Sony uses Android TV across all its smart TVs, which means you get a full-fledged operating system without extra boxes or streaming devices. Android TV also gives you access to the Google Play Store, a library of thousands of TV-optimized games and applications. However, sometimes the app you want might not be available through the Play Store — maybe Google hasn't approved it yet, or you want to install the latest updates before everyone else. That's where sideloading comes in.

Android TV supports a mechanism called 'sideloading,' where you can install any valid APK file (no matter where it came from). You can even install most applications designed for Android smartphones and tablets — though whether or not they will be usable is another question entirely.

The Play Store on Android TV

Every Bravia-branded Sony smart TV sold since 2015 runs Android TV — before that, Sony used the short-lived Google TV platform and XrossMediaBar. That means even if your television is a few years old, sideloading APK files should still be possible. We have all the instructions you'll need for the process at the link below.