Over the years, the Google TV interface has gotten too crowded with full-screen ads, links to paid content, and a bulldozer of Gemini no one asked for. Other than that, Google forbids apps that aren’t preinstalled or downloaded from the Play Store from appearing on the main app carousel, even though the Android framework makes it possible to sideload APKs. An alternative to keep your sanity is a third-party Android TV launcher, and we frequently cover a few good ones here at Android Authority.
A popular option in that category is Sideload Launcher, which displays all your apps, including sideloaded ones, apps installed from unofficial sources, and even those originally meant to run on Android phones and tablets, not TVs. It does all of this without any permission or tracking, the developer claims. Sideload Launcher has been around for well over a decade but hasn’t seen a major upgrade in years. That changes now, with version 2.0 bringing a boatload of new features.
