CleanYourTV: Vibe-code your Android TV into an Apple TV-style home

CleanYourTV is an open-source tool that strips the bloat from your Android TV or Google TV over Wi-Fi without needing root access, replacing the noisy stock interface with an Apple TV-style home screen.

The project started when its creator got fed up watching their parents sit through boot ads and promotional clutter on a Xiaomi TV just to open Netflix. Using Claude Code, they put together an automated workflow that turns the entire cleanup into a 15-minute job.

What it does

The tool bypasses cables and risky firmware flashing entirely by leaning on Android's standard debugging bridge over your local network.

Instead of permanently deleting system components, it uses native Android commands to disable telemetry, background ad services, and recommended rows. Because nothing is actually uninstalled, the process is completely reversible with a single restore command if you ever change your mind.

Once the clutter is cleared, it installs an ultra-lightweight, 1.6MB native launcher written in pure Java. It is designed to run smoothly even on older TV sets packing just 1GB of RAM.

The resulting interface looks strikingly like an Apple TV. You get a pitch-black background with zero banners or sponsored recommendations, a clean dock at the bottom holding your favorite apps, and a subtle top bar showing the clock, date, and connected HDMI inputs.

How to run it

Getting it running is straightforward if your TV runs Android TV or Google TV, covering brands like Sony, Xiaomi, TCL, and Philips.

First, tap the build number repeatedly in your TV's settings to unlock developer options, then enable USB and network debugging. Keep the TV on and connected to your local Wi-Fi.

From your computer, clone the GitHub repository and feed the bundled prompt to a coding assistant like Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini CLI. The assistant inspects the TV, backs up your current layout, identifies bloat packages, asks which apps you want to keep, and builds the new launcher automatically in about fifteen minutes.

If you prefer manual control, the repository includes shell scripts and a pure-Python ADB client, requiring only Python 3, a standard JDK, and Android SDK build-tools. There is even a community-built Android phone app for users who want to skip the computer entirely.

Keep in mind that proprietary systems like Samsung Tizen or LG webOS lack the necessary ADB bridge and are not supported, while Amazon Fire TV devices can only be debloated without swapping the launcher.

Why it matters

If you are tired of modern smart TVs behaving like billboard displays in your living room, this is easily one of the safest and most effective weekend projects out there. You avoid the dangers of custom ROMs while taking back full control of your hardware in minutes.

Beyond just fixing a noisy TV, it showcases a genuinely practical vibe-coding pattern. Instead of shipping a massive, fragile desktop application to handle dozens of TV variations, the developer built a lightweight launcher and let AI assistants do the bespoke device configuration on the fly.