Android TV is a universal system because it has a rich ecosystem of applications. However, there is no single way to install your favorite apps. Do you want to know how to install apps on your TV? Read this article carefully, we will explain all the available ways to install apps on Android TV.
All the ways to install apps on Android TV
In this guide, we will look at all the methods available to you for installing apps on Android TV. And we will describe the procedure for performing each process with screenshots and simple explanations.
Below we will look at the following operations:
- How to install apps on Android TV from Google Play
- How to install Google Play apps on Android TV on TV
- How to install Google Play apps on Android TV from a mobile phone
- How to install Google Play apps on Android TV from a computer
- How to install apps on Android TV using APK
- How to install APK files on Android TV using the Send Files to TV app
- How to install APK on Android TV using USB drive
- How to download and install APK directly on Android TV
- How to install APK on Android TV via ADB
1. How to install apps on Android TV from Google Play
Let's leave aside the installation of applications using APK files and focus on the official Android TV store - the Play Store. If your media player is Google certified, you will have access to this repository. The only thing you need to do is go to the "Applications" area, which you will see on the home screen.
Log in to the Android TV apps section
Then explore the available applications using the remote control. You just need to select a file to see additional information. In this example, we open the TikTok tab, although this method works with any application you see.
Open the Android TV apps tab in the store
Then just click Install to start downloading the app. As you can see in the image below, the Google Play label appears, which confirms that the channel used to receive it is the Play Store.
Install the app from Google Play
All applications that you download using this method will appear on the home screen of your Android TV.
How to install Google Play apps on Android TV on TV
You can download applications on the TV itself. This is exactly what we showed in the previous section. However, there are several ways to find your favorite apps. One of them is to study recommended applications, but you can also use the capabilities of the search engine. Select the "Search for apps and games" option.
Use a search engine to search for apps
Use the lower keyboard to enter the name or category of the application. For example, you can enter the keyword "video" to get related services. On the contrary, it is also useful to specify the name of specific applications, such as Netflix.
Enter or dictate the name or category of the application.
Finally, the action that we have already mentioned several times, namely: pressing the "Install" command to start downloading.
Install the app from the tab after finding it using the search engine
Wait until the app appears on the home screen, and then launch it.
How to install Google Play apps on Android TV from a mobile phone
Did you know that you can send apps to Android TV from the Android Google Play store? This is one of the most convenient procedures that we are going to explain to you in this guide. All you have to do is browse the contents of the store and find the apps available for media players or TVs. This is the case of Send Files to TV, the tool we told you about earlier.
Install the Android TV app from your mobile phone
Here's how you can download apps from the mobile version of the Play Store on Android TV:
- Find an app compatible with Android TV.
- Open his file and click the date in descending order, which you will see next to the "Install" label.
- Select the Android TV devices that will appear in the list.
- Click Install.
Please note that only the Android TVs on which you are logged in to your Google account are displayed. It must be the same on both the media player and the mobile phone.
How to install Google Play apps on Android TV from a computer
Something similar to the above happens with the web version of the Play Store. You can install apps on Android TV from a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. Make sure that you are logged into the same Google account as the media player, and click on the "TV" section.
View Android TV apps through your PC's web browser
Let's try Plex, an application for creating your own multimedia cloud. Click "Download". Of course, this Android app will not be installed on Windows, but there is a surprise for you in the Play Store.
Download the app from the Google Play website
Yes, just a few seconds after clicking the Download button, a list of all the devices associated with your account will appear, including Android TV sets.
Install the app on an external device from Google Play on the Internet
Choose the most suitable device and ask the Play Store to download and install the app on it.
2. How to install apps on Android TV using APK
Although the official Android TV store, Google Play, is full of apps and games, one of the features of Android is that there are many more apps. Not all of them are available in this store, so you can download their APK for free and install it on your device. Let's see what it takes to open the APK on Android TV, and then three different ways to get the APK files and install them on your TV or Android TV device.
Previous steps to install APK on Android TV
Android gives you the freedom to install apps in various ways. But for your safety, this freedom is disabled by default. To activate this option, you will have to follow several steps. Nothing complicated. To activate the APK installation option on Android TV, you need to activate the "Unknown Sources" option.
his. Since it couldn't be any other way, you'll have to start by activating the developer options. Go to Settings, then to "System" and finally tap "Build Android TV OS" several times until a confirmation message appears.
Activate the developer options in Android TV
Go back to the "System" and open the "Developer Options". Then turn on USB debugging and confirm the action in the message that appears on the screen. Don't worry if it shows up as USB debugging: the whole process is completely wireless.
Enable USB debugging in Android TV
In the "Information" section, hover over "Status". There you can find out which IP address your Android TV has inside the local network. If necessary, write down this information. You will need it in the next step.
Check the IP address of your Android TV
Now open your computer and install Minimal ADB and Fastboot. This is the basic interface for running ADB commands on a remote device. Then connect your computer to the same network as the player, launch the application on your computer, and run the following command:
adb connect [IP_AndroidTV]
Connect to Android TV from your PC
A message will appear on the TV screen asking you to confirm the remote connection between Android TV and your computer.
Allow remote connection via ADB
It's time to download the APK that you want to install on your Android TV. Remember the folder where you saved it. Run the following command:
abd install - r [ruta_del_APK]
Send the APK from your computer and request its installation
When the process is completed, you will receive a message on the screen. If you see the word "Successful", it means that the process is completed correctly.
Confirmation message in the console
Keep in mind that some Android TV app launchers ignore apps that are not optimized for TVs. Without going into details, this happens with well-known devices like Chromecast with Google TV. Even if it is not displayed on the home screen, it does not mean that the application is not installed. You will find it in the Applications section of the settings.