Guide

SmartTube: A YouTube Client for Android TV

What SmartTube is, which devices it runs on, how setup generally works, and where it falls short.

CurrentLast updated: 2026-09-09Last checked: 2026-09-09

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. It's maintained by an independent developer and a community of contributors on GitHub.

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.

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.

Not a YouTube product

SmartTube is an independent project. It isn't affiliated with, reviewed by, or supported by YouTube or Google, and using it means relying on a third-party app rather than an official one.

Compatibility

Platform	Status	Notes
Android TV	Supported	Primary supported platform. Installed as a sideloaded app on Android TV / Google TV devices.
Android	Unsupported	The project's own documentation states phones and tablets are not supported — it technically runs on them, but with no official support and no phone-oriented interface.
Samsung TV	Unsupported	Samsung's Tizen TVs do not run Android apps, so SmartTube cannot be installed directly.
Fire TV	Partial	Supported on Fire TV devices released before October 2025. Newer devices (starting with Fire TV Stick 4K Select) run Amazon's own VegaOS instead of Android and are not compatible.
Firefox	Unsupported	SmartTube is a native Android app, not a browser extension, so it has no Firefox equivalent.

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.

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:

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. As of this writing the project documents kutt.to/stn_stable (or code 28544) for the stable release and kutt.to/stn_beta (or code 79015) for beta — but check the official repository for the current codes before installing, since these can change.
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.
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.
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

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)