Developers release AI-assisted tools to strip smart TV ads
New projects on GitHub, including dumbtv and cleanyourtv, claim to remove ads and tracking from smart TVs and Android TV.
Developers have released new projects that use AI assistance to remove ads and tracking from smart TVs, Android TV, and Google TV, according to techradar.com. The tools, including dumbtv and cleanyourtv, are hosted on GitHub and aim to give users more control over their TV software.
The dumbtv project removes ads, telemetry, experiments, Alexa, and user-selected apps from smart TVs. Another tool, cleanyourtv, claims it can strip bloatware from Android TV or Google TV over Wi-Fi and replace the ad-filled home screen with a clean launcher resembling Apple TV. Both projects claim to be fully reversible and say they do not touch the TV's root directory.
Some developers have also used AI agents to guide the process. Ryan Doyle posted on X that they asked Claude Code to hack their TV, and the AI agent guided them through removing ads, bloatware, and spyware and speeding up the interface. Additionally, a developer known as Cretezy created an ad-free Android TV setup with a launch screen, a YouTube substitute, a media manager, and a remote button remapper, which an AI agent can configure.
In October 2025, TechCrunch reported on developers offering solutions to strip ads and tracking from TVs. The recent adoption of these tools comes as streaming TV prices rise and ads become more intrusive.
Quick answers
What is dumbtv?
dumbtv is a GitHub project that removes ads, telemetry, experiments, Alexa, and user-selected apps from smart TVs.
What does cleanyourtv do?
cleanyourtv claims it can strip bloatware from Android TV or Google TV over Wi-Fi and replace the ad-filled home screen with a clean launcher resembling Apple TV.
Are these tools reversible?
Both dumbtv and cleanyourtv claim to be fully reversible and say they do not touch the TV's root directory.