Enjoy WhatsApp On Your Android TV (Full WhatsApp, not the Web Version)
Install WhatsApp and MS Office Word to your TV (and many more)
Disclaimer: The intention is not to disrupt the business model of WhatsApp Inc. or cause any kind of tort, but just to educate the readers that if you want to have this option, you can have this hack.
If you have an Android Smart TV and an Android Smart Phone, you can possibly run the fully-functional mobile version of WhatsApp application (APK) on your Smart TV (Android).
How?
It is a technical but simple hack. You need a few tools to perform a few steps and it will allow running the WhatsApp on your TV.
But, Why You Need it?
Running and Replying on Big Screen gives immense pleasure. It is fun. It is exciting. And when you connect with a Mouse and a Keyboard (I would recommend Wireless), it gives an amazing experience, worth try, at least.
What is required?
Algorithm
- Get the latest copy the WhatsApp APK file from your mobile to a USB drive
- Connect the USB drive to your TV
- Locate the APK file from the file browser app and launch the APK
- Follow the installation steps (exactly the same as you followed while installing and activating the WhatsApp on your mobile)
- Enjoy WhatsApp on TV
Warning: Since WhatsApp registers the mobile number with the application, you can have only one WhatsApp account. If you use your account used in the mobile WhatsApp, it will snatch that account and will get associated with the WhatsApp installed on the TV. You can reregister your mobile WhatsApp using the same process but it is better to be informed that you should use some other mobile for this experiment. The author assumes no responsibilities arising due to this post. Do not proceed if you are not confident and have no prior experience doing installation and uninstallation in different devices.
Let’s begin the fun.
Get the WhatsApp APK from your mobile?
Assumption: ADB package is installed on your mobile.
Open the Shell or Terminal. Using ADB command list the devices connected to your PC (Windows or Mac or Linux, all commands would be the same).
adb devicesIf you have no idea about the ADB commands, refer this link to get the basic details, and installing ADB.
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If your device is listed it means it is connected properly and you are now ready to extract the android application.
Execute the below command to get the relevant details of the packages installed:
adb shell pm list packages -f -3You will see the packages similar to the below diagram:
If your device is not connected or authorised by your PC (Windows or Linux or Mac — you have to authorise it to manage the mobile).
E.g. if it is not properly connected or configured, you might not see any devices connected when adb devices is executed.
Now you need to find the WhatsApp path in the mobile.
Search for the name of the package in the list on the Shell/Terminal. First open the Search option.
Search for the application. E.g. Microsoft (see the below image)
I am interested in WhatsApp, therefore, I will search for it.
You will see that it is listed (if installed in the mobile). Copy the full path of the WhatsApp APK (copy the path as revealed in your command output. Below output is for sample only, and part of it is highlighted to suggest you that it could be different. So rely on your command output for exact value)-
/data/app/com.whatsapp-hYUiFosFIPVNzPW9NCT80A==/base.apkNow, get the APK to your PC by running this command-
adb pull /data/app/com.whatsapp-hYUiFosFIPVNzPW9NCT80A==/base.apkIt will create a file named base.apk on your PC (see the directory path in the command). You can rename it to whatsapp.apk for easy management.
Copy the above whatsapp.apk file to a USB flash drive (a.k.a Pendrive).
Now the challenging part is done.
Let’s install this apk to your Android Smart TV. Connect the USB to the TV’s USB port. Now lunch any file browser installed in your TV such as File Browse or X-Open or any freely available tool in the Google Apps available for your TV (Choose any — does not matter. Just locate the APK in the USB, via any of these apps).
When you launch the APK (if it is for the first time you are installing any app, it might block you and ask you to change Settings and Allow installation from Unknown Sources. At the moment, please allow.
Now, the installation wizard for WhatsApp will be launched on your TV. Proceed next and accept terms if prompted. Eventually, it will ask for a mobile number to receive the OTP or an SMS to authorise you.
Fill the mobile number and check the code provided by the OTP (One Time Password) or Verification SMS. Enter the code and proceed.
Now, just follow the Next button and installation will be done along with a working UI of WhatsApp on TV.
Finished.
So, now on a big screen, you can enjoy the WhatsApp. Unfortunately, since you cant carry the TV everywhere, this inconvenience should be admitted.
What Else You Can Do ?
You can install Microsoft Office Word app to your TV too.
Follow the above steps and replace WhatsApp with Word. Pull the Word App and install it to your TV exactly following the above steps.
Search for the App
adb pull /data/app/com.microsoft.office.word-zkMMigr5Afj_OF_zYNmAjg==/base.apkRename the base.apk to ms-word.apk and copy to the USB drive. Mount the USB drive to the TV.
Install on the TV.. Just as above.
Enjoy.
