How To Set Up Tcl Android Tv

So, you lot've got yourself a make new Android Television set that you need to set from scratch. Well, you've come to the right place! In this guide, we'll walk you through the basic setup procedure for Android TVs. Unlike Android on smartphones, at that place's not much software segregation on Android TV devices. If you lot acquire how to set up and use one, you've learned how to set up up all of them.

Besides showing y'all where things are on your Android TV and how to use its various features, nosotros'll also help you with a list of apps you might want to download to become the most out of your Android Boob tube.

So without further ado, let's take a look at how to set a new Android TV.

Android TV: Pre-setup requirements

Before you start setting up your Android TV, you need to make a note of a few things that you lot will demand. Check that you accept the following:

A Wi-Fi cyberspace connection
A Google account

If your TV doesn't take Android Goggle box congenital-in, yous'll demand:

An external Android TV device
One TV or monitor that has HDMI ports and supports Loftier-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)
One HDMI cablevision (usually provided within the box)

If you lot accept all these prerequisites in identify, yous are now prepare to start setting upwards your new Android TV. These are three ways you can exercise that: using your Android phone, using your Android Goggle box remote, or using your figurer.

Related: The best Android TV boxes you can become

We'll particular all those methods blare. If y'all've already completed the initial set of your Android TV and want to jump straight to the other sections, you can do and then by choosing the appropriate option from the menu on the left.

Initial Setup

Adamya Sharma / Android Authority

Step 1. Turn on your Android TV and pair the remote

Every Android Goggle box has a different process for pairing a remote, and that'south the get-go thing you'll have to do when y'all plough on your Television set. Past default, most Android Television set remotes tin can only turn on/off your device using an IR connectedness. A Bluetooth connectedness is required for every other characteristic. Follow the steps below to pair your Android Boob tube with its remote.

Turn on your Android TV or monitor fastened to Android Tv device.
Follow the on-screen instructions to pair your remote.
When the remote connects to the Television, yous'll run across a checkmark on the screen.

Step two. Android TV setup

In one case yous've paired your remote, you lot will get an option to quickly set up your Android TV using your Android telephone or tablet. If you select this option, y'all can transfer account and network details from your Android device to your Goggle box with a few simple clicks. You lot can skip this option to complete the setup using the remote. You can also fix your Android Boob tube using your computer. Cheque out the instructions for all the three dissimilar methods below.

How to fix upwardly an Android Tv using an Android phone?

When your TV says, "Chop-chop ready up your TV with your Android phone?" use your remote and select Aye.
On your Android phone, open up the pre-installed Google app.
Type or say, "Set up my device."
Follow the instructions on your phone until y'all run into a code. Make sure the same lawmaking shows up on your TV.
On your phone, tap the name of your TV when it shows up.
To finish setup, follow the instructions on your TV.

How to set up an Android Tv using the remote?

When your Boob tube says, "Quickly gear up up your TV with your Android telephone?" utilise your remote to choose Skip.
Connect to Wi-Fi.
Y'all might need to await for the system to update.
Choose Sign in and and then use your remote.
Sign in to your Google Account (yous tin also skip this step and do it later).
Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup.

How to gear up Android Idiot box using a computer?

When your TV says, "Quickly fix your Television receiver with your Android telephone?" use your remote to choose Skip.
Connect to the same Wi-Fi network as your smartphone or computer.
On your Tv set, choose Sign in and then use your computer.
Sign in to your Google Account.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Check for software and app updates

Adamya Sharma / Android Say-so

If you've completed the steps in a higher place, you lot should be all set to beginning using your Android TV. The showtime matter you lot want to do is check for software updates. To practice this head to Settings (gear icon) > Device Preferences > Near > System Update.

The latest Android TV version is Android eleven. All the same, most Android TVs should be running Android 10 or Android 9 right now. Some older TVs are notwithstanding stuck on Android 8.0 Oreo. If that's the example for you, there's no option but to wait for your Android TV OEM to gyre out the latest software version.

Also read: The all-time media streaming devices you can buy

App updates are besides something you lot should check for when y'all commencement showtime using your Android TV. You volition find several major streaming apps similar Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and others, pre-installed on your Android Goggle box. Earlier you start using them, y'all can cheque for app updates by heading to the Google Play Shop on your Android TV.

The Play Store is located in the superlative row of your Android Tv homepage. Alternatively, you can discover it in the Apps channel on the left side of your home screen.

To update all apps, select Google Play Store, and so navigate to the My Apps section on meridian and click on Update All.

To set apps on auto-update, head to the Settings (gear icon) inside Google Play Store > Auto-update apps > Auto-update apps at any time.

Where things are on your Android TV

Adamya Sharma / Android Authority

The interface

The Android TV UI is pretty simple to navigate. You lot'll find all the default channels on the left side of your domicile screen, such as apps, Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Music, Amazon Prime Video, and more.

On the row beside each channel, you'll see suggestions for that category. For instance, the apps channel volition display suggestions for downloaded apps on your Android TV, the Netflix channel will show streaming suggestions, and and so on. We'll tell you lot more about customizing these channels below.

Also read: The very best movies on Netflix: Action, comedy, drama, and more

If you're looking for your Television receiver settings to personalize and adjust things similar the flick quality, sound, app permissions, Bluetooth connections, etc, you need to caput to the main settings menu. You'll discover the familiar gear icon for your Android TV'southward settings on the top right corner of your dwelling house screen. Here, y'all tin can navigate to all the hardware settings and device preferences for your Android Tv set device.

One thing to note nearly the Android Television interface is that it'll be replaced by the new Google TV for Android interface in the time to come. Google launched the new UI with its latest Chromecast and has promised to upgrade smart TVs with the same soon. You tin read more well-nigh Google TV for Android and the new Chromecast UI here. If you've got the Chromecast with Google TV, you can read setup instructions from Google here.

Google announced some other UI overhaul for Android Goggle box devices in February 2022. It seems like an interim pace before the company rolls out the new Google Television receiver interface. Information technology has at present started rolling out to Nvidia Shield Boob tube devices. Yet, the company hasn't specified when exactly the update will country on other Android Television receiver devices and if it applies to all Android TV versions in all regions.

Habitation-screen customizations

If you don't like the mode your Android TV's home screen is arranged, you lot tin modify the channels you see by default and rearrange the home screen apps.

To add or remove existing channels — the icons on the left of your home screen — scroll correct to the lesser of the home screen. Here, you'll encounter an option called Customize Your Channels. Tap on information technology to rearrange your preferences.

To re-club apps and conform autoplay settings for previews that you encounter on your dwelling house screen, navigate to Settings > Device Preferences. Here, you lot'll find options to enable/disable video and audio previews also as rearrange apps for your Android Idiot box's dwelling screen.

Google Assistant and voice search

Most Android Boob tube remotes these days come with a dedicated Google Assistant push button for voice search and navigation. Google Banana is built into your Android Telly, and you tin can activate information technology by pressing the Assistant or microphone push button on your remote. To make sure the Assistant can hear yous, speak into the microphone on your remote. Some premium Android TVs also permit you summon Google Assistant with the "Ok, Google" or "Hey, Google" wake words that you'd apply on a smart speaker.

Also read: Google Assistant guide: Brand the virtually of your virtual assistant

You can ask Google Assistant to speedily discover and play your favorite shows, get answers from the net, and control your smart home devices. It can even control playback and book too as switch off your Android TV with vox commands. Yous will find a full list of what yous can enquire Google Assistant here.

Chromecast

If you lot accept an Android TV, you lot can cast content such as photos and videos from your phone, tablet, or laptop to your Idiot box screen. In this style, your telephone acts every bit a remote command for the content that y'all are watching on your Goggle box. To do this, your telephone or whatever other casting device should be on the aforementioned Wi-Fi network equally your Telly. Once yous've ensured that, you can follow the steps below to use Chromecast on your Android TV.

Open the app that has the content you desire to cast.
In the app, discover the cast icon that looks like a rectangle with a Wi-Fi symbol in one corner.
One time you find the bandage icon, tap on it, and choose the name of your TV.
When the cast icon changes colour, it means yous are successfully connected to your Television set.
You should now exist able to see your media on it.

If you have trouble casting, follow the steps below to brand sure it's enabled on your Android TV.

On your remote, press the home push.
On your Boob tube, at the top right, select Settings.
Select Apps.
Under System apps, select Google Bandage Receiver.
Check that it'south turned on.

Google likewise introduced a new Android TV feature called Cast Connect in August 2022. Bandage Connect goes across the traditional Chromecast capabilities and also allows you to control casted content on your Television using the remote. Currently, Cast Connect isn't available widely. Google is working with app developers to add the characteristic to their corresponding apps. For now, but CBS and Australian streaming service Stan have launched Cast Connect.

Android Tv set setup: Apps to get started

Adamya Sharma / Android Authority

Your Android Television comes pre-loaded with diverse popular streaming apps, and so y'all won't need to install things like Netflix or Amazon Prime number Video. You lot also become Google Play Movies & TV and Google Play Games pre-installed. Having all these apps already in there is great, but y'all might want to consider installing the below-mentioned apps to go started with your Android TV.

VLC for Android

VLC is a great video and audio player, which supports a wide range of formats. It's an excellent app to accept on your Android TV if yous desire to play media files from an external source like a USB pen drive or hard disk.

Plex

Plex is one of the best Android TV apps yous tin get. It organizes all your personal media, including photos, music, movies, shows, and more, and presents it in a elementary, easy to navigate UI. Of form, you lot can too stream all that media from inside the app. But that's non all that Plex is all about. The app also gives you gratis access to dozens of HD over-the-air broadcast channels for free. In the The states, these free channels include networks similar CBS, ABC, NBC, Pull a fast one on, PBS plus, and many more. Plex also features advertizement-supported video-on-need content, which information technology has at present expanded with a partnership with Crepitation. This means you can stream the entire Crackle library using the app.

Kodi

Do you lot have media content sitting on a hard disk or USB drive? Then Kodi is the app to get for your Android Tv set. It is an open-source, cross-platform Home theater PC (HTPC) software that works for both local and network storage services. It supports a vast variety of formats across both audio and video files, and so y'all can apply it to play just about anything. Kodi can as well automatically add together posters, trailers, fan covers, and more to items in your media library. If you're looking to stream your photos, you can import them to Kodi, and it will prepare up an epitome library for you. Additionally, Kodi allows you lot to install third-political party plugins that may provide access to content, which is not always legal.

Steam Link

With the Steam Link app on Android TV and a good cyberspace connection, you can easily stream your Steam games directly to your TV at upward to a 4K resolution at 60fps. Yous can check out all the games optimized for remote play on your Android TV here.

Google Drive via Send files to TV

If you lot accept media such as photos or videos stored on your Google Drive and want to access it on a big screen, you can merely download the Google Drive app on your Android Television set. Sadly, the Google Drive app is not available through the Google Play shop for Android TVs. However, yous can always sideload the APK file past installing the Send files to Tv app on your smartphone and television. This way, you can transfer the Google Drive APK file from your telephone to your TV in a jiffy.

At that place are diverse other apps you lot can download to heighten your Android Television experience too the starter apps mentioned above. Check out our list of the best Android Television apps to get the almost out of your TV.

Frequently asked questions about Android TV setup

Q: How to reset an former Android Television set earlier setup?

If yous have a pre-owned Android Idiot box and want to set it upwards from scratch, you can do this past resetting it. On an Android TV with Android 8, head to the Home screen > Settings (gear icon) > Storage & reset > Factory information reset. Once you press this, you can follow the on-screen instructions to reset your Android TV.

If y'all have an Android Goggle box with Android 9 Pie, caput to Home screen > Settings (gear icon) > Device preferences > Reset

Q: How to set a parental lock on your Android Tv set?

Y'all can prepare a PIN lock on your Android TV with granular restrictions based on content ratings, timings, and more. To practice this, head to Domicile screen > Settings (gear icon) > Parental command.

Q: How to add another Google account on an Android Boob tube?

You lot can add more one Google account to your Android TV. To exercise this caput to Home screen > Settings (gear icon) > Accounts and Sign-in > Add business relationship.

Q: How to alter the screensaver settings on Android Telly?

You can tweak screen saver settings on your Android Goggle box to show Chromecast wallpapers or colors when your Television receiver is idle. To practice this, head to Home screen > Settings (gear icon) > Device preferences > Screen saver.

You lot can as well make your own photos from the Google Photos app appear as screen savers on your Android TV. To practise this, caput to the My Apps department on your Android Telly and look for an app called Backdrop Daydream. Make sure this app is updated.

At present, head to the Google Dwelling app and tap on the name of your TV. Y'all'll see an interface that lets y'all command your Android Telly'southward volume. On the superlative right corner, tap on the Settings button (gear icon). Tap Ambient Fashion. Here' yous should see iii options to cull from — Art Gallery, Experimental, and Google Photos. Tap on the Google Photos option to gear up your photos equally screensavers.

Q: How to command Android Boob tube with a smartphone?

Head here to our step-by-step guide to know how you can employ your phone to control your Android Television receiver.

That's everything you lot need to know well-nigh Android TV setup! To know more nearly Android TVs and related devices, head here to our comprehensive Android TV buyer'southward guide.