Android Goggle box boxes are some of the all-time streaming devices on the market. They can act as Kodi boxes, Plex servers, and even gaming consoles. However, they have one odd and meaning drawback: they don't come with a pre-installed browser.

If you search in the Google Play Store on your device, you'll detect a couple of Android TV 3rd-party browsers listed, but Google Chrome is not there. Is it possible to install Chrome on Android TV? Yeah! Here's how.

How to Install Chrome on Android TV

Previously, you lot used to be able to either install Chrome on Android Idiot box using your computer or (on some Android TV devices) instruct your device to install the app using a phonation control. Sadly, neither of those methods work anymore.

Instead, you have 2 new approaches available to you. Both crave you to do some sideloading.

1. Use a Third-Political party App Store

There are several third-political party app stores available for Android. For the process described in this article, nosotros are going to utilize Aptoide.

For those who don't know, Aptoide is an independent Android app store with more than 2,500 apps available for you to download. All the apps on the store are free, significant it's worth installing the store on your device regardless of this specific process.

Outset, you volition need to install Aptoide on your Android TV box. You practise then in two ways:

  • Via a browser: Although Google Chrome is non available in the Android TV version of the Google Play Store, other Android TV browsers are available. The best is arguably Puffin Boob tube Browser. If you install the browser, you can navigate toaptoi.de/goggle box, download the installer, and run it from your device's default file managing director.
  • Via USB: If your Android Goggle box box has a USB port, yous tin download the Aptoide APK on a desktop auto, motion it to a USB, and run the installer from your file manager.

One time you take installed Aptoide on your Android TV box, the process of installing Chrome on Android Tv becomes straightforward.

Just burn up the Aptoide app and run a search (using the search box at the top of the page) for Google Chrome. Click on the correct search result and select the Install push button from the row of options at the superlative of the list's information.

Follow the on-screen prompts to ostend the installation, and Aptoide will take care of the residue.

Once the app is installed, you will find it listed among all your other apps on the platform.

ii. Use the Google Chrome APK

apk mirror chrome

The other arroyo is similar, but instead of using a third-party app store as a middleman, it instead relies on yous grabbing a copy of the Google Chrome APK and sideloading it yourself.

Doing so has both pros and cons. On the plus side, you'll have control over which version of Google Chrome y'all install. That's useful if one version has bugs or doesn't work well on your device. All the same, the flipside is that the app will non automatically update; every bit new Chrome features are unveiled by Google, you will need to update the app yourself by grabbing a reinstalling a new APK.

So, how can you install Chrome on Android TV using the app's APK file?

To begin, y'all demand a get a copy of the APK file in question. There are lots are places to find Android APK files, but we recommend APK Mirror or APK Pure. Both are amidst the most secure APK repos on the web. You tin download them either via the Puffin TV Browser mentioned earlier, or download information technology on your figurer and transfer it to your box using a USB stick.

Thereafter, use a file explorer on your Android TV device to locate the APK and click on information technology to first the installation process. In that location will be a couple of on-screen prompts you lot'll need to agree to, simply the whole process is fast and painless.

Accessing Chrome on Android TV

sideload launcher

One time you have installed Chrome on Android TV, you might not see it listed on your Android TV home screen (depending on the make and model of your device). Some devices will not display sideloaded apps aslope your other regular apps.

There are 4 ways to access sideloaded apps if it does non appear automatically:

  • Settings bill of fare: You tin can admission a complete list of your apps (sideloaded and regular) from the apps section of the Settings menu.
  • Use a sideload launcher app: Several third-party Android developers have created apps that live on your dwelling screen and provide one-click access to sideloaded apps on your device. Some of the most popular include Sideload Launcher, Sideload Channel, and Sideload Channel Launcher ii for Telly. Each of the apps has dissimilar features, so make sure you try a few to see which one best meets your needs.

Regardless of which method you use, there's one setting you lot need to change when you launch Chrome for the first fourth dimension. Click on the iii vertical dots, scroll down, and marker the checkbox next to Request Desktop Site. It will ensure the app takes full advantage of your Television set screen's real estate.

Should You Fifty-fifty Use Chrome on Android TV?

We understand the appeal of using Chrome on your Android Goggle box box. You'll get access to your extensions, bookmarks, browsing history, and all your other customizations.

But using Chrome on Android TV is not a peculiarly pleasant experience. The app is not optimized for use with a remote command, pregnant that navigating web pages and inbound search queries can speedily get a wearisome task. That'due south why apps like Puffin are so good; they are optimized for TV remotes and thus the unabridged feel is much more than fluid.

The lack of an Android Telly-optimized version of Chrome remains one of the platform's big mysteries. However, until Google decides to address the event, we are stuck with these workarounds. At best, we'd recommend installing Chrome on Android TV as a backup browser. It's fine for accessing sure information, but for your twenty-four hour period-to-mean solar day browsing, stick with an Android Telly optimized version.

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Dan Price (1604 Articles Published)

Dan joined MakeUseOf in 2022 and has been Partnerships Director since July 2022. Attain out to him for inquires about sponsored content, chapter agreements, promotions, and any other forms of partnership. You tin can besides find him roaming the evidence floor at CES in Las Vegas every year, say how-do-you-do if you're going. Prior to his writing career, he was a Fiscal Consultant.

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