How to Put a Launcher on a Xiaomi TV by Default

Owners of Xiaomi Mi TVs and MI Box consoles often face the limitations of the standard PatchWall shell or Android TV Home. Embedded interfaces can be overloaded with advertising, not having the right widgets or simply annoying with their slowness. Replacing the standard launcher with a more functional counterpart is the first step to personalizing the device and improving the user experience.

However, the Android TV system on which Xiaomi TV software is based has a number of features: Just downloading and launching a new application is not enough: to fully work, you need to perform a series of steps to install and secure access rights.

In this article, we will discuss how to choose the right alternative, install it correctly through ADB or file manager, and most importantly, how to make the new interface run by default when you turn on the device.

Before you start the technical part, you need to decide on the choice of software. The market offers many solutions, but not all of them are optimized for control from the remote control. The wrong choice can lead to the fact that navigation will become inconvenient, and some applications will no longer appear in the list. One of the most popular solutions is FLauncher. This is a completely free open source project that does not contain advertising and telemetry. It is ideal for those who appreciate minimalism and speed. Another option is ATV Launcher, which allows you to create folders and has a limited version of its functionality. 📊 What launcher are you planning to install?FLauncherATV LauncherSideload LauncherWolf LauncherOther should also pay attention to Squirrel TV The latter is particularly remarkable for being able to completely replace the system interface, hiding the standard guidelines of Google. ⚠️ Warning: Avoid installing launchers that are exclusively for smartphones (phone versions) that don’t have an interface for navigating from the remote, and it will be almost impossible to control them without connecting a mouse.

Preparation of the TV for installation of third-party software

Installing applications from unknown sources on Xiaomi TVs requires pre-setting security settings. By default, the system blocks startup APK-files that were not downloaded through the official Google Play Store, which is a standard security measure that we will have to temporarily bypass.

First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to the settings menu, go to the About Device section, and find the Build item. Click on the remote 7 times in a row until you say you've become a developer, and then a new section for developers will appear in the settings menu.

Inside the developer menu, find the USB Debug and enable it. Also, the basic security settings (Security and Limitations) allow you to install applications from unknown sources for your file manager or browser, and without these permissions, the system will simply not let you complete the installation.

Be sure to also check for free space in internal memory. Heavy launchers with multiple widgets can take up a significant amount of space, and crowded memory often leads to unstable operation of the entire Android TV system.

Installation methods APK-TV-file

There are several ways to deliver an installation file to a TV, the easiest way is to use an embedded browser or download it from an app store if the launcher is available there. USB-drive-in.

If you use a flash drive, copy the pre-downloaded one. APK Put the drive in there. USB-The system should automatically prompt you to open the file manager. If that doesn't happen, use the File Commander or X-plore app to find the file on the external media and run it.

A more advanced method is transmission over the network through ADB (Android Debug Bridge. To do this, you need to install the Send Files to app on your computer and TV. TV It's a way of transferring files without physical media, which is convenient if you want to use a command line. USB-port.

adb install -r path to file/launcher.apk

Once the file is launched, the standard Android installer window will appear on the screen. Click Install and wait until the process is complete. If the system warns of a potential danger, confirm your actions as you are using the tested application.

Set up the launcher as the default interface

The most important step is to get the TV to run a new interface instead of the standard one. In a clean version of Android, the first launch of the launcher will ask the system which application to use by default. However, on Xiaomi TVs with a PatchWall shell, this mechanism is often blocked or hidden.

Try running the installed application. If nothing happens or the old interface opens, go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Find your new launcher on the list. Go to its properties and find the default Start. If it is active, click Start by default.

If standard methods fail to activate the launcher, you will need to use special utilities such as Button Mapper or Launcher Manager, which allow you to reassign the system buttons of the remote, for example, you can make it so that when you press the Home button, you do not open PatchWall, but the interface you choose.

⚠️ Note: When reassigning system buttons, make sure you have a way to take back control (e.g. via a remote app on your smartphone) if the new launcher freezes or stops responding.

Solving problems with returning to the standard interface

A common problem on Xiaomi devices is that it automatically returns to its native shell after a certain time or after a reboot, because system processes are more important than user applications, and forced replacement requires deeper intervention.

One effective way to do this is to turn off the standard launcher, which requires ADB permissions. Connect to the TV from your computer and execute a command to find the name of the system launcher package, usually called com.android.tv.launcher or miui.

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.tv.launcher

Once this command is executed, the standard launcher will be frozen, and the system will be forced to use an alternative. To get it back to normal, use the command to replace disable-user with enable. This is a radical but effective method for power users.

💡

If you don’t want to use ADB, try installing the “Default Launcher Selector” app from Google Play.It automatically adjusts startup priorities, although some versions of MIUI TV firmware may not work.

The problem may also be a lack of RAM, where if the launcher crashes, the system automatically switches to the default interface, in which case cleaning the cache or disabling background applications in the developer settings will help.

Fine tuning and optimization of work

After successfully installing and securing the launcher, it is recommended to fine-tune it: remove unused widgets from the home screen, change the font size for better readability from the sofa. Many launchers allow you to change wallpaper, which also refreshes the appearance of the TV.

Pay attention to the power saving settings. Sometimes Android TV can kill the background launcher process to save resources. Find your application in the list of running processes and select the option No Limits or Run in the background.

Regularly update the installed launcher. Developers often release patches that improve compatibility with new versions of Android and fix bugs. The current version of the launcher is the key to stable operation and the absence of conflicts with Google system services.

💡

The main secret of success is an integrated approach: the right choice of launcher, competent setting of access rights and, if necessary, blocking the standard interface through ADB.

Using a third-party launcher turns a regular TV into a powerful multimedia center, completely controlled by the user, you get rid of intrusive advertising and get exactly the interface that is convenient for you personally.