Quick Answer
I used Claude Code to speed up my sluggish Sony Bravia Android TV by removing bloatware, disabling unnecessary background services, and replacing the Google TV interface with Projectivy Launcher. I also configured AdGuard Private DNS to block ads, making the TV significantly faster and cleaner in just 30 minutes.
Despite spending a lot on my Sony Bravia TV, it still frustrates me every time I use it. It takes ages to reboot, and once it does, it takes more than 10 minutes to settle before it actually works. By then, I would finish dinner and be ready to wash my hands, and that’s the routine my TV and I have every single day. I tried several methods, including removing bloatware, using private DNS, trying several streaming platforms, and changing the Google TV launcher interface to include only the apps, but it stopped working after a while. Those methods made the TV a little faster, but not much.
Then I saw a tweet on X where a user used Claude Code to debloat and speed up their parents’ Android TV. And then I gave it a try on my Android TV today, and it surprisingly worked.
It made my Sony Bravia TV significantly faster by removing unwanted features and background packages. I also asked it to set a private DNS to remove ads on my TV, and again, it surprisingly worked. Now I get a faster, ad-free experience on my Android TV.
So if you are frustrated with your Android TV experience and have a Claude Code subscription, you are just 30 minutes away from solving your biggest issue. In this guide, I will share a detailed, step-by-step process for using Claude Code to debloat your Android TV and make it faster.
How I Used Claude Code to Make My Slow Android TV Faster Again
You can use any AI model, but I prefer Claude because some models might hallucinate and break things, potentially bricking your Android TV. So, it is best to stick to safe methods and a capable model. If you use Claude, you’ll need a Pro subscription, which starts at $20 per month. Or you can use other models and undo any changes you made to the TV.
Other requirements include having your Google TV or Android TV connected to the same Wi-Fi as your computer or Mac/Windows device. And download the Claude Code app on your Mac or Windows. And ensure the Android SDK Platform-Tools (ADB) is enabled. On Mac, you can install it using Homebrew; on Windows, follow this guide.
Once you have the requirements, turn on Developer Options on your TV first. To do that
Step 1. Turn on Developer options on the TV
On the TV, open Settings, go to System, and tap About.
Scroll down and tap Android TV OS Build seven times until you see a message saying you are a developer.
Step 2. Enable wireless debugging
Next, you need to enable wireless debugging.
Go back to Settings, tap System, open Developer options, and enable them.
Scroll down to the Debugging section and open Wireless debugging.
Now enable it.
The TV will ask you to allow wireless debugging on your Wi-Fi network; tap Allow and tick Always allow on this network. Scroll down and find the TV’s IP address and port. In most cases, Claude finds the TV on its own, but if it doesn’t, this address will come in handy.
Step 3. Ask Claude Code to find the TV and connect
Open Claude on your Mac or Windows, go to Claude Code, and start a new chat. From here, enter the following prompt. Again, make sure your TV and your Mac or Windows PC are connected to the same Wi-Fi, so Claude can find your TV on its own.
Prompt: Hey Claude, my TV is on this network, and wireless debugging is enabled. Could you please check and debloat my Android TV? It is super laggy
Now wait until Claude successfully finds your Android TV. Once it’s done, authorize Claude to connect to your Android TV. Press Allow on your TV.
Step 4. Remove unwanted apps and bloatware
Once you authorize the connection, you don’t need to do anything. Claude will analyze and diagnose why your TV is slow. It will check your RAM, the installed apps, and what’s taking up more memory and all.
Once it finds the issues and unwanted bloatware, it checks what’s running on your TV and automatically uninstalls it. It also removes unnecessary packages.
In my case, Claude successfully removed Sony’s Digital Demo and Sony’s Select Echo Dashboard, along with other Google apps such as Google Play Games, Play Movies, Calendar Sync, Camera Gallery, and apps I haven’t used in over 50 days.
Step 5. Replace Google TV launcher with Projectivy Launcher
Next, Claude will start removing the Google TV launcher because it slows the TV down.
A Projectivy Launcher on the Google Play Store is significantly faster, and Claude recommended it to me. Once again, you don’t need to do much. You can ask Claude to download the launcher, install it, and remove the Google TV launcher on your TV.
Since Claude also uninstalls the Google TV launcher, it also removes unnecessary packages such as Android Easter Egg, Services on Device Personalization, Federated Compute, Google Feedback, Text-to-Speech, and much more.
Once the launcher is downloaded, it installs on your device, and Claude automatically sets it up. If it finds any issues during setup, it fixes them automatically. However, keep note that some Android manufacturers ship with a boot receiver that re-enables the Google TV launcher and several Sony apps on every boot. However, Claude also removes those options.
Step 6. Remove ads using Private DNS
While Claude removes the Google TV launcher, many streaming apps still show ads that can slow your TV. Fortunately, you can use AdGuard private DNS to stop ads on your Android TV.
Most Android manufacturers hide this option, including Sony, which hid my private DNS option from my network menu on my specific TV model. However, you can ask Claude to set it directly using ADB. It will run multiple commands, and you can use this prompt to ask Claude to set private DNS to AdGuard.
Claude Code Did What Years of Android TV Tweaks Couldn’t
That’s it. Once finished, ads will be blocked on your device. You can check by opening any streaming app and seeing whether it serves you ads. The Projectivy Launcher might not be as user-intuitive as the Google TV launcher, but it strips out sponsored content, ads, and everything else, making your TV feel faster, like new. And I am happy to make this trade-off for a faster, ad-free TV experience.
Remember, it might not work on a few models, but try it on your TV carefully by following all the steps I mentioned in this post. And that’s the start. You can even ask Claude to make any change you want on your Android TV; you can also ask it to develop your own Android TV launcher, create your own local media streaming app, and much more. The possibilities are endless.
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#AI#Android TV#Claude#Claude Code#how to guide
