Debloat the Philips Smart 4K TV
Google TV 14 · 17 apps on the list · tested on a real set
This Philips is built by Skyworth and ships with Skyworth recommendation rows, an after-sale tracker that runs at boot and watches network changes and location, a background management service, and a My Apps screen. It also has an on-screen manual, a casting service that bundles analytics, and preloaded Google extras.
This list was tested on the day it was applied, so it has not had days of use yet. The Live TV app (CanaliTV) stays on, and so does the speech recognition service, Google text-to-speech. TidyTV turns these items off from your phone over Wi-Fi. It saves a backup first, switches each app off without deleting it, and stops if anything looks wrong.
Apps TidyTV can turn off on the Philips Smart 4K TV
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.
Skyworth recommendations, telemetry and preloads 7
- Content/recommendation rows
com.smartdevice.recommendation - Smartdevice aftersale"after-sale" tracker: boot + network receivers, location
com.smartdevice.aftersale - Records first activation
com.smartdevice.recordactivation - Background service started at boot
com.smartdevice.dailymanage - Skyworth "My Apps" screen
com.smartdevice.myapp - Leanbacklauncher customizerpartner config that injects rows into the home screen
com.smartdevice.leanbacklauncher.customizer - On-screen manual
com.Smartdevice.emanual
Google extras 2
- Google Feedback
com.google.android.feedback - Play Games
com.google.android.play.games
Casting (by choice; keep if you cast from your phone or mirror an iPhone/PC) 3
- Chromecast built-in
com.google.android.apps.mediashell - DIAL
com.mediatek.dialservice - Skyworth/Coocaa AirPlay + Miracast
com.smartdevice.dtv.icast
Google Assistant / Gemini (by choice) 3
- Google Assistant
com.google.android.katniss - Hotwordenrollment okgoogle
com.android.hotwordenrollment.okgoogle - Hotwordenrollment xgoogle
com.android.hotwordenrollment.xgoogle
Stock home 2
Disable only after the new launcher is installed and set as home.
- Google TV setupits RecoveryActivity otherwise takes over Home
com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith - Google TV home screen
com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx
What always stays on
- The Live TV app, CanaliTV from iWedia, which stays on.
- Speech recognition through Google text-to-speech, which stays on so in-app speech still works.
Good to know on this model
- SonyLIV and ZEE5 come as stubs that reinstall from the Play Store the first time you open them.
- With Google Assistant off, the remote's microphone button does nothing.
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 the voice button still work on my Philips Smart 4K TV?
Not while Google Assistant is off. This list turns it off by choice, and the microphone button does nothing until you turn it back on.
Does casting still work?
Casting is off by choice in this list. The Chromecast, DIAL, and Skyworth AirPlay and Miracast services are the ones to keep if you cast from a phone or mirror a screen.
Can I get the old home screen back?
Yes. Restore everything turns every app back on and puts the old home screen back in one tap.
Source: the philips-smart-4k-google-tv list in cleanyourtv by Gathin (MIT), tested on this model. TidyTV re-checks every app against its own protected list before each change.
Other Philips models