Android SDK (Core)
Android TV Support

14min
Getting Started with Android TV Support in Our SDK (v4.11.0+)
We’re excited to announce that starting with SDK version 4.11.0, our SDK now fully supports Android TV! 
You can now provide seamless video experiences on the big screen using our SDK without any extra tweaks, as it takes care of everything automatically. Below is all the information you need regarding Android TV compatibility, best practices, and guidance on integrating our SDK for TV applications.
Android TV Support Overview
Since v4.11.0, our SDK automatically detects and optimizes for Android TV. You don’t need any special flags or additional setup, just integrate the SDK as usual, and it will work on TV devices.
Key Points
Automatic TV detection – No extra configuration needed during initilize our SDK.
Leanback UI-friendly – Works smoothly with Android TV’s Leanback library.
Remote control support – Navigable via D-pad (direction pad) and remote.
TV-optimized playback – Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) works out of the box.
How to Integrate Our SDK for Android TV
Since no extra steps are required, integrating our SDK for Android TV is the same as for mobile. Users of our SDK may skip these steps.
Step 1: Implement our SDK in your project: LINK﻿
Step 2: Implement our external Player: Link (For details about our player: visit here)
Step 3: Regarding our Custom player interfaces details, please, visit here﻿
To enable Android TV support in your project, ensure you are using version 4.11.0 or later.
Getting Started with Android TV
Integrating your app with Android TV involves a few key steps:​
Declare TV Support in Manifest
Ensure your app's manifest includes the necessary intent filters and features:
xml
<uses-feature android:name="android.software.leanback" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.touchscreen" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.software.leanback" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.touchscreen" android:required="false" />
﻿
Specify TV Launcher Activity
Define an activity with the LEANBACK_LAUNCHER category to make your app discoverable on Android TV:
xml
<activity android:name=".MainTvActivity" android:label="@string/app_name" android:banner="@drawable/banner">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LEANBACK_LAUNCHER" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>
<activity android:name=".MainTvActivity" android:label="@string/app_name" android:banner="@drawable/banner">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LEANBACK_LAUNCHER" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>
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For more information, please visit the official documentation of Android Developers here.
Best Practices for Android TV Development
While our SDK works seamlessly on TV, here are some general best practices to ensure a great TV experience:
Optimize for Remote Control Navigation
Ensure UI elements are focusable and navigable via D-pad. 
Use large, visible focus states (TVs are viewed from a distance).
Avoid touch-dependent gestures (swipes, long-presses).
You can visit and watch Android Engineer's Recommendated Videos:
﻿What's new with TV and intro to Compose﻿
﻿Compose for TV | Jetpack Compose Tips﻿
Leanback Library (Recommended for TV UIs)
Android’s Leanback library provides ready-made TV-friendly components. Visit there Official Leanback Docs, here.
TV-Specific Manifest Declarations
Add these to your AndroidManifest.xml:
xml
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.touchscreen" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.software.leanback" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.touchscreen" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.software.leanback" android:required="false" />
﻿
Test on Real TV Hardware
Emulators can miss TV-specific issues (e.g., overscan, performance).
Always test on a physical Android TV device.
Common Pitfalls & Troubleshooting
Issue
Solution
App UI is not navigable via remote
Ensure all buttons have android:focusable="true".
Playback Controls are not navigable via remote
Please contact with our Support Team
App rejected from Play Store
Declare leanback support in manifest.
Sample Code:
Please visit our sample code repository to check we have created an Android Tv module and implemented our SDK: GitHub Repo﻿
Open the project using Android Studio﻿
After Building the Project please Select samplenwandroidtv module from the module list and rebuild your project
Run the your samplenwandroidtv module.
﻿
Final Thoughts
With SDK v4.11.0+, Android TV support is automatic—just update and go! 
If you run into any issues, check our Android Troubleshooting and FAQs or reach out to our Support Team.
Issue	Solution
App UI is not navigable via remote	Ensure all buttons have android:focusable="true".
Playback Controls are not navigable via remote	Please contact with our Support Team
App rejected from Play Store	Declare leanback support in manifest.
Migration Guide: Updating Your Codebase
Guides & Tutorials