Remove ads from an Android TV home screen with Claude Code

A 35-second Short showing someone remove Android TV ads with Claude Code passed 300,000 views. The tool behind it is a free open-source project called CleanYourTV. It can clean up the TV's own home screen in about 15 minutes, but the video leaves out who it works for, which ads stay, and what it costs. We checked the project's own page. Here is how to remove Android TV ads from the home screen, step by step, and how to put everything back.

Which TVs it works on

Only Android TV and Google TV sets. That covers Sony, TCL, Hisense, Xiaomi, Philips, Nvidia Shield and most other Android-based TVs.

It does not work on Samsung (Tizen), LG (webOS), Roku, Vizio or Hisense models running VIDAA. Fire TV gets the cleanup but not the new home screen. Check which system your TV runs before you start.

What it does: off, not deleted

The project backs up your app list and settings first. Then it switches off ad services, sponsored rows, tracking and preloaded apps, using the same switch Android offers in Settings, Apps, Disable. Nothing is uninstalled, it needs no root and no cable. Finally it adds a clean home screen in the style of Apple TV.

The catch the video leaves out

It cleans the TV's own home screen, not every ad. Ads inside apps stay, YouTube's included. The project says this itself.

Claude Code is not free. Anthropic's docs say the free Claude plan does not include Claude Code; you need Pro or higher.

Watch out for copycat sites. The project says only its own GitHub repository and its own site are official; other domains using its name are not.

Step 1: turn on USB debugging on the TV

On the TV open Settings, Device Preferences, About, and press OK on Build seven times. That unlocks Developer options. Open them and turn on USB debugging. On Google TV the path is Settings, System, About, then Android TV OS build. If you see Network debugging, turn it on too, and keep the TV on.

Step 2: open the project in Claude Code

Use a computer on the same Wi-Fi as the TV. Download the project from its GitHub page, open the folder in Claude Code and paste the project's own prompt with your TV model filled in:

I want to debloat my Android TV and replace its launcher with a clean Apple TV style home screen. My TV model is: <MODEL NAME HERE>. Work on the real device, step by step, and verify everything you do with screenshots pulled from the TV.

The computer needs Python 3, Java (JDK 17 to 22) and Android SDK 34.

Step 3: follow along and say which apps you use

When the TV asks, accept Allow USB debugging. Claude Code then shows a checklist and asks before it turns off anything you might use, so say which apps you want to keep. It checks each step with screenshots taken from the TV. The whole run takes about 15 minutes.

How to undo it

The project saves a record before it changes anything. If you change your mind, its restore script turns every app back on with one command, so keep that record.

No paid Claude plan? Every command is written out in the project, so you can run them by hand for free. It takes longer, but the result is the same.

FAQ

Does this remove YouTube ads on my TV?

No. It removes the ads and sponsored rows on the TV's own home screen. Ads inside apps, including YouTube, stay. The project says so itself.

Does it work on Samsung or LG TVs?

No. It works only on Android TV and Google TV sets. Samsung, LG, Roku and Vizio use other systems.

Can I undo the changes?

Yes. Apps are switched off, not deleted, and the project's restore script turns them all back on with one command.

Sources

• Android Developers: run an app on a TV and turn on USB debugging
• Claude Code documentation, Anthropic
• Claude Help Center: which plans include Claude Code