CleanYourTV gives Android TV owners a way to reclaim the home screen

CleanYourTV is an open-source toolkit for Android TV and Google TV. It connects over the local Wi-Fi network, disables selected preinstalled packages such as ad services or content rows, and installs a simpler home screen. Creator Gathin started the project after using Claude Code to clean up his parents’ TV, which showed a sponsored ad before Netflix could even open.

The repository now includes backup, disable and restore scripts, connection tools and a custom launcher. The project says its community-maintained lists cover hundreds of TV and projector models. Those lists are evolving reference material, not a guarantee that every model has been tested in the same way.

CleanYourTV changes the system home screen, not streaming-app ads

The toolkit uses Android Debug Bridge over the local network. It backs up package and settings information, disables selected packages with pm disable-user, then sets its launcher as the default home screen. Packages are not uninstalled, and the project provides a restore path to re-enable them.

The intended result is a simpler screen for favourite apps, HDMI inputs and TV settings. Model-specific lists matter because package names and functions differ between manufacturers. Blindly disabling everything that looks like advertising would be a quick route to breaking something the owner actually uses.

Ads in the TV menu turn the living room into another ad slot

TV makers and platforms can use the home screen for recommendations, sponsored content and usage data collection. CleanYourTV turns that broad complaint into a concrete intervention: owners can change part of that interface without rooting the TV or replacing its firmware.

The project’s origin is also instructive. An AI coding assistant helped turn a one-off fix into scripts and a launcher, but contributors testing different models and documenting exceptions are what make it useful to others. Vibe coding produced a starting point; the community has to earn its reliability.

Support depends on the model, and disabling the wrong package can break things

The project primarily targets Android TV and Google TV. Fire TV support is partial, and some sets refuse a third-party launcher. Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Roku, Vizio and Hisense VIDAA are outside the main supported group. CleanYourTV also does not block ads served inside apps such as YouTube or Netflix.

Changing system settings carries risk. A package that looks unnecessary may support a feature, firmware updates can restore disabled packages, and modifications may affect manufacturer support. Check the exact model, its list and the recovery steps before making changes. “Reversible” is not a substitute for a backup or for understanding what is being disabled.

Model-specific lists will determine whether the project lasts

CleanYourTV’s lasting value is less the launcher’s appearance than its model-specific lists and user-contributed fixes. Those lists can go stale as TV software changes. If contributors keep them accurate and document exceptions, the project can remain a practical tool rather than a one-off viral guide.

For owners, the first step is simple: find the exact model and read the restore instructions before changing anything. For manufacturers, the signal is less comfortable. When customers replace the home screen themselves, ads in the TV menu stop looking like an unavoidable part of owning a smart TV.

Lilith's verdict

A TV should play shows, not sell another ad slot. CleanYourTV gives owners some control back, but one wrongly disabled package can turn streaming night into a very old-fashioned evening.