SmartTube: A YouTube Client for Android TV

SmartTube is an open-source YouTube client built specifically for TV screens and remote controls. Instead of the official YouTube app, it uses its own interface designed around big-screen navigation, and it includes settings for content filtering that the official app doesn't offer.

It's not made or endorsed by YouTube or Google. Its official source is the project's GitHub repository, maintained by an independent developer and a community of contributors.

Quick answer

SmartTube is built for Android TV and Google TV devices, where it's installed outside the Play Store (a process usually called "sideloading"). It also generally works on Fire TV devices released before October 2025 (newer ones don't run Android — see Compatibility below). According to the project's own documentation, it is explicitly not intended for phones or tablets, and it isn't supported on non-Android platforms such as Samsung Tizen or LG webOS.

What SmartTube actually changes

Compared to the official YouTube app, SmartTube generally offers:

• A TV-first interface with larger text, simpler navigation, and remote-friendly controls.
• Built-in options to skip or hide certain types of content, such as intros or specific channels.
• More granular playback controls, including speed and quality defaults.
• No sign-in requirement for basic browsing, though signing in unlocks subscriptions and history.

None of this is guaranteed to stay the same forever — SmartTube is actively developed, and features, menus, and behavior can change between releases.

Compatibility

Android TV and Google TV are where SmartTube gets the most active development and testing. On Fire TV, compatibility depends on the device generation: it works on Fire TV devices released before October 2025, but newer devices — starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Select — run Amazon's own VegaOS instead of Android and are not compatible, per the project's current documentation. Phones and tablets are explicitly not supported: the app can technically run on them, but the project offers no official support or phone-oriented interface for that use case. SmartTube does not run on Samsung's Tizen-based TVs, which use a completely different operating system than Android — see TizenTube for that platform, or SmartTube vs. TizenTube for how the two compare.

Requirements

• An Android TV, Google TV device, or a compatible Fire TV device (see Compatibility above) with internal storage space free.
• The ability to install apps from outside the Play Store (sideloading) on that device.
• For the Downloader-app method below, the Downloader app installed from the Play Store or Amazon Appstore.

Before you start

Enable installing apps from unknown sources in your device's settings before you start. On most Android TV and Fire TV devices this is under Settings → whichever app you're using to sideload (e.g., Downloader) → permissions.

Installation

The project's own documentation describes a few methods, from easiest to most involved:

1. Downloader app (easiest). Install the Downloader app on your Android TV, Google TV, or Fire TV device, open it, and enter the current link or code from SmartTube's own documentation for the stable or beta build. These come from the Installation section of the project's README on the official repository, which lists them for the Downloader app. As of this writing it documents kutt.to/stn_stable (or code 28544) for the stable release and kutt.to/stn_beta (or code 79015) for beta. Installation codes can change, so verify the current ones against the official README before installing rather than relying on a copy elsewhere, including this page.
2. File transfer. Download the APK on your phone or computer, then transfer it to the TV using a file-transfer app (the project's documentation mentions apps like Send Files to TV) and open it with a file manager capable of installing APKs, such as X-plore or FX File Explorer. Your TV's built-in file manager generally won't install APKs.
3. USB stick. Download the APK onto a USB drive, plug it into the TV, and open it the same way with a file manager app.
4. ADB, for anyone comfortable with it — the project's documentation points to general ADB sideloading guides rather than a SmartTube-specific one.

Whichever method you use, install to the device's internal storage rather than an SD card if you have a choice — see Troubleshooting below for why.

Configuration

SmartTube doesn't require signing in to browse — you can open it and start watching right away. Signing in unlocks your subscriptions, history, and playlists. To connect it to your phone's YouTube app for casting/remote control, open SmartTube's Settings → Remote control and follow the pairing flow using your phone's YouTube app "Link with TV code" feature, per the project's documentation.

Updating

SmartTube includes a built-in updater that, according to the project's documentation, checks for a new version within seconds of launching the app and offers to install it. You can also check manually anytime under Settings → About → Check for updates. Automatic installation of the update may prompt for system-level app-install permissions the first time.

Troubleshooting: SmartTube not working or stopped working

If SmartTube isn't working on your Android TV, Google TV or Fire TV, start with the checks below, then move to the specific symptoms.

Check that your device is supported Per the project's documentation, SmartTube targets Android TV and Google TV devices, including Fire TV devices released before October 2025. Newer Fire TV devices, starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, run VegaOS and aren't compatible; Samsung Tizen TVs, LG webOS and phones/tablets aren't supported either. See the Android TV and Fire TV guides for how to tell which category your device falls into.

Check the installed version and the source Open Settings → About in SmartTube to see the installed version, and use Check for updates there to look for a newer one. If you installed from somewhere other than the official repository, reinstall from the official source instead.

SmartTube doesn't work anymore: playback or the whole app stopped after it used to be fine SmartTube depends on YouTube's backend, and the project can't guarantee it keeps up when YouTube changes it (see Limitations). Update to the latest version first; if the problem persists, the fix may have to come from the project itself, so check the official repository for news or known issues.

Installation fails or the app won't install The project's documentation attributes this most often to either insufficient free storage or a corrupted download — clear up space and re-download the file, then try again.

The app crashes or won't launch Make sure it's installed to internal storage rather than an SD card, which the project's documentation notes as a common cause of crashes.

Beta version won't install on a Xiaomi TV/box The project's documentation notes that some Xiaomi devices running Chinese firmware block the beta build specifically — try the stable build instead.

Video buffers or stutters The project's documentation suggests trying an encrypted DNS provider, or switching the video format setting to AVC if you're seeing issues on AV1 content — many TVs and TV boxes have no hardware decoding for AV1 at all, per the same documentation.

Limitations

• SmartTube is not available through the Google Play Store, so installation requires sideloading, which is a less familiar process for many users.
• Because it's not an official app, there's no guarantee of long-term support if YouTube changes its backend in ways the project can't keep up with.
• Some newer YouTube features roll out to the official app first, if they arrive in SmartTube at all.
• Hardware AV1 video decoding is missing on many TVs and boxes, which can cause playback issues independent of anything SmartTube itself does.
• As with any actively developed open-source project, updates can introduce new bugs alongside fixes.

Alternatives

If SmartTube's sideloading process feels like more than you want to deal with, a few other paths are worth knowing about:

• The official YouTube app for Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV, or your TV's platform — the simplest option, with ads included unless paired with YouTube Premium.
• YouTube Premium — removes ads across YouTube's own apps without needing any third-party software.
• TizenTube — a comparable project, but built specifically for Samsung's Tizen TVs rather than Android TV.

Frequently asked questions

Is SmartTube available on the Google Play Store?

No. SmartTube is distributed through its official GitHub repository and installed by sideloading, not through the Play Store.

Does SmartTube work on Samsung TVs?

No. Samsung's Tizen operating system doesn't run Android apps, so SmartTube can't be installed on it. See the TizenTube guide for a Samsung-specific option.

Does SmartTube work on Android phones or tablets?

According to the project's own documentation, no — phones and tablets are explicitly not supported. It may technically launch on one, but there's no official support and no interface built for touch navigation.

Does SmartTube work on my Fire TV?

It depends on the device. SmartTube works on Fire TV devices released before October 2025. Newer devices, starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, run Amazon's own VegaOS instead of Android and are not compatible.

Is SmartTube safe to install?

SmartTube is open source, and its code is publicly viewable on GitHub. As with any sideloaded app, only download it from the official repository, and keep in mind that it isn't reviewed by an app store the way Play Store apps are.

SmartTube won't install — what's wrong?

The project's documentation points to two common causes: not enough free storage on the device, or a corrupted download. Free up space and re-download the file from the official source, then try again.

SmartTube crashes right after opening — how do I fix it?

Per the project's documentation, this is usually caused by installing to an SD card instead of internal storage. Reinstall to the device's internal storage instead.

Official source

For the most accurate and current information, check the project's own website, repository, or documentation.

Visit official source: SmartTube on GitHub (github.com)↗(opens the SmartTube on GitHub website in a new tab)