5 Best Android TV Launchers You Should Use
Dec. 28, 2020Let’s be frank: the defaultAndroid TVlauncher is excellent in some ways and worse in others. I like the row-based menus and smart recommendations, but the inability to sort the drawer by most used or recently opened apps really makes the experience annoying. Not to mention, you can’t even change the background wallpapers or choose acustom screensaver on Android TV. So if you want to get rid of these limitations and are looking for the best Android TV launchers that have all these features then follow our list below.
Here, I have curated the 5 best launchers for Android TV which are absolutely free and come with different utilities. Not just visually pleasing, you can find launchers for different purposes as well such as opening sideloaded apps or setting a default launcher. With all that said, let’s now go through the list.
Before anything, I want to mention Home Screen Launcher for Android TV because this app allows you toset the default launcher on your Android TV. Some launchers on Android TV have not updated their framework for the latest version so you don’t get the option to set a default launcher.
In such cases, this launcher will immensely help you. Apart from that, the app is available on Android TV’s Play Store andcan be installed without any hassle. Having said all of that, keep in mind, you need to open the app manually to open the new launcher.
Install:Home Screen Launcher for Android TV (Free)
HALauncher is one of the best Android TV launchers that is pretty intuitive to use and brings a modern UI in material colors. It’s similar to the old Android TV UI but adds options like “Recent apps”, search functionality, and more. What I like about this launcher is that it does not serve any ads which make the experience even better.
Also, I tested a dozen of launchers, of whichHALauncher was the lightestand it didn’t slow down my Android TV. All I would say is if you are looking for an Android TV launcher that is still functional and works for the most port then HALauncher is the one to get.
Install:HALauncher (Free)
ATV Launcher is for those users who want endless customization options on Android TV. You canadd your favorite widgetson the home screen — from weather to time widgets — everything is available. You also have support for app widgets. Next, you can set colors or images in the background of an app and customize the tile options.
Not to mention, on ATV Launcher, you also have the option tochange the wallpaper. That’s awesome, right? Basically, you get everything on ATV Launcher that is missing on the default Android TV launcher. So if you are looking for something new to try, I would highly recommend ATV Launcher.
Install:ATV Launcher (Free)
Next, you can hide certain apps from the launcher. You can also change the icon size, search for apps, and quickly access the App Info page of any app. I would say,for old school userswho want a simple Android TV Launcher, Taotlus can be pretty helpful.
Install:Taotlus (Free)
Finally, we have the Sideload Launcher which is again more of a utility-based launcher than a visually pleasing one. As we all know, Android TV does not show apps in its app drawer which have been sideloaded from third-party sources. In such cases, you need a new launcher that caneasily let you access those sideloaded appsand that is where Sideload Launcher comes to the rescue.
With Sideload Launcher, you can find all thesideloaded apps on Android TVand run them right away without any hassle. I would sayif you tinker a lotwith your Android TV then this launcher is a must.
Install:Sideload Launcher (Free)
The launchers mentioned in this article will work with all the popular Android TVs. You can see a small list of popular Android TVs that support these launchers below. Note that this is not an exhaustive list and only features popular TVs.
Pick the Best Android TV Launcher From Our List
So these are some of the best Android TV launchers that you can give a try and see if they cut it for you. While on the Play Store, there are plenty of launchers for Android TV but they have not been updated for the last 2-3 years, hence I have refrained from mentioning those apps.
In case you are not satisfied with these launchers then you can tryinstalling Google TV on Android TVthat brings a brand new UI with smart recommendations. I am sure you are going to love it. Anyway, that is all from us. If you have any questions then comment down below and let us know.
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