Debloat the Google TV Streamer
Google TV 14 · 11 apps on the list · tested on a real set
The Google TV Streamer ships with Google telemetry, feedback and ads, four Privacy Sandbox modules and preloaded apps. The list is short, at 11 apps. It is a dongle, so it has no Live TV app and no HDMI inputs, and it keeps Google's home screen choice open.
Casting reads its device credentials from the setup wizard, so turning that off kills casting on this device, as on Google's own Chromecast. TidyTV keeps that in mind. It turns the rest off from your phone with a backup first and deletes nothing. TidyTV turns these off from your phone over Wi-Fi, saves a backup first and never deletes anything.
Apps TidyTV can turn off on the Google TV Streamer
Grouped as the tested list groups them. In the app each one has a switch, so you choose. Apps marked your call are extras the list leaves on.
Telemetry, feedback and ads 3
- Google Feedback
com.google.android.feedback - Feedbackconsent
com.android.tv.feedbackconsent - Remote usage logging
com.google.android.tv.remotecontrol.logging
The next four are Privacy Sandbox / federated-learning Mainline modules 4
worked here, re-enable if the Play Store or Assistant misbehave.
- Federatedcompute
com.google.android.federatedcompute - Ondevicepersonalization
com.google.android.ondevicepersonalization.services - Privacy Sandbox ad services
com.google.android.adservices.api - Adservices api
com.google.android.ext.adservices.api
Preloaded apps 3
- Play Games
com.google.android.play.games - Google TV storeGoogle TV / Play Movies
com.google.android.videos - TalkBackre-enable if you need the screen reader
com.google.android.marvin.talkback - Google TV home screen your call
com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx
Stock home 1
launcher/build-and-install.sh disables launcherx itself once the new launcher is installed and verified, and restore.sh re-enables it. The setup wizard must be DISABLED on this device (see the quirks above): it holds the cast credentials, but its RecoveryActivity otherwise claims HOME and crash-loops system_server. After disabling it, restore casting with the enable/wait/disable ritual.
- Google TV setup
com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith
What always stays on
- The setup wizard, which holds the cast credentials
- Casting
- Google Play Store and Play Services
- The remote and Bluetooth
Good to know on this model
- Turning off the setup wizard kills casting with an Untrusted device error. Turn it back on and wait for the cast service to restart.
- The debugging port stays closed until you pair once through Wireless debugging.
How to do it
- Turn on developer options On the TV, open Settings › System › About and select the build number 7 times. Then turn on USB debugging, and Network debugging if you see it.
- Tap your TV in TidyTV Your phone finds the TV on the Wi-Fi. Tick "Always allow" and press Allow when the TV asks.
- Review, then tidy TidyTV saves a backup, shows these apps with switches, and turns off the ones you pick, checking each one.
Questions
Will casting still work on my Google TV Streamer?
Yes, as long as the setup wizard stays on. It holds the credentials that casting needs.
Will it remove ads?
It turns off Google's telemetry, feedback and ad services and a few preloaded apps. The list is short, at 11 apps.
Can I get the old home screen back?
Yes. Restore everything turns the apps back on and puts the Google TV home screen back in one tap.
Source: the google-tv-streamer-4k-kirkwood list in cleanyourtv by Gathin (MIT), tested on this model. TidyTV re-checks every app against its own protected list before each change.
Other Google models