How it works
A few steps on the TV, about 10 minutes. Pick your device and you get its exact steps. Before any change we save a snapshot, so every step can be undone.
Step 1 of 5
Open “About”
Open Settings with the gear icon in the top right corner. The model and the Android version are on this screen.
Settings → System → About
Step 2 of 5
Press the build number 7 times
Select “Android TV OS build” and press OK seven times. A message says that you are now a developer.
About → Android TV OS build × 7
Step 3 of 5
Open “Developer options”
Go back one level. A new item appears in the System menu.
Settings → System → Developer options
Step 4 of 5
Turn on “USB debugging” and plug in the cable
In the same menu turn on “USB debugging”. Then connect the TV or box with a USB cable to a computer with Chrome open.
Developer options → USB debugging → On
Step 5 of 5
Allow debugging
If the TV asks “Allow debugging?”, tick “Always allow” and press OK. We turn debugging off after the work.
“Allow debugging?” dialog → OK
Ways to connect
They all do the same thing. The difference is how the TV reaches the site.
Cable: a computer with Chrome
The TV or box connects to a computer with a USB cable, and the site works with it right from Chrome. Nothing to install. A TV's USB ports usually take flash drives only, so this suits boxes and sticks first of all.
Works today.
Helper: the TV and a phone
A small app on the TV. It shows a QR code, you scan it with a phone, and the phone does the rest. No computer.
Coming soon. For now you can connect the TV with a cable to a computer with Chrome.
Bridge: a computer
A small program on a Windows, macOS or Linux computer. It finds the TV on your network and talks to it.
Coming soon. For now you can connect the TV with a cable to a computer with Chrome.
What we change
The default set (maximum level) for the Box S 3. Besides these apps, the wizard speeds up menu transitions and asks the TV to optimize apps; the basic level does the apps only. Nothing is deleted: an app we turned off can be turned back on. Only a cleared cache can't be brought back; apps load it again by themselves. The “We keep” rows are examples.
18 apps are turned off, not deleted.
| App | What it is | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy launcher recommendationscom. | Old recommendations row on the home screen | We turn off |
| Mi Channelcom. | Promo channels on the home screen | We turn off |
| Xiaomi TV+ channelscom. | TV channels with promo content | We turn off |
| Mi TV pushcom. | Push messages and promos from the TV maker | We turn off |
| Mi system adscom. | System ad service | We turn off |
| Mi TV advertisingcom. | Ad service of the TV maker | We turn off |
| Network diagnosticscom. | Network diagnostics reports | We turn off |
| Feedbackcom. | Feedback reports | We turn off |
| Bug report sendercom. | Bug report sender | We turn off |
| Mi analyticscom. | Usage analytics of the TV maker | We turn off |
| Xiaomi statisticscom. | Usage statistics of the TV maker | We turn off |
| Mi OS statisticscom. | System usage statistics | We turn off |
| Basic screensavercom. | Basic colour screensaver | We turn off |
| Print spoolercom. | Print service; a TV box has no printer | We turn off |
| Play Musiccom. | Retired music app | We turn off |
| Calendar synccom. | Calendar sync | We turn off |
| Second-screen auth bridgecom. | Second-screen sign-in bridge | We turn off |
| Demo modecom. | Demo mode for shop displays | We turn off |
| Play Gamescom. | Games app | We keep |
| Google TV / Play Moviescom. | Movie store app | We keep |
| YouTube Musiccom. | Music app | We keep |
| Play Storecom. | Play Store: apps keep installing and updating | We keep |
| Google Play servicescom. | Play services: sign-in and apps depend on it | We keep |
| YouTubecom. | YouTube stays as it is | We keep |
| Google TV launchercom. | The stock home screen stays installed; ReTV Home opens next to it | We keep |
Other TVs get a similar list. Before the work, the connect screen shows the exact list for your TV.
How to undo
Open ReTV on the phone or computer you used.
- Open the restore page.
- Pick the snapshot made before the work.
- Press “Restore”. The apps we turned off are turned on again.