How to Sideload Apps on Android TV with CleanYourTV

Updated 2026-10-21

Step‑by‑step video tutorial for Android TV sideload installation process

Why Android TV needs sideloading

Most Android TV boxes and smart TVs preloaded with Google Play Store but omit the sideloading tools many power users need. CleanYourTV is an open-source launcher that fills that gap. It gives you direct APK access without needing a phone. You can install developer‑grade apps, custom launchers, parental controls, or niche media players that the TV’s built‑in store never lists. The process requires enabling developer options and trusting unsigned installation—something Android does not encourage, so it matters that you only load packages from sources you control.

Step 1: prepare your TV and enable developer options

Before you touch anything, make sure the TV is on the latest system build from the manufacturer. Go to Settings > System > About and look for the build number; tap it seven times to unlock the hidden Developer Options screen.

Once inside Developer Options, turn on these two switches:

Developer mode (keeps the OEM keyboard and quick shortcuts active)
Install from unknown sources (the master switch that lets the TV accept APKs handed to it)

CleanYourTV itself runs from the app drawer after you sideload its installer. Without these flags, the launcher will refuse to load unsigned packages, and the whole flow breaks.

Step 2: download and verify CleanYourTV

On a phone or laptop, go to the official CleanYourTV GitHub releases page. Download the package that matches your TV’s firmware ABI—most common are the ARM64 builds for modern NVIDIA Shield TV, Xiaomi Mi Box S, and similar Android TV boxes.

Verify the checksum listed on the release page against the SHA256 hash of the downloaded file. This isn’t optional. If the hashes don’t match, delete the file and fetch a different version. Using a tampered launcher on your TV is the fastest way to brick the device or leak personal data through telemetry.

Step 3: convert and transfer the launcher APK

Copy the verified APK to your TV over USB, or use Wi‑Fi if the box supports cast‑file upload. Some TVs have a built‑in file browser under Settings > Storage. Navigate to the folder where you dropped the file, and rename it simply to clean_your_tv.apk to avoid spaces in the path—CleanYourTV’s installer scans the root storage area by default.

Do not run the download while the launcher’s installer asks for it. Keep the APK isolated until you’re ready to execute.

Step 4: launch CleanYourTV’s installer and sideload an app

Open the launcher from the app drawer (press the home shortcut, find CleanYourTV). If the launcher won’t start, the TV’s sandbox rejected the package—go back to Step 2 and re‑verify the APK.

Press the Home button twice to open the TV’s universal settings overlay, then select CleanYourTV > Settings > Install from unknown sources. Confirm the prompt. Then navigate to the APK you copied earlier and tap Install.

CleanYourTV will ask you to approve installation. Because the launcher is unsigned, the system warning will appear. Tap OK anyway—the warning is informational, not blocking, since you enabled the flag yourself during setup.

The loader unpacks the APK, registers its manifest, and writes the icon into the launcher area. Within a minute the new Home screen appears with the standard Android TV grid plus your installed sideloaded packages. Any app you added shows up like any Google Play app—install date, uninstall path, and permission list visible in Settings > Apps.

Step 5: test the sideloaded app and troubleshoot

Launch the first sideloaded app you installed—commonly a video player or a media suite. If it crashes immediately, the APK may be built for a different screen density or missing required dependencies. Open Settings > System > Developer options > Show advanced settings (if present) and enable Show performance overlay to confirm whether the app is failing on the UI thread or crashing in the renderer.

If the launcher fails to start after an update, a corrupted sideloaded package is often the culprit. Boot into recovery mode (or use the TV’s reset menu if available), flash a clean image of CleanYourTV from a trusted source, and reinstall your target apps. Most devices recover fine because the launcher runs completely independently of the system app cache.

Safety and best practices

Only sideload apps from developers you trust. Google Play’s review process catches malware; a random APK from a sketchy site doesn’t.
Keep the launcher updated. CleanYourTV releases patches that fix signing‑detection bypasses.
Avoid installing system‑seal or OEM tools alongside generic sideloader launchers unless you know what you’re doing—some TV firmwares lock down the “unknown sources” toggle entirely.
When testing corporate or family TVs, disable sideloading in Settings > System > Developer options; it’s slower to rebuild the launcher than to simply turn off the feature.
Always backup your TV’s settings and app state before a bulk sideload session. Android TV settings aren’t centrally backed up, so a bad launcher update can erase your wallpaper, DPI settings, and input routing.

Final check before you forget the TV again

After installation, verify each sideloaded app’s permissions in Settings > Apps > [App]. Turn on the feature you originally sought—for example, a custom remote control app for Steam Link, or a local DNS resolver for offline media playback. Once confirmed working, lock the TV’s admin password and mark the launcher as your permanent home screen. You’ve now turned a stock Android TV box into a fully controllable media hub using nothing but the official launcher and signed APKs.