How to install an APK on Android TV (4 ways, no root)

Atualizado 2026-10-20

Artigo em inglês

Android TV does not have a file manager by default and hides the install button until you enable the right permission. That is why sideloading feels harder than it is. Once unknown sources are allowed for one tool, every later install is two taps.

The four methods below are ordered from least to most setup. Method 1 works on almost every certified device. Method 4 is the one to use when you are testing builds repeatedly.

Before you start, check that the APK matches your device's CPU architecture. Almost all Android TV boxes are ARM64, but a few cheap ones are 32-bit ARM only, and an arm64-only APK will install and then crash immediately.

Como instalar

1. Method 1 — Downloader: install Downloader from Google Play, open it, allow installs from this source, paste the APK's direct URL, download, then confirm the install dialog.
2. Method 2 — Phone to TV: install Send Files to TV on both devices, tap Send on the phone and Receive on the TV over the same Wi-Fi, then install the received file.
3. Method 3 — ADB: enable Developer options by tapping Build seven times, turn on network debugging, then run adb connect <tv-ip>:5555 and adb install -r app.apk from a computer.
4. Method 4 — USB: copy the APK to a FAT32 stick, plug it into the TV, and open it with a file manager such as Solid Explorer or X-plore.

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