Google is forcing Google TV device makers to include a prominent “Free TV” button on their remote controls if they want to be able to use its television software in future.
With the move, the company appears to be trying to give more exposure to the more than 150 free TV channels it offers through its television software platform. These channels, known in the industry as “Free Ad-Supported TV” or FAST channels, can be accessed without needing to install any applications or pay for a subscription, the same way as traditional broadcast telly used to work.
With existing Google TV televisions, projectors, streaming dongles and set-top boxes, the FAST channels could only be found by clicking on the “Live” tab within the main TV menu, but Google wants to make them more accessible than that. As reported by Android Authority, any Google TV device made after April 2025 will feature a “Free TV” button on its remote control, which takes the viewer straight to the Live tab.
Google calls its collection of FAST TV channels “Freeplay”, and it’s giving it the same prominence as video streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, which often have dedicated buttons on TV maker’s remote controls. However, those companies generally have to pay for the privilege of having a dedicated button, whereas Google’s free content button is literally being mandated by the company.
Some Google TV devices in the U.S., such as Walmart’s popular Onn 4K Pro device, already have a Free TV button, and it’s actually even more prominent than any of the streaming apps that have managed to secure their own quick start function.
Some readers will be aware that Google’s Freeplay service is only available in the U.S., and they may be wondering what the button will do for viewers who live in other countries, which don’t have access to the service. According to Android Authority, they’ll instead be redirected to their local live TV guide, which should also provide options for free content. For instance in the U.K., viewers have plenty of options with services like Freeview Play.
Many consumers will likely see this as a bonus, as FAST channels have become more popular in recent years in response to the ever-increasing costs of streaming services. As evidence of this, LG Electronics provides access to its own library of free content, called LG Channels, on its smart TVs. Meanwhile, Samsung has Samsung TV Plus.
That said, it appears that it’s still up to individual manufacturers as to how they design their remotes, so they might not make the “Free TV” button stand out as much as it does on the Onn 4K Pro. In its guidelines, Google doesn’t mention any specific requirements regarding the size, colour or placement of the button, so it could be much smaller on many remotes, perhaps given no more priority than the existing quick shortcuts for Netflix et al.
In any case, this is not bad news by any means. By providing a dedicated button, these services may get a bit more exposure, and in turn that may help them to better compete against their paid-for competitors.
If they get more viewers, they’ll get more eyeballs on their ads, meaning more revenue that can be used to produce or secure the rights to better quality content. So it could be that Google is doing us a favour in highlighting their existence.
