The Best Free Apps for Android TV and TV Box that you can install

It is of little use to have a television with Android TV at home – or connected to a TV Box – if you do not install apps that help you get the most out of it.

Don’t panic if you haven’t done it yet; with the help of this list, you will be able to discover the best free apps for Android TV and TV Box that you can currently download and install.

As with your mobile, these applications will allow you to expand the possibilities of the device to be able to change its interface, play, transmit and manage multimedia content or even browse the Internet.

Clear examples are Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, Twitch, Google Chrome, or Google Drive, apps that we all know and that you can also install on your Android TV or TV Box.

In addition to these popular applications, on your Android television, you can also take advantage of the functions of other free apps that we will talk about below.

Best launchers

A launcher for Android is used to launch the applications installed on the device, allowing you to modify the visual appearance and operation of the home screen.

If the Android TV launcher does not convince you, you should know that you can change it with the following free apps.

Square Home Launcher

One of the most curious launchers that you can use to change the visual aspect of your Android TV or Android box is Square Home.

This free app serves to integrate the Windows 10 user interface into the device, an aspect that you will master if you have used a PC with this system in recent years.

If you don’t like any detail, you can easily change it with the multiple customization options that the Square Home launcher offers you.

For example, you can change the wallpaper image or the interface colors.

Sideload Launcher

This launcher called Sideload adds a very, very useful function to your Android television: to install apps that are not available on Google Play.

Actually, what Sideload does is show you the apps that do not appear on the Android TV Home because they are not 100% compatible.

Thanks to this launcher, you can access them and test their operation.

Simple TV Launcher

If you are one of those who do not use many apps on Android TV, we recommend Simple TV Launcher.

This free app changes the default design for a simpler one that shows you the 6 apps you use the most.

You are in charge of choosing those 6 applications to which you will have direct access from the main screen.

Besides, you can also change the wallpaper for other images.

Best file explorers

What is the use of having a lot of multimedia files if you can’t find them? Next, find out which are the best free apps that you can use on Android TV to explore the files stored on your device.

X-plore File Manager

One of the best file managers and explorers for Android TV is X-plore File Manager, which you can download for free.

Compatible with a wide list of file formats, with this app, you can also play music and read PDF files.

Without a doubt, X-Plore File Manager is a great option to browse every last file stored on the device.

Best media players

Getting the most out of your Android TV or TV Box is synonymous with using a good multimedia content player. Our recommendations are as follows.

VLC

In Andro4all, we have already told you on several occasions about VLC, which we consider the best player for Android.

Among its advantages, we find that it is free and that it can play countless formats, such as MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, Ogg, FLAC, TS, and M2TS.

Design, usability, and security are other characteristics that make it advisable to install it on your Android TV if you want to reproduce stored multimedia files without problems.

Kodi

Kodi is a free app for Android with which you can organize your entire library and play the multimedia files that you save in it.

Videos, music, podcasts, and images are some of the types of files that you can open thanks to this app.

Also, as we explained in our Kodi mega guide, you can install “add-ons” to add extra functions to the app, such as watching streaming content.

MX Player

Another well-known player for Android is MX Player, which is characterized by its extensive customization options.

In addition, MX Player supports any type of video format and is also compatible with most subtitle formats, such as DVD, DVB, SSA, SRT, SUB, or IDX.

We return to the topic of customization to tell you that you can easily change the style of this player and modify the buttons that appear on the screen, all without losing the simplicity of use that characterizes it.

In short, MX Player is a complete multimedia player that you can install for free.

Other great free apps for Android TV and TV Box

Although they do not belong to the previous categories, the following apps will also be of great help to make the most of your Android TV or Android box.

AirScreen

Safely and with wide compatibility, this is the transmission of content thanks to the free AirScreen app.

You do not need cables to see your mobile screen on television if you use this application, which also serves to record the screen’s content.

Thanks to the encrypted transmission, you can rest easy when streaming your private content, as no one will have access to it.

Puffin tv

With your Android TV, you can also surf the web, which is allowed by this free browser called Puffin TV.

It is a browser optimized for Android TV, so you will not find the typical usability problems of apps that are not adapted to be installed on televisions.

TunnelBear VPN

An essential tool on your Android TV is TunnelBear VPN, which helps you hide your geographical location and thus protect your privacy.

In addition, with a VPN, you can avoid geographical restrictions and access the websites of other countries.