The Play Store on Android TV, Fire TV, and Google TV is thin on purpose. Search for Jellyfin, SmartTube, or a decent file manager and you either get nothing or you get the wrong app. XDA ran a piece recently about turning an LG smart TV into a real Jellyfin box by sideloading the app the store refuses to list. That works on every Android TV device too, and it does not need a laptop or a USB stick.
We looked at eight apps that make TV sideloading painless. Some pull APKs from the web with a remote-friendly browser. Some let you push from a phone. Some open a full alternate store. Every one of them is free, and none of them require root, ADB, or a developer account.
What to look for in an Android TV sideloading app
- Remote-friendly UI. Big text, D-pad navigation, no tiny buttons.
- Trusted APK source. The app either bundles its own store or points at reputable mirrors.
- Update tracking. Sideloaded apps do not auto-update. Something has to notice when a new version ships.
- Signature checks. The app should warn if a package signature changes mid-update, which is how malicious replacements slip in.
- File manager. You will end up moving APKs around; a manager saves the day.
- No account required. Ideally the sideload path never asks for a login.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downloader by AFTVnews | The one-tap URL sideloader | Android TV, Fire TV | Yes, everything | Free | 4.6 |
| Send Files to TV | Pushing APKs from a phone | Android, Android TV | Yes | Free | 4.6 |
| Aurora Store | Play Store apps without Google | Android, Android TV | Yes | Free | 4.5 |
| F-Droid | Open-source apps, auto-updated | Android, Android TV | Yes | Free | 4.5 |
| FileSynced | Preset “code” bundles of apps | Android TV, Fire TV | Yes | Free | 4.2 |
| APKMirror Installer | Verified APKs from APKMirror | Android, Android TV | Yes | Free | 4.4 |
| Solid Explorer | The best remote-friendly file manager | Android, Android TV | 14-day trial | ~$3 one-time | 4.6 |
| SmartTubeNext | The reason many people sideload | Android TV, Fire TV | Yes | Free | 4.7 |
The apps
1. Downloader by AFTVnews – Best overall for one-URL sideloading
Downloader by AFTVnews is the app most sideloading guides start with. Punch a URL into the on-screen keyboard, download the APK, install it, delete the file. Everything is one screen. Downloader also ships a bookmark manager, a plain-text web browser tuned for D-pad navigation, and short numeric codes that resolve to full URLs so typing a link on a TV remote is bearable.
Where it falls short: The browser is intentionally minimal. It cannot handle sites that need JavaScript for downloads (Reddit, GitHub Releases via the UI). Grab the direct APK URL instead.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Android TV, Fire TV, Google TV.
Download: Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: Install this first on any Android TV device. It is what everyone else on a forum will assume you already have.
2. Send Files to TV – Best for pushing APKs from a phone
Send Files to TV runs on both ends. Install it on the phone and on the TV, tap Send, pick a file, and it lands on the TV over the local network. APKs, videos, subtitles, images. No cloud, no login, no cable. On the TV side, tapping the APK from the notification opens the installer.
Where it falls short: Both devices need to be on the same LAN. It does not do remote-network transfers.
Pricing: Free with in-app upgrade to remove ads.
Platforms: Android, Android TV, Fire TV, iOS as sender only.
Download: Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: Pair with Downloader. When one is awkward, the other usually works.
3. Aurora Store – Best for Play Store apps without Google
Aurora Store is an open-source Play Store client. It signs in anonymously and pulls the same APKs Google would serve, at the same versions, then installs them like any other app. On a TV that ships Play Store, Aurora is a backup route for apps that Play refuses to show on that hardware model (Jellyfin, most Play music players, some browsers).
Where it falls short: Signature-check-based updates only work if the original app was installed through Aurora too, not through Play. Sign-in through a personal Google account is optional but sometimes needed for licensed apps.
Pricing: Free, open source.
Platforms: Android, Android TV, Fire TV.
Download: F-Droid
Bottom line: The most reliable way to sideload Play Store apps that the TV thinks it should not run.
4. F-Droid – Best for open-source apps with auto-updates
F-Droid is the app that finally auto-updates your sideloaded apps. Install SmartTubeNext, Jellyfin, or NewPipe from F-Droid and each new release lands the same way a Play Store update would. Everything on F-Droid is open source, and builds are reproducible.
Where it falls short: The library is smaller than Play. Popular closed-source apps are not there.
Pricing: Free, open source.
Platforms: Android, Android TV, Fire TV.
Download: F-Droid site
Bottom line: The clean baseline for open-source apps on TV. Add IzzyOnDroid as a repo to reach more independent builds.
5. FileSynced – Best for preset app bundles
FileSynced works differently. Enter a short numeric code (an “app store code”) and it downloads whatever list of APKs the code owner published. Communities publish bundles for Fire TV setup, retro gaming builds, or Jellyfin-only kits. It is the fastest way to set up a second TV to match a first one.
Where it falls short: You are trusting the code owner. Stick to codes recommended by communities you already know.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Android TV, Fire TV.
Download: Aptoide
Bottom line: Great for cloning a full sideload setup to another device in five minutes.
6. APKMirror Installer – Best for verified split APKs
APKMirror Installer handles APK bundles (“APKM” files) that APKMirror publishes for modern apps. Regular installers choke on the multi-file bundle that Play uses for Android App Bundles; this one merges the base APK and the ABI/DPI splits into a single installable package.
Where it falls short: APKMirror-specific. Grabbing an APKM from anywhere else does not help.
Pricing: Free.
Platforms: Android, Android TV.
Download: APKMirror site
Bottom line: Install this only when you hit an app that Play publishes as a bundle and the regular installer fails.
7. Solid Explorer – Best remote-friendly file manager
Solid Explorer is the best file manager for TV D-pad use. Dual panes, big tap targets, and mounts for SMB, FTP, WebDAV, Google Drive, and Dropbox mean you can drop an APK onto a NAS from a laptop and install it from the TV without touching a USB stick.
Where it falls short: The full app costs a few dollars after the trial. Files can be picky about the SAF-restricted /Android/data/ paths on Android 11 and later.
Pricing: 14-day free trial, then roughly $3 one-time.
Platforms: Android, Android TV, Fire TV.
Download: Aptoide, Google Play
Bottom line: Pay the few dollars if you sideload regularly. The remote-friendly UI is worth it.
8. SmartTubeNext – Best example of what sideloading is for
SmartTubeNext is the app most Android TV owners sideload first. It is a YouTube client with no ads, background playback, sponsor-skip, and a UI actually built for a TV remote. It is not a general-purpose tool; it is the payoff, and the reason installing the tools above is worth the ten minutes.
Where it falls short: Not on Play. You have to sideload updates through Downloader, F-Droid, or the app’s own updater.
Pricing: Free, open source.
Platforms: Android TV, Fire TV.
Download: F-Droid via NewPipe repo
Bottom line: If you needed one reason to sideload on Android TV, this is it.
How to pick the right one
- If you have never sideloaded anything: install Downloader by AFTVnews and Send Files to TV. Between them, 90 percent of sideload jobs are one screen.
- If you want auto-updates on your sideloaded apps: F-Droid for open-source, Aurora Store for Play-only apps.
- If you are setting up multiple TVs the same way: FileSynced copies a full app list from a code.
- If you keep APKs on a NAS: Solid Explorer.
- If you sideload Play-published bundle apps and installs fail: APKMirror Installer.
- If you needed a reason to bother: SmartTubeNext.
FAQ
Is sideloading apps on Android TV safe?
Yes, when the APK comes from a known source. Stick to F-Droid, Aurora Store, APKMirror, or the developer’s site. Avoid random forum links.
Can I sideload on Google TV like a Chromecast with Google TV?
Yes. Google TV runs the same Android TV base, so Downloader by AFTVnews, Send Files to TV, and Aurora Store all work.
Do sideloaded apps update automatically?
Only if installed through F-Droid, Aurora Store, or the app’s own updater. APKs installed from a browser or file manager stay on the version you installed.
Do I need ADB to sideload on Android TV?
Not with the apps above. Downloader, Send Files to TV, and Aurora Store handle everything from the couch.
Why is Jellyfin not on the Play Store for my TV?
Jellyfin ships on Play, but Play often hides apps from specific TV hardware models. Aurora Store or a direct APK from jellyfin.org gets around that.
