7 Amazing Android TV Tricks You Definitely Didn't Know About

Mark my words: Android TV will take the world by storm in the coming years. While devices like the Roku and the Apple TV Chromecast vs. Apple TV vs. Roku: Which Media Streamer is Right for You? Chromecast vs Apple TV vs. Roku: Which Media Streamer Is Right For You? Media stream devices are just awesome. The little boxes that plug into your TV can add a wealth of entertainment options to your living room. But which device is best for you? Read More

Android TV Will Change Everything What Is Android TV And Why Was Google TV Killed? What is Android TV and why has Google TV been killed? Android TV replaces the now five-year-old Google TV. And it's not just an update - it's a complete remake. Read more . It will do for smart televisions what the mobile version of Android did for smartphones.

Whether you're an early adopter or thinking about buying your first Android TV, we want to help you get the most out of your box. Here are seven great Android TV tricks you might not know about.

1. You Can Sideload Apps

The process of sideloading apps on your Android smartphone If you sideload apps, you need to know about this change in Android Oreo If you sideload apps, you need to know about this change in Android Oreo Many Android users know that sideloading allows you to apps from outside the Play Store. But there's a big change coming in Android 8.0 Oreo that you'll want to know more about. More information is well documented. Basically, it allows you to run apps that are not available through the Google Play Store.

Android TV is no different. You can sideload any APK file and get it working in seconds. This means you can access geo-blocked content and other apps that Google doesn't allow on the Play Store.

To sideload an APK, you must first install a file manager. The 7 Best Free File Explorers for Android The 7 Best Free File Explorers for Android There are a number of file manager and file explorer apps available for Android, but these are the best. Read more . Android TV does not provide a standard by default. One of the best is TVExplorer , a file manager designed exclusively for TVs rather than phones and tablets. You can get it from the Play Store.

You also need to use Sideload Launcher or TV App Repo . These two apps let you launch sideloaded apps without going to the Settings menu (Sideload Launcher puts all sideloaded apps in a container, TV App Repo lets you create shortcuts for your sideloaded content in your Leanback ribbon).

Download: TVExplorer (Free)
Download: Sideload Launcher (Free)
Download: TV App Repo (Free)

2. You can run Android apps in Play Store

If you're new to Android TV and you're turning on the Play Store for the first time, you might be disappointed to find that you can't access the same suite of Android apps that you can enjoy on your phone.

This is because Android TV requires a different way of coding apps. If the affected app isn't customized for the TV, Google won't display it in the Play Store on the TV.

"On the TV" is the essential part of that sentence. Why? Because you can navigate to the Play Store on your PC and install most Android apps on your TV from there.

To make the process even easier, install Chrome on your TV from your computer and then use the newly installed browser to navigate the web version of the Play Store.

Note: Because the non-TV apps aren't platform-customized, you'll often need to use a game controller or a mouse to navigate them, rather than relying on the TV's remote.

3. Voice Search

Android TV offers universal voice search. What does that mean in practice? Well, you can press the voice button on your remote when you are on the home screen and it will search all (speech-assisted) apps on your device and in Chrome (if you have it installed).

Of course, you can also activate the search feature from individual apps if you want to narrow down your results, but in most cases the universal search is the better option.

4. Your Android TV is a Chromecast

Did you know that your Android TV device doubles as Chromecast? No, it's not a smart solution for streaming content from your laptop, there's a real Chromecast built right into your set-top box.

It works automatically. You don't need to activate anything on your TV. But many people don't realize it's there.

To cast content from your Android phone, swipe down on the notification bar and tap Cast . Your phone lists all your casting devices.

Casting content from your laptop Chromecast vs. Miracast: the differences and which one to choose for Chromecast vs. Miracast: The Differences And Which One To Choose Over the past few years, Google Chromecast has become a must-have smart TV accessory. What you probably didn't know is that your Smart TV has an alternative to Chromecast: Miracast. Read More Click on the three vertical dots in the top right corner, then select Cast… Again, you will see a list of compatible devices. Click the down arrow next to Cast to tap between casting your browser tab or the entire desktop.

5. Use your Xbox or PS4 controller

7 Reasons The Nvidia Shield Is The Ultimate Cord-Cutter Device 7 Reasons The Nvidia Shield Is The Ultimate Cord-Cutter Device The Nvidia Shield is arguably the ultimate cord-cutter device everywhere. Here are seven reasons why it beats the competition without much effort. Read More Others don't. To start using Android TV to play games on your television, you need a controller.

Sure, you can buy cheap Bluetooth controllers from Amazon, but if you already have an Xbox or PS4, you can pair your existing controllers with your Android box. They work perfectly.

To pair your controllers, go to Settings > Add Accessory on your Android TV. It will search for Bluetooth devices within range. When it finds your controller, click its name with your Android TV remote.

If you are having issues, make sure your controller supports Bluetooth and is running the latest firmware.

6. Install the Remote app for your smartphone

If your house is mine, the TV remote is an ongoing problem. One of two things happens every day: either people fight over it or it loses the back of the couch.

The solution? Install the official Android TV remote on your smartphone. The app is developed by Google and offers the same functions as the regular remote control. It is available on both Android and iOS, but users report that the Apple version has many bugs.

Best of all, the app lets you switch between D-Pad mode and Touchpad mode. In practice, this means you can use your phone as a way to control a mouse on the screen. This means you don't have to rely on a game controller for non-TV apps.

Download: Android TV Remote (Android) (Free)
Download: Android TV Remote (iOS) (Free)

7. Expand your storage space

Some Android TV boxes are exceptionally cheap. Of course, they don't offer the same smooth experience as the most advanced models, but they are more than adequate for most users.

But there is a problem. The cheap boxes usually have insufficient storage capacity. For example, the Mi Box, which retails for $69 on the company's website, has made Android TV more accessible than ever. But it only offers 8 GB of space.

Fortunately, you can add external storage to your Android TV device using a feature called Adoptable Storage .

To set this up, you need an external USB storage device or a microSD card. Then go to Settings > Storage and reset and select the storage device. Then click Set up as internal storage and then choose Format to complete the process. Your device will now treat your external storage the same as its internal storage. Just don't forget to remove the USB device or microSD card.

What are your favorite tricks?

In this article, we've shown you seven Android TV tricks. If you learn to use them all, you will be well on your way to becoming a powerful Android TV user.

How do you make your Android TV work for you? What features should all new users know? As always, you can leave all your suggestions and thoughts in the comments section below. And don't forget to share this article with other Android TV users on social media.