chrome on Windows 10, it does not cast the whole Windows 10 screen. Basically, on Windows 10, the casting is just limited to Chrome tabs.
16. Data Saver Mode
Data Saver Mode is a great addition to Android TV by Google. With Data saver mode enabled, you can watch 3 times more content using the same amount of data. You can also enable alerts if the data reaches certain limits. This feature will be helpful for those who use mobile hotspots to stream content on Android TV.
Android TV also supports a wide range of games including some action-packed titles like Asphalt 8. But, to be able to play these games, you’ll need to attach a gamepad via USB or via Bluetooth.
On your controller, press and hold the PS and Share buttons simultaneously to enter pairing mode. The light behind the controller will start blinking.
On your Android TV, go to Settings, and then select Add accessory from the Remote & accessories option
The similarity between Android TV and Android on a smartphone is striking and this means there is really a lot of customization possible on an Android TV. You can use these tips and tricks to enhance your experience with an Android TV.
