Google TV

Google TV remotes are now required to have a ‘Free TV’ shortcut

Ben Schoon | Apr 7 2025 - 12:45 pm PT

Google TV has put a ton of emphasis over the past couple of years on its “Freeplay” experience with free live TV channels. Now, Google TV remotes are apparently going to be required to have a “Free TV” shortcut.

Android Authority cites sources that claim Google has informed partners that, as of April 2025, new Google TV devices are required to use a remote that has a “Free TV” or “Live TV” shortcut button. Google apparently informed partners of this upcoming requirement sometime early last year, but is now set to enforce the change.

Google, in a statement, says that free TV channels have received “overwhelmingly positive feedback” from users, hinting that this change is indeed a new requirement without explicitly saying as much.

Google TV gives users access to a wide range of free TV options, including local news, popular shows and movies. Since we launched free live TV options on Google TV, we’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users, and this change will help provide a consistent experience with quick access at users’ fingertips.

Walmart is the only current example of a prominent “Free TV” button on a Google TV remote. The company’s Onn Pro streaming box debuted last year with a large “Free TV” shortcut on the remote, and the upcoming Onn 4K Plus appears to follow suit. The recently released Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) lacks this shortcut, having slipped in just ahead of the requirement. The Google TV Streamer also has no such shortcut on its remote, but the requirement is only in place for new devices released after April 2025.

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Google TV’s reference remote designs still have a Live TV shortcut by default, meaning that most devices already qualify for this requirement, but it’s a noteworthy change for devices that use their own remote designs.