Image: techcrunch.com
Stripping ads and bloatware from smart TVs
Users gave Claude Code their TV model and asked it to find and disable ads, sponsored rows, telemetry and preloaded apps. Most approaches disable packages rather than uninstall them. Some add a minimal launcher, or suggest AdGuard private DNS to block ads inside streaming apps.
Credits
- Video channel David Zedan Source ↗
- Video channel Adnaan Khan Source ↗
- Video channel UG Tech Source ↗
- Video channel Tristen O'Brien Source ↗
- Video channel Kris | AI, Practically Source ↗
- Video channel Lem. Source ↗
1 more source credits
- Post author itsfoss.bsky.social Source ↗
Earliest dated source:
The full story
In October 2026 a wave of Android TV and Google TV owners started pointing Claude Code at their TVs to strip out sponsored rows, tracking and preloaded apps. The TV is put in developer mode, Claude connects to it over ADB (Android's built-in debugging bridge) on the home Wi-Fi, lists the installed packages and switches off the ones that serve ads or collect viewing data. No root access is needed.
Because apps are disabled rather than deleted, a restore script can undo every change. Many people also had Claude build a simpler Apple TV-style launcher. One widely covered case is a developer who disabled 25 apps on a TCL Google TV and cut home-screen memory use from 192 MB to 83 MB in an afternoon. The open-source CleanYourTV project grew out of this and lists tested setups for more than a hundred TV models.
The coverage also lists what goes wrong: a bricked set, apps that break when a needed service is disabled, and lost security fixes when the update service is turned off. Samsung, LG, Roku and other non-Android TVs can't be cleaned this way.
Reported failures include a bricked Android TV and a Fire TV left half-finished. Disabling the update service also means losing security fixes.
How it was done
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Sources
From the maker's own write-up or code. We summarise what they report; we haven't tested it ourselves.
- TechCrunch: people are using AI to make smart TVs dumb again
News overview of the trend: owners using AI agents to remove ads, speed up launchers and turn off tracking, with the "dumbtv" project as an example.
- Tom's Guide
Consumer-focused explainer on why people are doing it and whether you should.
- It's FOSS
Explains the ADB method step by step and where it can go wrong.
- TweakTown: TCL Google TV owner hands the remote to Claude Code
One owner's results on a TCL Google TV: 25 apps disabled, memory use more than halved, a new launcher, no root.
- Android Authority: Android TV vibe hacking (names Claude Code, covers TV Detox)
Balanced take on the risks: bricking, broken apps and security holes.
- Decrypt: vibe coding ads out of smart TVs, here is how
How-to covering the viral prompt and the CleanYourTV project's list of tested TV models.
- YouTube: How Claude Code Stripped Every Ad Off a Smart TV #SmartTV #ClaudeCode #AndroidTV #TechHackVideo channel: David ZedanPublished
- YouTube: I let Claude hack my TVVideo channel: Adnaan KhanPublished
- YouTube: I Gave Claude Full Control of My Android TV - Here s What It DidVideo channel: UG TechPublished
- YouTube: Claude Made My OLD Android TV Usable AgainVideo channel: Tristen O'BrienPublished
- YouTube: Claude can wipe the ads off your TV, but close this portVideo channel: Kris | AI, PracticallyPublished
- YouTube: Before You Let Claude Clean Up Your Android TV (Read This)Video channel: Lem.Published
- Bluesky: Android TV owners are pointing Claude Code at their TVs over ADB to strip out ads, telemetPost author: itsfoss.bsky.socialPosted