How to Remove Unwanted Caches and Data from Previous Sideloading

Updated 2026-11-01

The first time I sideloaded an APK onto my Google Chromecast with Google TV, the install worked fine, but six months later the device slowed down and started showing duplicate app icons. I realized then that the leftover data from that earlier, abandoned sideload attempt was still sitting on the system, eating up storage and confusing the launcher. If you follow Android TV installation guides that recommend dragging and dropping files onto the screen, or if you use a third-party package manager, you can end up with orphaned cache folders, stale APKs, and duplicated configuration files. Over time, those ghost files pile up and degrade performance, especially on a thin hardware box like the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro.

Removing the junk that remains after a failed sideload does not require root access, but it does take patience. Unlike phones, Android TV has a read-only filesystem layout that means cache and leftover app data live in predictable locations, and some settings are hidden behind the Settings menu or in hidden ADB paths. This guide walks through exactly what to delete, why, and how to do it without breaking the launcher or other system apps.

What gets left behind during a sideload on Android TV

When you install an APK via the Developer Options file picker, ADB sideload, or a third-party sideloader app, the installer drops several things onto the device:

• The APK itself (often in /data/local/tmp or /sdcard/Download)
• A wrapper manifest in /system/lib64/
• Cache directories for the app in /data/local/tmp/com.example.app.cache
• Configuration or preferences in /data/user/0/com.example.app/

If the sideload fails or you revert to the stock launcher, those files usually stay put. They look like ordinary folders, sometimes inside /sdcard/Android/data/, which makes them easy to spot. The Android TV launcher also stores startup profiles and home screen layouts in /data/global/ that may reference the old, removed apps. Those leftovers can make a fresh install feel bloated or cause the launcher to load duplicate quick-launch entries.

Why basic cache clearing is not enough alone

A common mistake is to run a single rm -rf /data/data/... command and call the job done. That approach misses two important things. First, sideloaded apps often keep a separate cache subtree under /data/memory/ or /cache that the installer does not delete. Second, Android TV’s cleanup utilities (Settings > Apps > Storage) only report cache for installed, non-sideloaded apps. Files dropped by ADB during a sideload sit outside the normal app lifecycle, so the standard “Clear cache” button does not see them.

Beyond cache, there is also the matter of residual configuration. Some sideloaded packages write to /data/user/0/app_out/ before the final move, and if you uninstall the app without first removing its data directory, that folder stays and can cause weird behavior, such as leftover icon definitions or repeated crash logs in Logcat that reference the old package name. For users who tried multiple sideloads—say a YouTube downloader, then a Kodi APK—these small files accumulate into a mess that affects both performance and the visual appearance of the launcher.

Step-by-step: safely deleting sideload artifacts

Start by backing up any app you actually want to keep. You need Google account credentials signed into the device, plus a computer with ADB installed and USB debugging enabled on the TV. On the Android TV remote, go to Settings > System > Developer options, and enable “ADB debugging” along with “Strict mode.” Connect the TV via USB; the PC should see it as a connected device.

Run the following to inspect what is still present:

adb shell ls -la /data/local/tmp/
adb shell ls -la /sdcard/Android/data/

The most likely culprits are folders whose names end in .apk or that contain names resembling the tools you used (e.g., anything with “Downloader,” “Kodi,” or “Sideload” in it). Do not delete anything you cannot identify.

Next, remove each identified sideload artifact. For example, to clear the test download tool folder:

adb shell rm -rf /data/local/tmp/com.downloadtool.apk

Then, clear the cache for every installed app. Go to Settings > Apps > seeing all apps, select each one, and choose “Storage & cache > Clear cache.” Do this for everything except System and Play Store. Because sideloaded apps often show up as installed, this catches most of the leftover baggage.

Now handle the deeper data. Navigate to /data/user/0/ and check for app_out and files. If you find subfolders with app names matching the tools you sideloaded, remove the entire contents of each folder:

adb shell rm -rf /data/user/0/app_out/com.somesideloadedapp/files/*

Also check /data/memory/ for directories named after recent installs. Delete any that contain your sideloaded APKs.

After the deletions, restart the TV. On reboot, the launcher reloads its index, and many of the leftover references disappear because they were tied to the old app’s install timestamp.

Dealing with the CleanYourTV launcher specifically

CleanYourTV is a useful launcher helper, and people sometimes reach for it when they think the home screen is cluttered. However, CleanYourTV itself does not delete sideloaded app caches—it mostly organizes icon packs and widget placement. If you installed CleanYourTV after a failed sideload, it may have cached its own profile, including a list of “removed” apps that never actually got deleted.

Before you re-enable CleanYourTV, open it and go to its settings to see whether it has a “cleanup” or “reset” option. Uninstall the launcher first if it is causing confusion. Then, in Recovery Mode (Settings > System > Recovery), run a full restore from backup, or use a custom recovery to mount the data partition and delete /data/local/tmp/* manually. This is the only reliable way to scrub ADB-installed artifacts when the stock launcher is fighting you.

If you prefer to stay on the stock launcher, use the built-in “Reset” under Settings > System > Reset, or perform a factory reset after backing up your media. Resetting is the cleanest fix, and it guarantees that sideload remnants are gone. The trade-off is that you lose any user-installed themes or custom shortcuts, but removing leftover cache usually outweighs that convenience.

Best practices to avoid future sideload clutter

Once the old caches are gone, keep Android TV clean going forward. Stick to one method of sideloading—either ADB only, or a dedicated launcher app—and avoid mixing sources. If you do use a third-party sideloader, only install the APK you downloaded from a trusted source, and verify the hash if possible.

After every sideload attempt, spend five minutes clearing cache through Settings > Apps > Show all apps > select the app > Storage > Clear cache. If the sideload failed, uninstall the APK before the next reinstall instead of leaving the partial install in place.

Keep your system updated, but do not rely on generic “uninstall all” scripts that delete system folders. And for the most stubborn leftovers, keep a laptop handy with ADB installed. That little extra step turns a messy Android TV install into one that boots fast and lets the CleanYourTV launcher do its job without dragging behind old sideload ghosts.

Related reading: more Android TV notes