Free tool strips ads and junk apps from many smart TVs

A free open-source tool called CleanYourTV can strip sponsored ads and unwanted preinstalled apps from many smart TVs and swap the cluttered home screen for a clean, Apple TV-style one. Version 3.0 now has support profiles for 300 TV models from 86 brands. It works on Android TV and Google TV sets, but not on Samsung or LG.

Where it came from

The project started on October 17. Developer Gathin posted on X about his parents' Xiaomi TV, which showed a sponsored ad before they could open Netflix. He used Anthropic's Claude Code, an AI coding tool, to find the TV on Wi-Fi, disable 25 Xiaomi packages and write a simple replacement home screen. The post went viral, and the project passed 37,000 stars on GitHub, a measure of popularity, in about a week.

What version 3.0 adds

• Support for 300 TV models across 86 brands, including 52 new TVs
• 28 languages and 20 optional add-ons
• Cleaning a TV from a phone, with no laptop needed
• Home Assistant lights and locks on the TV, and a Pi-hole pause from the couch
• Any remote button can be set as a shortcut

The release credits 169 contributors.

How it works

The tool uses Android Debug Bridge, a built-in way to manage an Android device over Wi-Fi. You first turn on debugging in the TV's Developer Options. The tool then backs up the current setup, disables unwanted apps and installs a lightweight replacement home screen. No root access is needed. Disabled apps are not deleted, so the project's recovery tools can restore the original setup.

Who it is for

The main process supports Android TV and Google TV devices from Sony, TCL, Xiaomi, Hisense and Philips, as well as NVIDIA Shield devices. Amazon Fire TV support is more limited. Samsung Tizen and LG webOS TVs are not compatible with the standard process. The project, install instructions, model lists and source code are on GitHub and the official website.

What to watch out for

Disabling the wrong system package can break essential TV features. The project publishes model-specific compatibility lists and backup instructions, and these are worth reading before you start. Also, a clean home screen does not remove ads inside streaming apps. Those will still appear.