Android TV is poised to become the leading smart TV operating system over the next few years.

If you’re an early adopter and you’ve bought a device such as a Nvidia Shield (which is great for cordcutters 7 Reasons the Nvidia Shield Is the Ultimate Device for Cord-CuttersThe Nvidia Shield may just be the ultimate device for cord-cutters everywhere. Here are seven reasons why it beats the competition without much effort. Read More ), a dedicated Kodi box How to Choose the Best Kodi Box for Your NeedsWant to buy a Kodi box but unsure which one you should choose? In this article, we recommend particular boxes for particular needs, helping you narrow your choices. Read More , or even a smart TV that’s natively powered by Android, you’re probably looking for some great apps to install.

Obviously, there are lots to choose from. But before you get too excited, you should probably downlohad a file manager. Sure, it might not be “fun,” but it’s important for two reasons.

Best File Managers for Android TV. So those were some of the best file managers for your Android TV, that you can download them either using the native play store or 3rd party app stores like Aptoide TV. If you need a robust file manager for everyday use goes with Solid Explorer or X-Plore. The later one has weird UI but offers more options.

First, Android TV doesn’t ship with a native file explorer. Second, because lots of app developers still haven’t made their apps compatible with Android TV, you need a file explorer to sideload APK files How to Sideload Any File onto Your Android Phone or TabletYou may have come across the term 'sideloading' before, but what does it mean? And how can you go about sideloading apps or files? Read More for apps that aren’t available in the Play Store.

Here are five of the best file managers for Android TV.

1. X-plore File Manager

“A powerful all-in-one package”

As we progress through this article, you will notice some reoccurring themes. Most importantly, all the apps are easy to navigate using your Android TV remote. Sideloaded file explorers often require an external mouse or a gaming controller to operate. We’re going to avoid those.

The first app we recommend is X-plore File Manager. It takes a dual-pane approach to file management. In the context of sideloading, this is great. The two panes make it easy to move an APK from a USB stick to your Android TV hard drive.

On the downside, it’s not particularly user-friendly. It’s not complicated, but it’ll take you a while to become accustomed to how the app works.

Importantly for an Android TV file manager, it can also connect to your cloud drives. Given lots of people use Android TV to watch personal media (such as DVDs you’ve ripped 5 Simple Steps to Rip an Entire DVD to Your Hard DriveHave you backed up your DVD collection? Let us show you how to rip your DVDs to your hard drive for free with HandBrake. Read More or home videos you’ve converted to digital format How to Convert Your VHS Tapes to Digital FilesYou can use VHS capture software to digitize VHS tapes. Here's the hardware and VHS to digital conversion software you'll need. Read More ), having a way to quickly access and play your cloud-based videos means you can watch your content easily from anywhere in the world.

To add a cloud drive, go to Web Storage > Add Storage in the left-hand panel. It works with Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, Amazon Cloud Drive, OneDrive, Flickr, and many more.

The final useful feature from an Android TV perspective is Wi-Fi file transfers. If you have a file on your laptop that you want to watch on your TV, it’s easy to send over — no cables or USB sticks required!

Download:X-plore File Manager (Free)

2. Total Commander

“A wide range of plug-ins boost functionality”

Total Commander will be familiar to Android smartphone users. It’s one of the best file managers for the mobile version The 7 Best Free File Explorers for AndroidThere are a bunch of file management and file exploring apps out there for Android, but these are the best. Read More of the operating system.

However, it also works wonderfully well with Android TV: it’s packed with features that are especially useful for the big screen.

First, the app offers native support for Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox. We’ve already discussed the value of having access to such services.

Second, it offers a built-in media player. While long-term Android users might initially balk at the idea of using a media player that’s part of a file manager, Total Commander’s media player has an important feature: it can stream directly from LAN, WebDAV, and cloud plugins, thus killing two birds with one stone. (If you want an alternative media player, the ever-popular MX Player Is MX Player the Best Do-It-All Movie Player for Android?If you're looking for a solid video player for Android, MX Player might be your best bet. Read More is also available on Android TV.)

Finally, Total Commander offers a range of plug-ins. They offer everything from WebDAV functionality to FTP and SFTP clients. Sure, they sound technical, but if you’ve bought an Android TV device so you could become a dedicated cordcutter Everyone Else Is Cutting the Cord, So Why Aren't You?I cut the cord back in 2013 and more and more people are following suit, completely ditching their cable service. But not everyone is cutting the cord, and we decided to find out why.. Read More , you’ll quickly understand their value.

Download:Total Commander (Free)

3. TvExplorer

“The best Android TV visuals”

Choose View Show All Devices from the menu bar.

Unlike X-plore File Manager and Total Commander, TvExplorer is not available on the mobile version of Android. You’ll only be able to find it via the Play Store on your Android TV device.

Because it’s exclusively available on Android TV, the app adheres to Android TV design guidelines. As such, TvExplorer has arguably the most aesthetically-pleasing interface out of all the apps on this list. And when you’re looking at an app on a 60-inch screen, that’s a critical feature.

Unfortunately, it cannot rival the other two apps in terms of features. It can do the basics (like renaming files and extracting ZIPs) but not much else. There is no way to connect with apps like Google Drive and Dropbox. However, encouragingly, the developer has promised a Wi-Fi file transfer feature is coming soon.

Ultimately, you need to ask yourself whether you need all the extra bells and whistles. If you just need a file manager to run APK files, this fulfills your needs and looks incredible. If you want something more powerful, look elsewhere.

It’s also worth noting that TvExplorer only works with Android 5.0 and later. All the other apps on this list work with Android 4.2 later. Given that many smart TVs that run on Android only have version 4.2, this app is not suitable for everyone.

Download:TvExplorer (Free)

4. AnExplorer File Manager

“Lightweight app for people short on space”

Not all Android TV devices are bestowed with a vast amount of storage. Sure, the top-of-the-range Nvidia Shield comes with 500 GB, but some cheap entry-level gadgets might not have more than 4 GB.

If you play a lot of games on your Android TV device, or if you frequently send files over Wi-Fi to watch on your TV, space can quickly become an issue. Of course, you can expand the capacity by using adoptable storage, but that’s not always practical.

If you’re constantly bumping up against your device’s capacity, try AnExplorer File Manager. It’s a super lightweight app that’s been adapted for the Android TV interface. It takes up just 3MB on your device.

AnExplorer File Manager doesn’t support cloud storage, but it does have one other important feature that warrants its inclusion in this list: accessibility tools. These include customizable high-contrast themes, adjustable text size, and in-app sounds.

Download:AnExplorer File Manager (Free)

5. Network Access

“For remote access from a PC or Mac”

Rather than just listing another app, we’re going to leave you with something a bit different. Why not avoid installing a file explorer on your Android TV device and just use File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) instead?

Note: Even if you don’t like File Explorer in Windows, there are lots of alternatives out there The 7 Best Windows File Explorer Alternatives and ReplacementsWindows File Explorer isn't a great file manager for Windows. This article lists the best Windows File Explorer alternatives. Read More .

To use your computer as an Android TV file explorer, you need to enable the feature on your device. Go to Settings > Storage and Reset > Storage Access and slide the toggle next to Over local network into the On position. The device will give you a username and password. Make note of them.

Next, on your Windows computer, type SHIELD in File Explorer. On Mac, head to Go > Connect to Server and type smb://SHIELD/. Enter your username and password when prompted, and you will have access to all your device’s files and folders.

A Note About Installation

All of these apps are compatible with Android TV. However, you might not find them in the Play Store on your device.

If you can’t find them, don’t worry. Just open the Google Play Store in a web browser on your computer, sign in with your Google Account, and click install. The store will ask you which device you want to install the app on. Choose your Android TV device from the dropdown list.

Your Favorite File Managers for Android TV?

We’ve introduced you to five ways to manage files on your Android TV device. Each of the apps/methods serves a different type of user and usage scenario.

If you wish to further customize your Android TV 8 Simple Ways to Customize the Android TV Home ScreenGive your Android TV's home screen a personal makeover with these top customization tips. Read More , check out what you can do with the home screen:

Hello,Streight of the bat I want to mention the fact that I am NOT interested in:1. Streaming from PC to TV.2. Mirroring from PC to TV.3. Use 3rd party app or Samsung App to view movies from my PC to the TV.4. Use a HDMI cable to connect the 2 devices.5. Any other method such as using a NAS or anything other then what I am describing below.I am trying to view Shared Folders from my Windows 10 PC, on my Samsung TV 55NU7102, via Wi-fi.1.

How to logout of mail on ipad. To create a user account for each person who will use your computer, see “Create a user account” for, or.Optionally, for infrequent users, consider for all your guest users to share. Log off from WindowsIf you’re logged into your computer and want to let someone else use it, or if you’re leaving your computer unattended for a while, sign out of Windows.Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete.Click Log off.If you get a notification about unsaved changes in programs you have open, select whether or not to save them.The computer will close the programs and log you off.

I have enabled Media Sharing from Windows 10 and I have tested with a 2nd laptop using wi-fi and I am able to access the shared folders from the local area network (LAN), without any issue.2. I am able to view movies and even subtitles load properly if they have the same name as the movie, but ONLY if I place the movies and subtitles in my PC under the default 'Videos' folder, which is the same as C:UsersPCnameVideos.3.

Since I am able to view videos from default folders on my PC, such as Pictures/Movies/Music.etc. I do NOT understand why I am not able to view the Shared Folders from the local area network on my TV.Can anyone please explain why this is not working, how can I make it work or is it not supposed to work? Please assist usercwMLrSv9Bh, so I can perform the same solution provided to him.Try this as a temporary solution (it's what I am using right now):- On your Windows 10 Computer search for 'manage advanced sharing settings' and open that up.- In the 'manage advanced sharing settings' page, expand 'Private' and make sure that under 'Network discovery' you check the option 'Turn on network diskovery'. Also make sure to check 'Turn on automatic setup of network connected devices'. Under File and printer sharing choose 'Turn on file and printer sharing'.

(Click Save Changes).- Now expand 'Guest or Public' - under 'Network discovery' - choose 'Turn on network discovery' and 'Turn on file and printer sharing'. (click Save Changes)- Now expand 'All Networks' - under 'Public folder sharing' - choose 'Turn OFF public folder sharing' - under 'Media streaming' click on 'choose media streaming options.' - now choose 'Turn on media streaming' - here you should see all the wireless devices that can connect to the wi-fi and discovered by your network (e.g. Your TV should be listed there). Make sure the box is checked 'Allowed' next to your TV.

Now click on 'Ok'.- Expand 'All Networks' again - make sure 'File sharing connection' is set to 'Use 128-bit encryption to help protect file sharing connections' - Under Password protected sharing - choose 'Turn off password protected sharing'. (Save changes).Now let's test it out:On your Windows 10 PC go to your default folder called 'Videos' it's similar to your default folders like 'Documents' / 'Music' / 'Pictures'. (You can just press the Windows key on your keyboard + 'E' and this should open a Windows Explorer window, here if you look on the left side, you should see the folder 'Videos':Inside the 'Videos' folder, simply copy and paste 1 movie (it can be a.mkv /.mp4 either should work).Once the movie has been copied to that folder, open your TV up, from the remote choose 'Source' and here you should find the name of your PC (Personal Computer), in my case the name was something like 'TNC9457', yours can also be something like 'George' / 'Andrew'. Etc depending on how you named your computer when you first installed your Windows 10 computer.Now opening the PC from your Samsung TV, will show you exactly 4 folders on the TV screen:Folder 1: VideosFolder 2: MusicFolder 3: PicturesFolder 4: (can't remember)Now from your Samsung TV, choose the 'Videos' folder - 'Folders' - 'Videos' - and here you should be able to see the video you copied on your PC. (I'll make some screenshots for you if you still can't see the movie, and upload them later tonight when I get home or tmrw morning).Thank you!

I too have the same question with my US-purchased Samsung 49Q6FN QLED TV and I too am NOT intested in the 5 approaches described by - these are all 'solutions' I received during calls, chats and emails with Samsung, none of which address the question - accessing and playing PC files THROUGH THE TV INTERFACE, and NOT simply playing PC files using the TV as a monitor.The instructions indicate this is possible, and it should be, so I hope there's a simple solution.Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please assist usercwMLrSv9Bh, so I can perform the same solution provided to him.Try this as a temporary solution (it's what I am using right now):- On your Windows 10 Computer search for 'manage advanced sharing settings' and open that up.- In the 'manage advanced sharing settings' page, expand 'Private' and make sure that under 'Network discovery' you check the option 'Turn on network diskovery'.

Also make sure to check 'Turn on automatic setup of network connected devices'. Under File and printer sharing choose 'Turn on file and printer sharing'. (Click Save Changes).- Now expand 'Guest or Public' - under 'Network discovery' - choose 'Turn on network discovery' and 'Turn on file and printer sharing'.

(click Save Changes)- Now expand 'All Networks' - under 'Public folder sharing' - choose 'Turn OFF public folder sharing' - under 'Media streaming' click on 'choose media streaming options.' - now choose 'Turn on media streaming' - here you should see all the wireless devices that can connect to the wi-fi and discovered by your network (e.g. Your TV should be listed there). Make sure the box is checked 'Allowed' next to your TV. Now click on 'Ok'.- Expand 'All Networks' again - make sure 'File sharing connection' is set to 'Use 128-bit encryption to help protect file sharing connections' - Under Password protected sharing - choose 'Turn off password protected sharing'. (Save changes).Now let's test it out:On your Windows 10 PC go to your default folder called 'Videos' it's similar to your default folders like 'Documents' / 'Music' / 'Pictures'.

(You can just press the Windows key on your keyboard + 'E' and this should open a Windows Explorer window, here if you look on the left side, you should see the folder 'Videos':Inside the 'Videos' folder, simply copy and paste 1 movie (it can be a.mkv /.mp4 either should work).Once the movie has been copied to that folder, open your TV up, from the remote choose 'Source' and here you should find the name of your PC (Personal Computer), in my case the name was something like 'TNC9457', yours can also be something like 'George' / 'Andrew'. Etc depending on how you named your computer when you first installed your Windows 10 computer.Now opening the PC from your Samsung TV, will show you exactly 4 folders on the TV screen:Folder 1: VideosFolder 2: MusicFolder 3: PicturesFolder 4: (can't remember)Now from your Samsung TV, choose the 'Videos' folder - 'Folders' - 'Videos' - and here you should be able to see the video you copied on your PC. (I'll make some screenshots for you if you still can't see the movie, and upload them later tonight when I get home or tmrw morning).Thank you!