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Technical Guide for CMZ Launcher: Disabling the Default Home Screen

CMZ Launcher mosque best digital signage app displaying prayer times, announcements, and more on Android TV screens.

This process replaces the default Android TV launcher to ensure a controlled environment for the Mosques. By deploying the CMZ Launcher (us.msasoftware.cmzlauncher), administrators can prevent the display of unwanted or inappropriate images typically found on the standard interface. The CMZ Launcher is designed to automatically launch the CMZ TV app and ensure that the application restarts automatically whenever the TV restarts.

1. Download and Set up ADB

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a versatile command-line tool that lets you communicate with a device. To begin:

  • Download the SDK Platform-Tools for your specific operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux) from the official Android Developer website – https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools.
  • Extract the ZIP file to a dedicated folder on your computer, such as C:\platform-tools.
  • Open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the folder where you extracted the tools.

2. Enable Developer Mode on Your TV

To allow the computer to communicate with your TV, you must unlock the internal developer settings: 

  • Navigate to Settings on your Android TV.
  • Select Device Preferences (or System) and then About.
  • Scroll down to the Build number section.
    Please Note: Some TV Might shows different label. Please look for Build or Build Number or Android TV OS build or Something similar.
  • Press the “Select” button on your remote repeatedly (usually seven times) until a toast notification appears stating, “You are now a developer!“
  • Return to the previous menu (Device Preferences or Systems) and select Developer Options.
  • Toggle the switch for Wireless Debugging to the “On” position.

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/0xY2-p-FJLU?si=9I4OotG2ULNl7mzj

3. Connect to the TV Wirelessly via ADB

Once your TV is ready, you must establish a handshake between your computer and the TV over your local network: We can connect to 2 ways

3. 1 [1st way] Pair mode:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Device Preferences > Developer Options.
  2. Enable Wireless Debugging (toggle it to ON).
  3. Click directly on the text “Wireless Debugging” to open its sub-menu.
  4. Select Pair device with pairing code.
    • You will see an IP Address & Port, a Pairing Code, and a separate Port for the pairing process. Keep this screen open.
  5. Open your Terminal/Command Prompt and use the pair command. Use the Port specifically shown in the “Pairing Code” popup (this is usually different from the main connection port).
    • Command: adb pair [TV_IP_ADDRESS]:[PAIRING_PORT]
      1. Example: adb pair 192.168.1.15:37845
    • When prompted, enter the 6-digit pairing code shown on your TV. If successful, you’ll see: Successfully paired to 192.168.1.15:37845
  6. Once paired, you still need to “connect” to the service. Look at the main Wireless Debugging screen (the pairing popup may have closed) for the “IP address & Port” listed under the “Wireless Debugging” toggle.
  7. Command: adb connect [TV_IP_ADDRESS]:[CONNECTION_PORT]
    • Example: adb connect 192.168.1.15:42301

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/iFzz744quJ4?si=E9nYvjUtu6RUHu8Y

Note: Only need to flow till 2:26

3.2 [2nd way] Direct connect

  • Find your TV’s IP address by going to Settings > Network & Internet and selecting your active Wi-Fi connection.
  • On your computer, in the terminal/Command Prompt, type the following command (replacing the placeholder with your TV’s IP):
  • adb connect [Your TV IP Address]
    • Example
      • adb connect 192.168.1.50:5555
        • The port number (5555) is the default port used by Android Debug Bridge (ADB) for TCP/IP connections.
  • A prompt will appear on your TV screen asking to “Allow USB Debugging?” Select Always allow from this computer and click OK.

4. Disable the Existing Launcher

With the connection established, you can now execute the command to disable the system’s default launcher. Running this command permanently enforces the pre-installed CMZ Launcher as the primary home screen, ensuring the TV remains locked to the intended Mosque environment.

  1. Open CMZ Launcher in your TV> Click on i (Info) Button located on top Right corner>
  2. Look for Existing Home Package Name
    Note: If Existing Home Package Name not showing then CMZ Launcher is set to Default Home Already. You do not need to disable anything.
  3. Execute the following command in your terminal:

     adb shell pm disable-user — –user 0 [package name shown on the tv]

     Example:
adb shell pm disable-user –user 0 com.google.android.tvlauncher

Important Considerations

  • Recovery: If you wish to revert to the default launcher, use the command: adb shell pm enable com.google.android.tvlauncher.
  • Third-Party Launchers: Always ensure a replacement launcher is installed and functional before disabling the default system package to avoid a “black screen” state.

Install the CMZ Launcher APK on Android TV Through ADB

This method installs the CMZ Launcher APK directly from a Windows computer to an Android TV. The computer and Android TV must be connected to the same Wi-Fi or local network.

Requirements

Before starting, make sure you have:

  • An Android TV or Android TV box
  • A computer connected to the same network
  • The latest CMZ Launcher APK
  • Android SDK Platform-Tools installed on your computer
  • Access to the Android TV’s Developer Options

Step 1: Download Android Platform-Tools

Download the official Android SDK Platform-Tools:

Download Android SDK Platform-Tools

Select the version for your operating system:

  • Windows

Extract the downloaded ZIP file.

For example, Windows users can extract it to:

C:\platform-tools

Step 2: Prepare the CMZ Launcher APK

Download the latest CMZ Launcher APK.

Rename the file:

cmz-launcher.apk

Move the APK into the extracted platform-tools folder.

The Windows folder should look like this:

C:\platform-tools\adb.exe

C:\platform-tools\cmz-launcher.apk

Step 3: Enable Developer Mode on Android TV

  1. Turn on the Android TV.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Select Device Preferences or System.
  4. Select About.
  5. Find one of the following options:
    • Build
    • Build number
    • Android TV OS build
  6. Press the OK/Select button on the remote seven times.
  7. Continue until this message appears:

You are now a developer!

The Developer Options menu is now enabled.

Menu names may be slightly different depending on the Android TV brand and Android version.

Step 4: Enable Wireless Debugging

Return to the main Settings screen and open:

Settings → Device Preferences/System → Developer Options

  • Enable Wireless Debugging if your Android TV provides it.
  • On older Android TV versions, you may instead have Network Debugging or another option for ADB over the network.
  • USB Debugging is a separate method and requires a physical USB connection. 

Android TV 11 or Newer

Android TV 11 and newer versions normally include Wireless Debugging with a pairing-code option.

Open:

Developer Options → Wireless Debugging

Turn Wireless Debugging on.

Older Android TV Versions

Some older Android TVs only provide USB Debugging or Network Debugging. Enable the available debugging option and connect using the TV’s IP address on port 5555.

Step 5: Open Command Prompt or Terminal

Windows

  1. Open the platform-tools folder.
  2. Click the folder’s address bar.
  3. Type:

cmd

         4. Press Enter.

Command Prompt will open inside the correct folder.

Step 6: Pair the Computer With Android TV

Use this method if Android TV shows Pair devices with pairing code.

On Android TV:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Developer Options.
  3. Open Wireless Debugging.
  4. Select Pair device with pairing code.

Android TV will display:

  • IP address
  • Pairing port
  • Six-digit pairing code

Example:

IP address and pairing port: 192.168.1.15:37845

Pairing code: 482715

Keep this screen open.

On the computer, run:

adb pair 192.168.1.15:37845

Replace the example IP address and pairing port with the values displayed on Android TV.

When prompted, enter the six-digit pairing code:

Enter pairing code: 482715

If pairing is successful, the computer will display:

Successfully paired to 192.168.1.15:37845

The pairing port is temporary. Do not use it as the main ADB connection port.

Step 7: Connect ADB to Android TV

Return to the main Wireless Debugging screen.

Find the separate IP address and port shown under Wireless Debugging.

Example:

192.168.1.15:42301

Connect using:

adb connect 192.168.1.15:42301

Replace the example address with the actual IP address and connection port displayed on Android TV.

A successful connection will show:

connected to 192.168.1.15:42301

If Android TV displays a debugging authorization request:

  1. Select Always allow from this computer.
  2. Select Allow.

Alternative: Connect an Older Android TV Directly

If Android TV does not show a pairing-code option, find its IP address:

Settings → Network & Internet → Connected network

The IP address may look like:

192.168.1.50

Connect using the TV’s ADB network address and port. If the TV does not display a port, 5555 is commonly used:

adb connect 192.168.1.50:5555

Replace the example IP address and port with the values used by your Android TV. 

Accept the debugging authorization request on the TV.

Step 9: Install the CMZ Launcher APK

If cmz-launcher.apk is inside the platform-tools folder, run:

adb install cmz-launcher.apk

Wait for the installation to complete.

A successful installation will display:

Performing Streamed Install

Success

CMZ Launcher is now installed on the Android TV.

You normally do not need to enable “Install unknown apps” when installing an APK directly through an authorized ADB connection.

Step 10: Update an Existing CMZ Launcher

If CMZ Launcher is already installed, use:

adb install -r cmz-launcher.apk

The -r option updates the application while retaining its existing local data.

Step 11: Install the APK From Another Folder

If the APK is stored somewhere else, enter its complete path.

Windows

adb install “C:\Users\YourName\Downloads\cmz-launcher.apk”

Step 12: Verify the Installation

The CMZ Launcher package name is:

us.msasoftware.cmzlauncher

Use this package name only if it matches the CMZ Launcher APK you are installing. 

Windows

adb shell pm list packages | findstr us.msasoftware.cmzlauncher

If the installation was successful, the result will show:

package:us.msasoftware.cmzlauncher

Step 13: Open and Test CMZ Launcher

On Android TV:

  1. Return to the home screen.
  2. Open Apps.
  3. Select CMZ Launcher.
  4. Confirm that the application opens correctly.
  5. Check that it automatically starts the CMZ TV app.
  6. Restart Android TV and verify that the setup still works.
Common ADB Problems

Common ADB Problems

ADB Is Not Recognized

If Windows displays:

'adb' is not recognized as an internal or external command

Open Command Prompt inside the platform-tools folder or run:

cd C:\platform-tools

Then try again:

adb devices

Android TV Is Unauthorized

If adb devices shows:

192.168.1.15:42301    unauthorized

Check the Android TV screen and accept the debugging authorization request.

If no request appears:

  1. Open Developer Options.
  2. Select Revoke USB debugging authorizations.
  3. Turn Wireless Debugging off and on.
  4. Pair and connect the Android TV again.

No Devices Found

If you see:

adb: no devices/emulators found

Confirm that:

  • Android TV and the computer are on the same network.
  • Developer Mode is enabled.
  • Wireless Debugging is enabled.
  • The IP address and port are correct.
  • Android TV is awake.

Reconnect using:

adb connect [TV_IP_ADDRESS]:[CONNECTION_PORT]

Connection Is Refused

If the connection fails:

  1. Check the current IP address and port under Wireless Debugging.
  2. Restart ADB: 
    adb kill-server
adb start-server
  3. Pair and connect the Android TV again.

The Wireless Debugging port may change after Android TV restarts.

More Than One Device Is Connected

If ADB reports:

adb: more than one device/emulator

Run:

adb devices

Copy the Android TV’s address and specify it in the installation command:

adb -s 192.168.1.15:42301 install -r cmz-launcher.apk

Version Downgrade Error

If you see:

INSTALL_FAILED_VERSION_DOWNGRADE

Use a newer CMZ Launcher APK.

If the older APK must be installed, uninstall the current version:

adb uninstall us.msasoftware.cmzlauncher

Then install the APK:

adb install cmz-launcher.apk
Uninstalling CMZ Launcher removes its locally stored data and settings.

Incompatible Update Error

If you see:

INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE

The existing application and new APK may have different signing certificates.

Uninstall the existing version:

adb uninstall us.msasoftware.cmzlauncher

Then reinstall the APK:

adb install cmz-launcher.apk

Step 14: Disconnect ADB

After completing and testing the installation, disconnect Android TV:

adb disconnect 192.168.1.15:42301

To disconnect all ADB devices:

adb disconnect

For security, turn off Wireless Debugging after the installation is complete.

FAQs

What is CMZ Launcher?

CMZ Launcher replaces the default Android TV home screen and automatically opens the CMZ TV app when the TV starts, helping maintain a distraction-free masjid environment.

Why is CMZ Launcher used on masjid TVs?

It helps keep the TV in a controlled masjid display environment and prevents unrelated content from appearing on the screen.

Does CMZ Launcher automatically start after the TV restarts?

Yes. CMZ Launcher is designed to restart automatically when the Android TV is powered on.

Is CMZ Launcher the same as the CMZ TV app?

No. CMZ Launcher controls the TV’s home screen and startup behavior, while the CMZ TV app displays prayer times, announcements, flyers, and other masjid content.

Do I need ADB to install or configure CMZ Launcher?

ADB is required for advanced setup, such as disabling the default Android TV launcher and setting CMZ Launcher as the primary home screen, if the TV requires it.

Can CMZ Launcher be used on every Android TV?

Compatibility may depend on the TV’s Android version, manufacturer settings, and support for Developer Options and Wireless Debugging.

What should I do if CMZ Launcher is not opening automatically?

Check that:

  • CMZ Launcher is installed.
  • CMZ Launcher is set as the default home app.
  • The existing launcher was disabled correctly.
  • The TV has restarted completely.
  • The CMZ Launcher app is not disabled.
Will uninstalling CMZ Launcher delete its settings?

Uninstalling CMZ Launcher may remove its locally stored data and settings.

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