If you have a television or Chromecast with Google TV, you will already know that one of its differences with Android TV is its interface based on content recommendations. A system that can have its fans, see the case of this humble servant who uses it when he doesn’t know what series or movie to watch. However, it can also be somewhat cumbersome.
If what you are looking for is a simple interface dedicated only to applications, there is a system mode that is best suited for it. It is precisely called “applications only” and eliminates any distraction that this recommendation system can cause as standard.
Google TV “apps only” mode
To activate this commented interface in which only the applications will appear and not the classic Google TV recommendations, you just have to follow these steps:
- Open the settings.
- Go to the section Accounts and login.
- Choose your Google account.
- Among the options that appear, locate and Activate “Apps only mode”.
Once this is done, you can return to home screen and you will see that the recommendations have completely disappeared. Or almost, since some related to the streaming platforms that you selected when configuring your Google account will appear at the top, but they only occupy a space.
This is what Google TV looks like with “applications only mode”
In any case, it can be said that you can return to classic mode by deactivating that option again following the steps mentioned above. Although if you do it because you were not convinced by this modality that Google offers natively, keep reading because we have other options.
Another interesting option can be a launcher
Google TV is already an Android TV launcher itself, just installed natively. However, on this we can apply any of the launchers for Android TV. Some of them shine precisely for offering a minimalist style with the protagonist apps, although different from the one that Google TV has in the aforementioned application-only mode.
Another advantage is that support further customization with added features. See as examples shortcuts to remove apps or view their information. One of the most interesting is FLauncher, downloadable from Google Play for free.
Main view of ‘FLauncher’ installed on Google TV
This has an interface very similar to that of Apple TV, making it the apps are completely protagonists on the screen by taking up as much space as possible. However, there are other options such as ‘HALauncher’ or ‘TV Launcher – Smart’ that offer another type of design in which the apps are still the main thing.
As with the “apps only” mode, it is possible to return to the Google TV launcher. To do this, all you have to do is disable or uninstall the applications. And yes, of course you can reinstall them and remove them again. Everything is that in the end the system is always to your liking.
