Debloat the TCL 50EP680

Android TV 11 · 47 apps on the list · tested on a real set

The TCL 50EP680 ships with TCL analytics and promo services, including one that pushes TCL content to the home screen at boot. It also has Google's recommendation rows, Play Movies, a screensaver, a set of preloaded games, news and remote support apps. Three voice assistant apps are in the list too, grouped as off by choice.

The list was applied on a real unit, and every app was then checked one by one as off. Home, the app grid, the Inputs menu with HDMI 1 to 3, AV and Live TV, the Wi-Fi pill and Settings all still worked afterwards. The TV was not restarted, and the list has not been used for days yet. TidyTV turns these off from your phone over Wi-Fi, with a backup first.

Download the free APK Star on GitHub

Apps TidyTV can turn off on the TCL 50EP680

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.

TCL telemetry, promos and content feeds 4

Analytics / telemetry servicecom.tcl.bi
Tcl tclhome passivepushes TCL content to the home screen at bootcom.tcl.tv.tclhome_passive
TCL web content feedcom.tcl.waterfall.overseas
Tcl estickerretail demo stickers. Worth re-checking here: the BeyondTV2com.tcl.esticker

profile (PR #179, same rtd285o board) saw this one come back enabled overnight 5

Tcl noteremindercom.tcl.notereminder
Tcl overseasappshowcom.tcl.overseasappshow
Tcl copydatatotv"copy your phone's data to the TV" setup helpercom.tcl.copydatatotv
TCL dashboardcom.tcl.dashboard
Installs partner/preload appscom.tcl.partnercustomizer

Voice assistant (off by choice) 3

Google Assistantcom.google.android.katniss
Google Assistant for TVcom.google.android.tv.assistant
TCL's assistant surfacecom.tcl.assistant

Google extras, recommendation rows and Play Movies 7

Google recommendationscom.google.android.tvrecommendations
Google TV storePlay Movies & TVcom.google.android.videos
Play Gamescom.google.android.play.games
YouTube Musiccom.google.android.youtube.tvmusic
Musiccom.google.android.music
Google Feedbackcom.google.android.feedback
Backdrop screensaverambient screensaver. Once it is gone the screensaver has tocom.google.android.backdrop

Preloaded games (user-space apps 13

disable-user is enough, and reversible)

King candycrushsagacom.king.candycrushsaga
Asanteegames magicrampagecom.asanteegames.magicrampage
Portal androidtvcom.mautilus.tvgames.portal.androidtv
Popoko tictactoecom.popoko.tictactoe
Secretexit turbodismountcom.secretexit.turbodismount
Purple googleplaycom.vectorunit.purple.googleplay
Wrcplus releasecom.wrcplus.release
Biz happyfruitspaskov.biz.happyfruits
Rocks funkykartsrocks.funkykarts
Pontes forinalinero.pontes.forinaline
Hexage ritualnet.hexage.ritual
Joxdev orbiacom.joxdev.orbia
Bruyere solitairecom.bruyere.android.solitaire

Preloaded news, video and remote-support apps 15

Mobile cbcnewsandroidwebviewca.cbc.mobile.android.cbcnewsandroidwebview
Abc abcnewscom.abc.abcnews
Bloomberg btvacom.bloomberg.btva
Cnn mobilecom.cnn.mobile.android.tv
Nousguide rbtvcom.nousguide.android.rbtv
Tedcom.ted.android.tv
Vimeo videoappcom.vimeo.android.videoapp
Androidtv livedw.com.androidtv.live
Aljazeera englishnet.aljazeera.english
Rarity tvwebjp.co.rarity.tvweb
Cloudmosa puffinTVcom.cloudmosa.puffinTV
Aptoidetv ptcm.aptoidetv.pt
Curiositystream androidtvcom.curiosity.curiositystream.androidtv
Quicksupport marketcom.teamviewer.quicksupport.market
Tiv dvtvio.tiv.dvtv.tv

What always stays on

Live TV, HDMI and the sources menu, through TCL's Live TV app and its input service.
Casting: Chromecast, Miracast and TCL's multi-screen app.
Streaming apps such as Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max and Spotify.
Firmware updates, Bluetooth remote pairing and the Play Store.

Good to know on this model

The UK catch-up apps are already off from the factory on this set, so the list does not include them.
Three apps came back on overnight on the same TCL board: the copy-data helper, the TCL dashboard and the partner installer. Check them again after a day or two.

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 TCL 50EP680?

Only if the voice apps stay on. Google Assistant, Google's TV assistant and TCL's assistant are off by choice in the list, so leave their switches on if you use the mic button.

Does casting still work?

Yes. Chromecast, Miracast and TCL's multi-screen app are kept on purpose, so casting from a phone keeps working.

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 tcl-50ep680 list in cleanyourtv by Gathin (MIT), tested on this model. TidyTV re-checks every app against its own protected list before each change.