Fix your TV

What is an Android TV launcher, and should you change yours?

The launcher is the home screen: the first thing you see and the place you return to every time you press Home. On Android TV and Google TV it is an app like any other, which means it can be replaced.

Reasons people switch

  • The home screen is slow

    On a TV with little memory, a heavy home screen is the part you feel most.

  • It is full of promoted content

    Many default home screens fill their rows with recommendations and promotions you didn’t ask for.

  • You can’t arrange it

    You want your favorites first, the apps you never use hidden and sensible groups.

  • You want a different look

    A calmer layout, a bigger clock, your own wallpaper.

How to switch

  1. Check that your TV can

    You need Android TV or Google TV with the Google Play Store. Samsung, LG, Roku and Apple TV don’t use Android TV launchers.

  2. Install the launcher

    Search for it in the TV’s Play Store, as you would any app, and open it.

  3. Finish its setup

    HView shows a two-step welcome with values chosen for your TV.

  4. Make it the one that opens on Home

    On Google TV, HView’s optional Home button module does this. On other Android TVs, press Home and choose it when the TV asks which home screen to use.

  5. Know how to go back

    The old home screen is not removed. Uninstall the launcher like any app, or choose the old one again when the TV asks.

What to look for in a launcher

Light on memory, with options you can switch off. No ads and no sponsored rows. No account. Clear about what it collects, and asking for few permissions. Easy to use with a remote, and honest about what it costs.

HView is built around those points: it works on 1 GB boxes, has no ads or sponsored rows, needs no account and lists exactly what it sends in its privacy policy.

Good to know

Some TVs don’t let you change the default home screen. On those, pressing Home still opens the stock one, but you can start HView from your app list. A new launcher also doesn’t uninstall the old one or change how other apps run.

Coming soon to Google Play Installation guide

Questions

Is it safe to change the launcher?

Yes. A launcher is an app from Google Play, and you can uninstall it at any time. Your apps and settings stay where they are.

Will I lose my apps?

No. A launcher only shows and opens your installed apps. It doesn’t remove them.

Do I need to subscribe to try HView?

No. The first 7 days are free with every feature on, without a card or account.

More guides