Most file managers are built for phones. On a TV they feel broken - menus that require a touchscreen, text too small to read from across a room, no D-pad support. This guide compares every file manager worth using on Android TV in 2026, so you can pick the right one without installing five apps.
What to look for in an Android TV file manager
Before the list, here are the things that actually matter on a TV:
- D-pad navigation - everything should work with the TV remote, no tapping required.
- Large text and hit targets - readable from two metres away.
- USB drive support - browse external storage, not just internal.
- Large file finder - the main reason most people install a file manager is to free up space.
- No account required - you should not need to log in to browse your own files.
- Works offline - a file manager that phones home is a liability on a TV that may not always have internet.
1. Trunk - Best overall for Android TV
Trunk is the only file manager built specifically for Android TV from the ground up. Everything is designed for a TV remote: large cards, full D-pad navigation, and no interface elements that need a touchscreen.
What it does well:
- TV-first interface that works on any Android TV or Google TV device
- Browses internal storage and USB drives
- Large files screen - lists every file over 10 MB, biggest first, so you can free up space in seconds
- Recycle Bin - deleted files go to a recoverable bin instead of being permanently removed
- Completely offline - no account, no cloud, no network requests
- Free with no ads
What it doesn’t do:
- No network/SMB browsing (no NAS or network share access)
- No built-in media player or file viewer
Best for: Anyone who wants a file manager that just works on a TV remote without setup. Particularly good for freeing up storage and managing downloads.
2. FX File Explorer - Best for power users
FX File Explorer is a mature Android file manager with an optional TV mode. It has more features than Trunk - including network drives, root access support, and a built-in text editor - but the TV interface feels like an afterthought compared to a native app.
What it does well:
- Network/SMB share browsing (FTP, SFTP, SMB)
- Root file access (rooted devices)
- Reasonably functional D-pad support
- Large feature set
What it doesn’t do as well:
- TV mode requires manually enabling in settings
- UI designed for phones; some menus are hard to hit with a remote
- The free version has limitations; some features need a paid upgrade
Best for: Power users on a rooted device or those who need to access network storage.
3. X-plore File Manager - Best dual-pane browser
X-plore is a dual-pane file manager with a long history on Android. It supports Android TV and handles USB drives, network shares, and cloud storage in one app.
What it does well:
- Dual-pane view for copying files between locations
- Good network share and cloud support
- Works with a D-pad
- Free with ads, or paid to remove them
What it doesn’t do as well:
- The interface is dense and not optimised for TV viewing distances
- Some panels assume touch input
- No dedicated large-file finder
Best for: Users who regularly copy files between internal storage, USB, and network drives.
4. CX File Explorer - Lightweight and free
CX File Explorer is a clean, simple file manager that works on Android TV. It is one of the more polished phone-first apps that also functions on a TV remote without too much frustration.
What it does well:
- Clean, minimal interface
- USB drive support
- Network access (FTP, SMB)
- Completely free, no ads
What it doesn’t do as well:
- Not designed for TV; D-pad navigation works but feels like an adaptation
- No large-file finder
- No recycle bin
Best for: Users who want a lightweight, free option and don’t need TV-specific features.
5. AnExplorer - Android TV listed as a target
AnExplorer explicitly lists Android TV as a supported platform and is available on Google Play for TV. The interface is cleaner than most phone-first apps when used on a TV.
What it does well:
- Lists Android TV as a supported device
- Multiple storage location support
- Clean material design
What it doesn’t do as well:
- Pro features behind a paywall
- Primarily a phone app adapted for TV
- No dedicated large-file or storage-cleanup features
Best for: Users already familiar with AnExplorer on their phone who want the same app on TV.
6. ES File Explorer - Avoid
ES File Explorer was once the default recommendation for Android file management. It is no longer. In 2019 a security researcher found it ran a local web server on port 59777 that exposed your files to anyone on the same network. The app was removed from the Play Store and reinstated in a different form, but it has a history of bundling adware and collecting user data.
It still shows up in many “best file manager” lists written years ago. Skip it.
Quick comparison
| App | TV-native | USB drives | Large file finder | Recycle bin | Network drives | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trunk | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| FX File Explorer | Partial | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Partial |
| X-plore | Partial | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Partial |
| CX File Explorer | Partial | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AnExplorer | Partial | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Partial | Partial |
| ES File Explorer | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
Which file manager should you install?
Just want to browse files and clean up storage: Install Trunk. It is the only app in this list designed specifically for Android TV, and it handles the two most common needs - browsing files and freeing up space - better than anything else.
Need to access a NAS or network share: Try FX File Explorer or X-plore. Both support SMB shares, though you will have to tolerate a phone-first UI.
Just need something lightweight and free: CX File Explorer works and has no ads.
Does this apply to Google TV and Android TV boxes?
Yes. Google TV is built on Android TV, so every app in this list installs and runs the same way on Google TV devices - Chromecast with Google TV, Sony Bravia, TCL, and Hisense sets included.
Android TV boxes like the NVIDIA Shield, Xiaomi Mi Box, and Mecool devices also run Android TV and have Google Play, so the same apps apply. The one exception is Amazon Fire TV, which uses its own app store - none of these apps are available there.
If you have a Chromecast with Google TV (8 GB storage) or any box with limited storage, the large-file finder in Trunk is especially worth having. Storage fills up faster than expected on these devices.
Trunk: TV File Manager is free, has no ads, and requires no account. Works on any Android TV or Google TV device with Google Play. Get it on Google Play .