Google Drive on Android TV — The Missing Feature
Google makes both Android TV and Google Drive, yet there's no proper way to browse your Drive files on the TV. The Google Drive app for TV (where available) is extremely limited — it exists mainly for casting, not file browsing. You can't navigate folders, view documents, or manage files.
AnExplorer fills this gap by connecting to Google Drive as a cloud storage service — full folder browsing, file downloading, media playback, and even uploading from TV to Drive.
What You Can Do
| Action | Supported | How |
|---|---|---|
| Browse Drive folders | ✅ | Navigate with D-pad remote |
| Play videos from Drive | ✅ | Tap → plays in VLC/system player |
| View photos from Drive | ✅ | Tap → opens in photo viewer |
| Open PDFs from Drive | ✅ | Tap → opens in built-in PDF viewer |
| Download files to TV | ✅ | Select → download to TV storage |
| Upload from TV to Drive | ✅ | Select local/USB files → copy to Drive |
| Share Drive links | ❌ | Use phone/PC for sharing |
| Edit Google Docs | ❌ | Use phone/PC for editing |
Use Cases
Family photo slideshows
Browse and display photos from your Google Drive on the TV:
- AnExplorer → Cloud → Google Drive → navigate to your Photos folder
- Tap images to view full-screen on the TV
- Navigate through photos with D-pad (left/right)
- Great for family gatherings — no phone casting needed
Playing personal videos
Home movies, travel footage, or downloaded videos stored in Drive:
- Navigate to your video folder in Drive
- Tap the video file → downloads and plays
- For large files: allow time for buffering (depends on internet speed)
Viewing documents on the big screen
Display PDFs, presentations, or documents for group viewing:
- Navigate to the document in Drive
- Tap to open in AnExplorer's PDF viewer (for PDFs)
- Scroll with D-pad — visible to everyone in the room
Backing up USB content to cloud
Plug a USB drive into your TV and back up to Google Drive:
- Connect USB drive to TV
- AnExplorer → navigate to USB drive → select files
- Copy → navigate to Google Drive → paste
- Files upload from TV to your Drive
Setup
- Install AnExplorer from Play Store on your Android TV
- Open AnExplorer → Cloud → Google Drive
- Sign in with your Google account (use the TV's on-screen keyboard or the Google TV mobile app for easier typing)
- Your Drive appears — browse folders with the remote
Tip: Use the Google TV app on your phone to type your email/password faster (it acts as a remote keyboard).
Limitations on TV
- Internet speed dependent: Videos buffer based on your download speed (unlike NAS which uses local network)
- No Google Docs editing: Can view PDFs but can't edit Google Docs/Sheets on TV
- Storage limited by Drive quota: 15 GB free (or more with Google One)
- No offline access: Requires internet (unlike NAS/USB which work locally)
For large media libraries, a NAS with SMB is better than Google Drive (faster, no internet needed, no storage limits). Drive is best for smaller files, documents, and photos that are already in your Google account.
Google Drive vs NAS on Android TV
| Aspect | Google Drive | NAS (SMB) |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Internet-dependent (5-50 MB/s) | Local network (20-100+ MB/s) |
| Storage | 15 GB free / 100 GB-2 TB paid | 2-20+ TB (one-time purchase) |
| Works offline | ❌ | ✅ (local network only) |
| Setup | Sign in with Google | Enter NAS IP + credentials |
| Monthly cost | Free-$10/mo | $0 (after NAS purchase) |
| Best for | Documents, photos, small videos | Large media libraries, movies |
Use both: NAS for your large media library (movies, TV shows). Google Drive for documents, photos, and smaller files that you want accessible from anywhere.
Compatible TV Devices
Google Drive via AnExplorer works on all Android TV devices:
- Nvidia Shield TV
- Google TV Streamer / Chromecast with Google TV
- Amazon Fire TV (all models)
- Sony Bravia, TCL, Hisense (Google TV models)
- Xiaomi Mi Box / Redmi TV Stick
- Walmart Onn 4K Pro
Other Cloud Services on Android TV
AnExplorer also connects to these cloud services on your TV:
- Dropbox — browse and play media stored in Dropbox
- OneDrive — access Microsoft cloud files (great for M365 users)
- MEGA — 20 GB free, encrypted cloud storage
- Box — enterprise cloud access on the big screen
- pCloud — European privacy-focused cloud
- Yandex Disk — popular in CIS regions
Each works the same way: Cloud → select service → sign in → browse and play/view files on your TV.
Related Guides
- Cloud Storage — all 7 supported cloud services
- Google Drive — full Google Drive guide
- SMB for Android TV — NAS access on TV
- File Manager for Android TV — complete TV guide