Install SignPlayer on Android, Android TV and Google TV
DigitalSignage.com SignPlayer installs on an Android TV, Google TV, stick, box, tablet or phone as two APKs: allow installs from unknown sources, download the SignPlayer and Watchdog APKs from the Downloads page of your free account, install both, open SignPlayer and type the registration code shown on the player into SignStudio under Register SignPlayer to pair the screen. The Watchdog starts SignPlayer after every reboot. Fire OS (Fire TV Stick, Amazon Signage Stick) is not supported.
Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Android, Android TV or Google TV. DigitalSignage.com does not publish a minimum Android version: check the Downloads page |
| Memory | 2 GB of RAM or more for video-heavy layouts |
| Display | Any TV or monitor with HDMI, or the Android TV built into the set |
| Network | Wi-Fi or Ethernet for setup and updates. Content plays from the local cache when the connection drops |
| Firewall | No static IP or port forwarding. SignPlayer falls back to HTTP polling behind a strict firewall |
| Account | A free DigitalSignage.com account. First 3 screens free forever |
| Not supported | Amazon Fire OS: Fire TV Stick, Fire TV, Fire tablets, Amazon Signage Stick |
Supported devices
- Android TV and Google TV sets. Install SignPlayer on the TV itself, with no extra box. Android TV sets are sold by Sony, Sharp and others; for signage we recommend the Sony BRAVIA.
- Android TV and Google TV sticks and boxes, typically $30 to $60, behind any HDMI TV. Choose a model with at least 2 GB of RAM.
- mediaDROID players, DigitalSignage.com's own commercial Android players for 24/7 duty, running a signage-tuned Android 9.0 build. See mediaPLAYERS.
- Android tablets and phones, for countertop displays, small kiosks and sales demos.
- Commercial displays with a built-in Android system on chip run the same APK. See smart TV and SoC displays.
Install SignPlayer on Android
- Create a free account in SignStudio and build or pick a campaign.
- On the Android TV, stick or box, open Settings, Security and restrictions and allow installation from unknown sources. On a tablet or phone, allow installs from the browser or file manager you will use.
- Download both APKs from the Downloads page of your account, directly in the device browser: the SignPlayer APK and the Watchdog APK.
- If the TV has no usable browser, copy the two APKs onto a USB stick on a computer, plug the stick into the TV, install a file-manager app from Google Play, open the USB drive in it and tap each APK.
- Install both SignPlayer and Watchdog.
- Open SignPlayer. If no icon appears on an Android TV home screen, open it from Settings, Apps, Downloaded apps, SignagePlayer, Open.
The Android install video walks through the same steps.
Pair the screen with your account
- Create a free account at SignStudio if you do not have one. It asks for an email and a password only, no credit card.
- Open SignPlayer on the Android device.
- The player shows a registration code. In SignStudio, click Register SignPlayer and enter that code: the screen joins your account. Alternatively, tap register manually on the player and sign in with your DigitalSignage.com email and password.
- In SignStudio, assign a campaign to the new screen and publish it.
- The player downloads the campaign, caches it locally and starts playing. Screens 2 and 3 are added the same way and stay free.
DigitalSignage.com SignPlayer is controlled from SignStudio over a real-time socket connection. If a firewall blocks that, it falls back to HTTP polling, so you do not need a static IP address or any port forwarding. From then on you manage the screen remotely: live status, remote snapshots, player version, scheduling and automatic software updates.
Run in kiosk / auto-start mode
Auto-start. The Watchdog app is what makes an Android screen unattended: after a reboot or a power cut it starts DigitalSignage.com SignPlayer automatically, and it relaunches SignPlayer if Android ever kills it.
Keep the screen awake. On Android TV:
- Open Settings, Power and turn power saving, idle TV standby and auto shut-off off.
- Under Settings, Daydream (the screen saver), set it to sleep never, or disable it under the power options.
- If the screen saver still appears, enable developer options (tap Settings, About, Build several times), then under Developer options set the suspend option to never.
Menu names differ between brands and Android versions; the settings to find are the same.
Lock it down. For a public screen, enroll the device in an MDM that supports Android Enterprise dedicated-device (kiosk) mode and pin SignPlayer, or use a commercial player or SoC display that supports lockdown. Consumer sticks often cannot be enrolled. Interactive touch components built in SignStudio are a Plus+ feature and full kiosk mode is an Enterprise feature; see pricing.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| The APK will not install | Allow unknown sources for the app you are installing from (browser or file manager), then retry. Check there is free storage |
| No SignPlayer icon on the Android TV home screen | Open it from Settings, Apps, Downloaded apps, SignagePlayer, Open. After the first launch, the Watchdog starts it on boot |
| SignPlayer does not come back after a power cut | Install the Watchdog APK as well as SignPlayer. Then check the device itself powers on when mains power returns; many consumer sticks need a button press |
| The screen goes black or shows a screen saver | Turn off power saving, idle standby, auto shut-off and Daydream, as above |
| A Fire TV Stick will not run it | Fire OS is not supported. Replace it with an Android TV or Google TV stick or box |
| Video stutters or the device restarts | Usually heat or too little memory. Move the stick out from behind a hot panel, use a model with 2 GB of RAM or more, or a commercial player |
| The player is online but shows old content | Check the campaign is assigned to that screen and published in SignStudio. The player syncs when it next connects |
For deeper Android hardware advice, see the Android digital signage guide and best Android digital signage player.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install a digital signage app on Android TV?
Allow installation from unknown sources in Settings, Security and restrictions. Download the SignPlayer and Watchdog APKs from the Downloads page of your DigitalSignage.com account, either in the device browser or onto a USB stick opened with a file-manager app. Install both, open SignPlayer and type the registration code shown on the player into SignStudio under Register SignPlayer to pair the screen, then assign a campaign in SignStudio.
Does SignPlayer work on Google TV?
Yes. Google TV is Android TV with a different home screen, so the same SignPlayer and Watchdog APKs install the same way on a Google TV set, stick or box.
Does SignPlayer work on an Amazon Fire TV Stick?
No. Fire TV devices, Fire tablets and the Amazon Signage Stick run Amazon Fire OS, which DigitalSignage.com does not support today. Use an Android TV or Google TV stick or box, a commercial Android player such as the mediaDROID, or a Raspberry Pi 5 instead.
What Android version does SignPlayer need?
DigitalSignage.com does not publish a minimum Android version, so check the Downloads page before buying hardware. Its own mediaDROID+ player runs an Android 9.0 build. For devices you buy today, choose one that still receives security updates and has at least 2 GB of RAM for video-heavy layouts.
How do I make SignPlayer start automatically after a reboot?
Install the Watchdog APK alongside SignPlayer. After the device restarts, the Watchdog starts SignPlayer by itself and relaunches it if Android ever closes it. Also turn off sleep, power saving and the screen saver so the TV never goes idle.
Can I use an Android tablet as a digital sign or kiosk?
Yes. Tablets and phones run the same SignPlayer and the same presentations. Interactive touch components built in SignStudio are a Plus+ feature and full kiosk mode is an Enterprise feature; for locking the tablet to the app, use your device management tool or a lockable enclosure.
Try it on your own screens, free
DigitalSignage.com, which publishes this guide, runs a permanent free plan: the first 3 screens are free forever (no credit card, no ads, no watermark, no time limit), then from $3 per screen per month on Plus+. Once an account has 4 or more screens, every screen is billed, so 10 screens cost $360 a year; Enterprise is priced per screen in the public price calculator. The free DigitalSignage.com SignPlayer runs on Windows, Mac, Android and Android TV, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, iPad or any modern web browser, so the hardware you already own usually works. Start free · 2026 pricing · How 11 vendors compare on price
Maintained by MediaSignage Inc., operator of DigitalSignage.com since 2006. Requirements on this page come from our own platform pages and the Downloads page inside your account; where we do not publish a figure, this page says so instead of guessing. Last reviewed October 19, 2026.