If Android TV returns to its stock screen after a reboot, first check whether the device lets you select a custom app as its Home app. If it does not—or if pressing the remote’s Home button still opens the stock screen—identify your exact TV or streaming-device model before trying ADB commands. Launcher behavior and package names vary, and there is no single fix proven for every Android TV or Google TV device.
First, check whether Android TV offers a Home-app setting
- Open Settings and look under Apps, Default apps, Home app or Home screen. The label and location vary by device.
- If your custom launcher appears as an option, select it.
- Restart the device, then check two things separately: which screen appears after boot, and which screen opens when you press the remote’s Home button.
Those behaviors are related, but they are not identical: a launcher can be installed or selected while the device still routes the Home button to a manufacturer or Google launcher. A Google Community answer lists menus for some Android 13 phones, but those phone menus do not establish a matching path for Android TV; treat the options on your TV itself as the guide.
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If Home still opens the stock screen, identify what handles Home
Before changing system packages, note the device make and model, its Android TV or Google TV version, and the custom launcher you installed. If you use ADB, determine the Home activity or package for that specific device rather than assuming a package name from another brand.
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ADB method: documented for Chromecast with Google TV
FLauncher documents the following sequence for Chromecast with Google TV and warns that the commands may differ on other devices. It also warns that disabling the stock launcher can stop the YouTube remote button from working. Do not run these commands on another model unless you have verified that the package names match your device.
- Connect to the Chromecast with Google TV using ADB.
- Disable the documented launcher and setup-fallback packages:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith - Press Home and select the custom launcher if the device prompts you.
If you need to undo the change, FLauncher gives these restoration commands:
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adb shell pm enable com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx
adb shell pm enable com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraithThe guide advises proceeding at your own risk. If disabling the launcher affects the YouTube button, FLauncher suggests remapping that key as a workaround. LTvLauncher also describes disabling Google TV launcher and setup-fallback packages through ADB, with corresponding enable commands to restore them; that is project guidance, not a platform-wide guarantee.
Alternative: remap or intercept the Home button
If direct selection is blocked, a button remapper or accessibility-based Home fix may redirect the remote’s Home key to your preferred launcher. FLauncher names Button Mapper; LTvLauncher documents its built-in accessibility-based Home Button Fix and Key Mapper.
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This approach changes how a key is handled; it does not make the custom launcher the system’s Home app. Its reliability depends on the device, the permissions granted, the remapping app’s support and whether the service remains active after a reboot or software update.
Do not confuse Home-screen optimization with launcher selection
Google documents an experimental setting called Optimize Home & Apps tabs at Settings → Device Preferences → Home Screen → Experimental. Google says to restart after toggling it. The help page describes optimization of the Home and Apps tabs, not a way to make a third-party launcher persist as the system Home handler; it also notes the feature may become non-optional after the experiment ends.
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Choose a method by device and recovery risk
| Approach | When it fits | What to verify | Recovery or trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Settings-based Home app choice | The device exposes a Home app or default-app selector and lists the custom launcher. | Test both startup behavior and the Home button after restarting. | No system package change is needed; menu labels vary by device. |
| ADB package disabling | You have identified the exact Home and fallback packages for your model. The commands cited here are documented for Chromecast with Google TV only. | Confirm the package names against the exact device before running commands. | Keep the matching re-enable commands available. On Chromecast with Google TV, the YouTube remote button may stop working. |
| Button remapping or accessibility interception | System-level Home selection is unavailable or does not redirect the Home key. | Check required permissions and whether the service stays enabled after reboot or update. | It redirects a button rather than changing the system Home app; behavior depends on the utility and device. |
The available documentation does not establish one best method for every Android TV device. A device-specific recommendation requires the model, software version, installed launcher and whether the stock screen appears on startup, after pressing Home, or both.
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