Amazon Fire Stick How to & Troubleshooting Guide

Despite Amazon Fire Stick being the slimmest streaming devices in the market, it certainly packs a punch. The flash drive sized device allows you to stream different types of media from different sources while saving them for future consumption.

However, just like any new technology it may take a while to grasp all its features and fix any arising issues when it malfunctions. Keep reading to learn how to use your Fire Stick efficiently and how to repair it if need arises.

How to add Fire Stick to Amazon account

Before registering per se, you need to set up the device. As such, you must check that you have all the necessary tools:

• A compatible TV that has HD or UHD plus an HDMI port
• Fortunately, most TV screens today will have this
• A wireless internet connection
• An Amazon account.
• 2 batteries for your TV Stick remote

Note: You don’t have to be an Amazon Prime customer to use the Amazon Fire TV Stick. However, you do have to have a regular Amazon account If you don’t have one, you can simply create one in later steps, when setting up the devices

If you have everything needed, you can proceed to set up your Amazon Fire Stick;

• Connect the Amazon Fire Stick to a power source
• Plug the Fire TV Stick directly into the HDMI port on the back of your TV
• Turn on the TV and select the channel corresponding to the port you inserted the Fire Stick in
• Put the batteries in your remote
• Hold the HOME button pressed for 10 seconds for it to pair with the Fire Stick
• Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your Fire Stick to your Wi-Fi network
• Now, in order to register your Fire Stick to your Amazon account, you need to do the following:
• Select Settings
• Go to My Account
• Select Register
• Enter your Amazon account information when prompted
• If you ordered the Fire Stick straight from Amazon, it will come pre-registered, and the associated name appears on this screen.
• Plug your Fire TV into your TV’s HDMI port and then plug the power adapter into an outlet.
• Use the USB cable to connect the power adapter and your Fire TV.
• Put batteries in your Fire TV remote.
• Turn on your TV and switch to the correct HDMI input.
• If your remote doesn’t pair automatically, press the Home button until “Press Play Pause to start” appears on-screen (about 10 seconds).
• Follow the on-screen instructions to connect to Wi-Fi and download the latest software update.

Note: If you’re having issues with your Wi-Fi password, contact your internet service provider.

Sign in with your Amazon account. Use your mobile phone or computer to visit the on-screen web address (amazon.com/code) and enter the verification code.

Follow the on-screen questions to set up equipment control for devices like soundbars.

Now that you’ve registered your Fire Stick, you are all set to enjoy a whole new dimension of multimedia streaming.

How to search Amazon prime movies on Fire Stick

• Start the Amazon app.
• Use your remote or controller to select “Search.”
• On the Search page, start typing the name of the show you are looking for.
• After you type a few letters, search results should start to appear. When you see the show you want to watch, select it with the remote or controller.

How to search on Amazon Prime Video on a mobile app

• Start the Amazon app.
• At the bottom of the screen, tap “Search.”
• On the “Search” page, start typing the name of the show you are looking for.
• After you type a few letters, search results should start to appear.
• If you want to only see results that are included for free with Prime Video membership, click “Filter” at the top right of the screen, tap “Ways to Watch,” and then tap “Included with Prime.”

How to pair Amazon remote to Fire Stick

To pair a replacement remote for your Fire Stick;

• Go to Settings > Controllers & Bluetooth Devices > Amazon Fire TV Remotes > Add New Remote.
• Then hold the home button on your new remote for 10 seconds and select the new remote’s name with your old remote to confirm.
• Press the home button on your Fire Stick remote.
• Then open Settings. You can do this by pressing the right directional button on your remote until the gear icon on the right is highlighted. Then press the down directional button on your remote to open the settings menu.
• Next, select Controllers & Bluetooth Devices.
• Then select Amazon Fire TV Remotes.
• Next, select Add New Remote Your Amazon Fire TV will search for discoverable remotes and display them in a list.
• Then press and hold the home button on your new remote for at 10 seconds. Once your Fire Stick recognizes your new remote, it will appear on the screen.
• Next, press the Select button on your old remote to confirm. This is the button in the middle of the ring on your remote.

Note: If you don’t have a Fire TV remote that works, you can also use your smartphone to add and remove remotes. Skip to the next section to find out how to use your phone as a remote and then complete the following steps to pair a new remote.

If you are pairing a third-party remote, scroll down and select Other Bluetooth Devices and then Add Bluetooth Devices. Then put your remote in pairing mode and select it when it appears on screen.

If you are running an old version of Fire OS, your screen might look different. If so, you can find the Settings menu by pressing the up button on your remote until you see Home highlighted. Then press the right directional button to select Settings and the down directional button to access the Settings menu. Then all the following steps will be nearly identical.

It might take some time for your new remote to update.

You can add up to seven remote controls to your Fire Stick. If you’ve reached your limit, you will need to unpair one of them. You can do this here by pressing the menu button with the three lines on your remote and then the select button in the middle of the ring on your remote. This might also help you reset a remote that isn’t working.

How to Use Your Phone as a Fire Stick Remote

To use your phone as a Fire Stick remote;

• Download and install the Amazon Fire TV app.
• Then open the app and select your Fire TV device.
• Log into your Amazon account and enter the PIN that you see on the TV screen into your phone.
• Download and install the Amazon Fire TV app.
• You can find the app on the Google Play Store for Android devices and the Apple App Store for iPhones and other iOS devices.
• Make sure you download the app from AMZN Mobile LLC.
• Then open the app and select your Fire TV device.
• The app will automatically connect to your Fire TV device.
• If you don’t see your Fire TV Stick on the list, tap New Devices.
• Next, sign in with your Amazon username and password.
• Enter the four-digit PIN on your TV into your app.
• You can now use your phone as a remote control for your Fire TV device.
• Once pairing is complete, you will see your remote buttons on your smartphone screen.
• You can continue to use your device as a remote, or use it to pair a new remote by following the steps in the previous section with your app. 

Note: Your smartphone and Amazon Fire Stick need to be on the same Wi-Fi network for the app to work.

How to reset Amazon Fire Stick

A factory reset of your device removes all downloaded content including in-app purchases.

To factory reset your Fire TV device using your remote:

• Press and hold Back and right side of the navigation circle together for 10 seconds.
• On the TV screen, choose to continue or cancel the factory reset.
• If you don’t choose, the device resets automatically after several more seconds.

Note: If needed, safely eject expandable storage.

How to reset the Amazon Fire Stick remote

• Press and hold the Home button. At the same time, press the Menu button three times.
• Release the Home button.
• Press the Menu button 9 times.
• Remove the batteries from your remote.
• Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in your remote, and then plug in your Fire TV.
• Once the Home screen appears, press and hold the Home “” button for 40 seconds.
• Wait 60 seconds for setup to complete.

Alexa Voice Remote (1st Generation)

Note: This Alexa Voice Remote doesn’t have a power button or volume up/down buttons.

• Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Press and hold the Left button and Menu button at the same time. Hold them for 12 seconds.
• Release the buttons and wait 5 seconds.
• Remove the batteries from your remote.
• Plug in your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in your remote.
• Press the Home button on the remote.
• Your remote should be paired now. If your remote hasn’t paired, press the Home button for 10 seconds.

Alexa Voice Remote (with volume and power buttons)

• Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Press and hold the Left button, Menu  button, and Back  button at the same time. Hold them for 12 seconds.
• Release the buttons and wait 5 seconds.
• Remove the batteries from your remote.
• Plug in your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in your remote.
• Press the Home button.
• When the LED indicator blinks blue, your remote is paired successfully. If it’s not paired, press the Home button for 10 seconds.

Alexa Voice Remote Lite

Note: This remote doesn’t have a power button or volume up/down buttons.

• Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Press and hold the Left button, Menu button, and Back button at the same time. Hold them for 12 seconds.
• Release the buttons and wait 5 seconds.
• Remove the batteries from your remote.
• Plug in your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in your remote.
• Press the Home button on the remote.
• Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote
• Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Press and hold the Left button, Menu button, and Back button at the same time. Hold them for 12 seconds.
• Release the buttons and wait 5 seconds.
• Remove the batteries from your remote.
• Plug in your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in your remote.
• Press the Home button on the remote.
• When the LED indicator blinks blue, your remote is paired successfully. If it’s not paired, press the Home fire tv remote home button button for 10 seconds.

Fire TV Smart TV Remotes

• Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Press and hold the Left button , Menu  button, and Back  button at the same time. Hold them for 12 seconds.
• Release the buttons and wait 5 seconds.
• Remove the batteries from your remote.
• Plug in your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in your remote.
• Press the Home button on the remote.
• When the LED indicator blinks blue, your remote is paired successfully. If it’s not paired, press the Home button for 10 seconds.

Fire TV Soundbar Remotes

• Unplug your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Press and hold the Left button , Menu  button, and Back  button at the same time. Hold them for 12 seconds.
• Release the buttons and wait 5 seconds.
• Remove the batteries from your remote.
• Plug in your Fire TV and wait 60 seconds.
• Put the batteries back in your remote.
• Press the Home button on the remote.
• When the LED indicator blinks blue, your remote is paired successfully. If it’s not paired, press the Home button for 10 seconds.

How to restart your Amazon Fire Stick

You can restart your Amazon Fire Stick if you are having issues with its functionality.

Here are three different ways to restart your Amazon Fire Stick;

Unplug your Amazon Fire Stick

• Unplug and then plug your device back into your television and wait for it to turn back on.
• Locate where your Amazon Fire Stick device is connected to your television, and then unplug it from your TV or your wall outlet.
• After unplugging it, wait a few seconds and then plug your Fire Stick back in.

Restart your Amazon Fire Stick in Settings

• Scroll up on the Amazon Fire Stick home screen on your TV and highlight the “Home” tab.
• Then, scroll to the right and click on “Settings.”
• Scroll to the right and click on “My Fire TV.”
• In “My Fire TV,” scroll down and click on “Restart” and your Fire Stick will automatically restart.

Restart your Amazon Fire Stick using your remote

• Turn on your TV and wait for your screen to display your Fire Stick home screen.
• On your remote, press and hold the “Home” button for a few seconds. Using your remote click on “Settings.”
• In “Settings” scroll down and click “My Fire TV” and then scroll down and click “Restart” to restart your device.

Check this too: How to Use a Firestick Without a Remote

How to unlock Amazon Fire Stick

While this is going to be an arduous process, it is easier than it seems. If you follow the steps below in the correct order, ypu should be able to unlock your fire stick in no time’

Step 1: Install APK Downloader on FireStick

Unlocking is all about installing the third-party APKs on FireStick devices for free streaming. The Amazon App Store does not have these apps. To install third-party streaming apps, you need a facilitating application. That’s because Amazon Fire TV Stick does not support direct download through the browser (like you do it on your Android mobile).

Install Downloader app from Amazon App Store’

• Go to the home screen of your Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Note: If you still have an old Fire TV OS, your home screen will appear a little different
• Select Find in the middle bar followed by Search
• Note: For older FireStick OS, select the Search option available in the top-left corner of your Fire TV (it is the lens icon you need to choose)
• On this Search window, type the name of the app Downloader
• Click Downloader in the search suggestions displayed on the Amazon FireStick window
• Click the Downloader icon on the next screen
• Choose Downlo(or Get) on the window that appears next
•  Wait for the Downloader app to Download and then install it
• Click Open to launch the Downloader app
• Dismiss any prompts that are displayed when you use the Downloader app for the first time

Step 2: Set Up the Fire Stick for Unlocking

You will need to tweak a setting on Fire TV Stick / Cube to allow the unlock process to work. This native setting is all you need to tweak to get started. You are NOT infiltrating any system settings or manipulating any operating system core files. You don’t even need a computer. All you need is your Fire Stick, its remote, and an internet connection.

• Power on your Amazon Fire TV Stick and wait for this home screen to loup
• Select the gear icon or cog icon in the middle bar (on the far right) to open Settings
• Note: On the older FireStick OS, highlight the menu bar on the top and navigate to the Settings option on the far right
• Now, choose the option My Fire TV
• On the following window, open the item Developer Options
• First, switch ON the option ADB Debugging
• Next, click Install unknown apps
• This gives you permission to download apps from outside the Amazon App Store.
• Note: On the older Fire TV OS, click Apps from Unknown Sources and turn it ON
• Click Downloader and turn it ON
• Press the back button on the Amazon Fire TV remote. It will take you back to the Settings window.
• Open Preferences
• Open Privacy Settings
• Turn OFF the following options to stop sharing the usage data after you unlock Fire Stick in the Privacy Settings
• Press the back button one time. You should now be back to the Preferences window
• Now, turn OFF Data Monitoring on the next screen

Step 3: Unlocking Firestick

Start installing different streaming apps starting with Kodi 19. If you are not aware, Kodi is a media application that gives you access to the huge world of free entertainment. It lets you watch your favorite Movies, TV Shows, TV Channels, Sports, content for Kids, and a lot more. Yes, you can stream anything you want. All you need is the right Kodi Addons and Builds.

Now you can unlock Fire Stick with Kodi using the Downloader app that you just downloaded from the Amazon App Store. Here are the steps:

• Open Downloader. Click the URL text box where it says http://
• When this window is displayed, enter the following URL:
• https://www.firesticktricks.com/kapk or https://www.firesticktricks.com/k192
• Click GO
• Wait for the Downloader app to download the Kodi 19 Matrix APK
• Now you need to install Kodi. Select Install and click it.
• Wait for the Kodi APK to install
• App Installed notification will confirm that Kodi has been installed on your Amazon Fire TV Stick.
• Your FireStick is now jailbroken.
• Click Open to run Kodi. If you want to open Kodi later, click Done. You may open it later from the Your Apps & Channels list.
• Kodi 19 will take a minute to open if it is the first time. That’s normal. This is how the home-screen of Kodi looks like.

How to remove Amazon photo app from Fire Stick

• Ensure your Firestick is connected to your device and turned on.
• From your home screen, open settings by pressing the gear icon at the top-right corner.
• Press “Applications,” and then select “Manage Installed Applications.”
• Scroll down until you find the application you want to delete.
• Open the app and press “Uninstall.”
• You’ll see a pop-up message asking you if you’re sure you want to delete the app. Press “Uninstall” once more.

After just a few seconds, the app will be deleted. If your Firestick was experiencing performance issues due to insufficient storage, deleting one or more pre-installed apps should improve things.

How to delete pre-installed apps from your Firestick using your remote.

Here’s how to do it:

• Make sure your Firestick device is connected and turned on.
• Hold the “Home” button on your remote.
• Press “Apps.”
• Find the app you wish to remove from your device and select the options button.
• Press “Uninstall.”
• A pop-up message will appear asking you whether you’re sure you want to uninstall the app. Press “Uninstall.”

How to download Kodi on Amazon Fire Stick

First, you’ll need to download the “Downloader” app.

• On your Firestick’s homepage, click Find, then Search, and look for “Downloader.”
• Select the Downloader app when it appears in the results, and install it by clicking Get.
• Next, install Kodi.
• Open the Downloader app and select Allow when it asks to access your media files.
• Select the Home option in the left sidebar, and use the Enter a URL or Search Term box to look for: https://www.Kodi.tv/download.
• When the Kodi website loads, scroll down and select the Android option (all Fire TV devices run using Android).
• On the next page, select ARMV7A (32BIT). This is the version of Kodi that runs best on Firesticks.
• Kodi will try to download, but you’ll be told that your Firestick’s security settings are blocking it. Select Settings to go change them.
• You’ll be brought to your Firestick’s Developer Options menu. On this page, enable both ADB Debugging and Install unknown apps.

Note: Kodi is a legitimate app, and there’s no danger in installing it from the official website. But turning on these options can expose your Firestick and internet network to malicious apps. Be careful about which apps you download, and consider reverting the settings when you stop using Kodi.

• Go back to the Downloader app (you can just press back on your remote a few times) and download Kodi again. When you’re asked if you want to install Kodi, click Install.
• Now you can launch Kodi from your Firestick’s home screen, just like any other app. You’ll find it under the Recently Used Apps heading, or on the page with all your apps.

Note: Once you open Kodi, you’ll have to import all your movies and music. Because when you first open Kodi, it’ll be empty.

Unlike other Fire TV devices though, you can’t import media onto a Firestick with a USB flash drive. Instead you’ll need to set up a remote media server using an add-on like Emby and import your files wirelessly.

How to update Kodi on Amazon Fire Stick

• Go to FireStick home screen and then navigate to Search > Find
• Search for the app named Downloader and follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your device (to learn more about the Downloader app, follow our detailed guide on it.)
• Go to Fire Stick “Settings > My Fire TV > Developer Options. There you should see “Install Unknown Apps.” Click it!
• If your FireStick hasn’t updated to the latest interface, click Apps from Unknown Sources and turn it ON instead
• Click and turn ON the unknown sources for the Downloader app

• Go back to Settings > Preferences > Privacy Settings > Collect App Usage Data. Now turn OFF “Collect App Usage Data.”
• Download Kodi Update on Fire TV Stick. The latest update available on the date is Kodi 19.3 Matrix.
• Open the Downloader app you installed earlier. On the right side, click the URL box
• A pop-up keypad box will open.
• For the latest Kodi 19.3 Matrix, enter https://www.firesticktricks.com/kapk
• Warning: Even though 19.3 is the latest version, most third-party add-ons don’t support it yet. I would recommend using Kodi 19.2 or a lower version.
• If you are already using Kodi 19.3 and want to revert back to 19.2, you may use this URL – https://www.firesticktricks.com/k192
• Click GO
• Kodi update
• Update Kodi on Firestick / Fire TV
• Once the update file is downloaded, click “Install”
• Wait for Kodi APK to install
• When “App Installed” message is displayed, it means Kodi has been updated on FireStick
• To verify the new update, launch Kodi, go to Settings > System Info and see the Kodi version on the right bottom of your display.

How to Use Kodi to Watch Downloaded Movies on an Amazon Fire TV Stick

If you want to downlocontent, have it on your local network, and then stream it to your Fire TV Stick on demand, then Kodi is the solution for you. Kodi is a media server system that takes a little work to get set up, but once it’s working, it’s fantastic. You’ll need to install Kodi both on your Fire TV Stick and on whatever computer you set up as a media center.

Follow these steps;

• In the Fire Tv Stick’s “Home” screen, select “Settings.”
• Navigate to “Device and Developer Options.”
• Set “Allow apps from unknown sources” “On.”
• Navigate back to the Fire TV “Home” screen.
• Use “Search” to find Downloader and select to install it.
• Open “Downloader” and allow it to access your photos, media and files.
• Downloader will prompt you for a URL, add “http://Kodi.tv/download” and select “Go.”
• Select the most recent build of Kodi and then Install it.
• Navigate back to the Fire TV “Home” screen.
• Select “Your Apps & Games,” then find “Kodi,” but do not launch it yet.
• Install Kodi onto the computer that has all your media.
• Open “Kodi” on the computer.
• Select the “gear” (settings) icon.
• Choose “Service Settings” and then select “UPnP/DLNA.”
• Toggle “Share my libraries and all options” to “On.”
• Open the “Kodi” app on your Fire TV Stick.
• Select “Files” from the left menu and “Add videos.”
• Choose “Browse” and then select “UPnP Devices.”
• Select “Video Library” and choose “OK.”
• Rename the library if necessary and browse it to play your movie.

Note: You need fast Internet to get good streams.

How to update the Amazon Fire Stick

Here are the steps to follow to check for and install Fire OS updates:

• Choose Settings.
• Choose either My Fire TV (for Fire TV Stick or Fire TV Cube) or Device & Software (for Fire TV Edition).
• Choose About.
• Choose Check for Updates.

Note: When you highlight the Check for Updates command, the right side of the screen shows the current version of Fire OS, as well as the last date Fire TV checked for updates. Fire TV checks to see if an updated version of Fire OS is available.

• If an update is waiting, Fire TV downloads the update and then displays the Install Update command.
• Fire TV installs this update automatically the next time it determines that you’re not using your TV.
• If you’d rather install the update right away, choose Install Update.

Note: During this process, leave your device on and don’t press any buttons on the remote.

How to turn off Amazon Fire Stick

The only way to turn off your Fire TV Stick completely is to unplug it from the power source. You can also wait for 20 minutes for your Fire TV Stick to put itself to sleep. However, this will not work if you are in certain apps.

Putting your Fire Stick to sleep causes it to use up less power, but it will still be able to receive software updates. Here’s how to manually turn off your Amazon Fire TV Stick by putting it to sleep at any time.

How to Turn Off Your Fire TV Stick with Your Remote

The easiest way to turn off your Fire TV Stick is by using your remote.

• Press and hold the Home button on your Fire TV remote until you see the screen change.
• Then select Sleep from the options listed. 
• Press and hold the Home button on your Fire TV remote for three seconds. This is the button that has a house-shaped logo in the middle of your Fire TV remote. This will cause your screen to turn dark, and a pop-up menu will appear.
• Then select Sleep to turn off your Fire TV Stick.
• Use the right directional button on your Fire TV remote to navigate to the option with the moon-shaped logo. Then press the button in the middle of the ring on your remote to select the highlighted option.
• This will cause your Fire TV Stick will go into sleep mode. However, in most cases, this will not turn your TV off. You will have to turn off your TV manually or with another remote.
• You can turn your Fire TV Stick back on again by pressing any button on your remote.

How to Turn Off Your Fire TV Stick from the Home Screen

To turn off your Fire TV Stick from the home screen;

• Press the Home button on your Fire TV remote.
• Then press the up directional button to access the top menu and select Settings.
• Next, scroll to the right and select My Fire TV. Finally, scroll down and select Sleep.
• Go to the Home Screen. You can do this by pressing the Home button on your Fire TV remote.
• Then go to Settings. You will see this in the upper-right corner of your Home Screen.
• You can access the menu by pressing the up directional button on your remote.
• Then press the right directional button until Settings is highlighted.
• Finally, press the button in the center of the circle on your remote to select Settings.
• Next, select My Fire TV. Once you select Settings, press the down directional button on your remote. Then press the right directional button until you have highlighted My Fire TV. Finally, press the button in the center of the circle on your remote to select the highlighted option.
• Finally, scroll down and select Sleep to turn off your Fire TV Stick. This will instantly turn off your Fire TV stick, but it might not turn off your TV, depending on your setup.

Note: On older Fire TV devices, this might be called Device instead.

How to Turn Off Your Fire TV Stick from Your Smartphone

To turn off your Fire TV Stick from your smartphone,

• Download and install the Fire TV app.
• Then select your device from the list.
• Next, select the gear icon in the top-left corner of your screen and tap Sleep in the pop-up menu.
• Open the Amazon Fire TV App. You can download the Fire TV app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

If this is the first time you are using the Fire TV app, you will need to set it up. To do this, select your device and then sign in with your Amazon username and password. Then enter the four-digit code that appears on your screen.

You will also need to use the same WiFi network on your Fire TV Stick and your smartphone. You can check which WiFi network your Fire TV device is using by going to Settings > My Fire TV > About > Network. You should see your WiFi network under SSID.

• Then tap the gear icon. You will find this in the top-left corner of your screen.
• Finally, select Sleep to turn your Fire TV Stick off.

How to connect Amazon Fire Stick to TV

Here’s everything you need to get the Fire TV Stick up and running;

• Plug the USB Micro cable into the power adapter.
• Plug the other end into into the Fire TV Stick.
• Plug the Fire TV Stick into an HDMI port in your TV.
• Press Home on your remote.
• Note: If you have trouble with this step, try using the remote control closer to the Fire TV Stick, holding Home for 10 seconds and changing out to fresh batteries. If those steps don’t work (they didn’t for us), just unplug the power supply from the Fire TV Stick, wait a minute and plug that back in.
• Press Play/Pause on your remote.
• Select Your Language.
• Select your Wi-Fi network.
• Enter your password and select Connect.
• Select Sign In or Create an Account. Let’s assume that you have an Amazon account, and the below steps follow selecting Sign In.
• On a phone, tablet or computer, open amazon.com/code, sign in and enter the unique activation code you get in step 2.
• Select Continue, because selecting Change account would imply you just signed in with the wrong ID.
• Select Yes or No to opt in or out of storing connected network passwords with Amazon. I personally opt for No.
• Opt in or out of parental controls.
• If you selected yes, enter your parental control PIN number, and make a note of it somewhere your kid won’t find.
• Select OK after noting where Parental Controls are managed.
• If your Fire TV Stick’s remote is TV controls compatible, you’ll now hit Next to make sure it works right
• Adjust volume and then click Yes to confirm.
• Click OK.
• Sign up for Amazon Kids+ (it may show you a message for Prime if you don’t have Prime) or opt-out. Wondering why you’d want Prime? Check out our guide to the best Prime Video movies and shows to learn more.
• Select Get Started to walk through Amazon’s app downloads on-boarding, or click No Thanks to skip past. It’s always very weird to see what apps get suggested and which don’t.
• Select the popular services you want, and click right to TV channels. The selected apps below are the ones I’d actually use.
• Select the TV channel apps you want, and click right to sports apps.
• Select the sports apps you want, and click right to the featured apps.
• Select the featured services you want, and click Play to proceed.
• Click Finish to download apps.
• Click Got It to proceed.
• Enter Parental Controls PIN (obviously, skip this step if you didn’t set up a Parental Controls PIN).
• Select a user profile (check out our guide for how to add Fire TV profiles if you need this feature).

How to program parental control settings

Fortunately, you can easily enable parental controls on the Fire Stick. But beforeyou show you all the steps you’ll need to take, make sure that you have activated a PIN via your Amazon account’s parental control section.

You can do that via Amazon mobile app or using the web browser. Sign in to your Amazon account, and under “Account & Lists,” select “Your Prime Video” settings and then “Parental Controls.” Then set up a 5-digit number for later use with your Fire Stick.

How to Enable Parental Controls on Amazon Fire Stick

Once you have the PIN ready, you can turn on the parental controls with your Fire Stick. Make sure that the device is correctly plugged into the right TV input first. Then follow these instructions:

• Use your Fire Stick remote to navigate to Preferences on the home screen.
• From the list of options, select “Parental Controls.”
• Now, select the “Parental Controls OFF” option.
• You will be prompted to enter your previously set up PIN.
• Once you enter the PIN, select “OK” to continue.
• You will get the message on the screen that says, “Parental Controls Enabled.”
• Click “OK” again, and you’ll be able to see a list of parental control categories. One of them is “Viewing Restrictions.”
• If you choose to enable this option, in particular, the viewing content will be restricted based on Amazon Video ratings of the shows and movies.
• You can also PIN protect Amazon Photos App, purchases, and app launches.

How to Change Parental Control PIN on Fire Stick

If your child learns about the PIN you’ve set up, and can now view inappropriate content, you can change the PIN and start over. The “Change PIN” option is under the “Parental Controls” in Fire Stick “Preferences.” Here’s how to find it:

• Go to “Preferences” on your home screen.
• Select “Parental Controls.”
• Scroll to the “Change PIN” option.
• Enter the old PIN first, and then enter the new 5-digit number.
• Now you’ll have a completely new PIN. Be sure to memorize it or write it down somewhere no one can find it.

How to Turn Off Parental Controls on Fire Stick

In case you found that the parental controls on the Fire Stick are unnecessarily enabled, you can disable them in just a few steps;

• Navigate to “Preferences” on your Fire Stick home screen.
• Select “Parental Controls” from the list of items.
• Now, choose the “Parental Controls ON” option.
• Enter your PIN and confirm your selection.
• You’ve officially disabled the Parental Controls with your Fire Stick.
• If you want to enable them again, follow the same steps and switch the controls back on.

Why is my Fire Stick stuck on Amazon screen

There are a lot of potential reasons a Fire Stick freezes on the Amazon logo. Most of the time, your Fire Stick freezing is a temporary glitch which can be resolved with a restart or by using a different HDMI port or TV.

If none of the fixes listed below work, there may be something wrong internally with your Fire Stick, and it may need to be replaced, as there aren’t often easy ways to repair a defective Fire Stick.

How to Fix Fire Stick Stuck on the Amazon Logo

Be patient

It may not sound like much, but sometimes a frozen Fire Stick will eventually unfreeze itself if you give it some time. If this works but the problem comes back, you’ll want to attempt other fixes.

Restart your Fire Stick

With a Fire Stick, there isn’t a dedicated power button, so to restart the device, disconnect the Fire Stick from your TV, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. This will power cycle your Fire Stick, and it can fix temporary issues.

Use a different HDMI port

Sometimes, there can be a connection issue between your Fire Stick and your TV. Try changing what HDMI port your Fire Stick is plugged into and see if the problem persists.

Try connecting your Fire Stick to a different TV

There may not be an issue with your Fire Stick, and instead, there could be an issue with your TV. Try using your Fire Stick with a different TV to see if the problem persists, and if it does, it’s much more likely there’s an issue with the Stick itself.

Connect the Fire Stick directly to your TV

If you’re using an HDMI adapter, extender, hub, or anything of the kind, disconnect your Fire Stick from this, and connect it directly to the TV. This will help to identify whether or not the problem is with your Fire Stick.

Make sure your TV supports HDCP

Most TVs and devices support HDCP out-of-the-box, but if you’re using a particularly old TV, you may not have support for the feature. This feature is required for the Amazon Fire Stick to work.

Contact Amazon support

If all else fails, there may be a problem with your Fire Stick itself you can’t fix with some troubleshooting tips. Make sure to tell the representative the steps you’ve taken to try and get your problem solved.

How to fix a Fire Stick that’s stuck searching for the remote

When you set up your Fire Stick, the remote should pair automatically. If this connection doesn’t happen, run through the steps to initiate Fire Stick remote pairing. Unplug your Fire Stick > remove the batteries from the remote > plug the Fire Stick back in > reseat the batteries > and press and hold Home on the remote. If your Fire Stick doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi after pairing the remote, check your Wi-Fi signal and network settings.

How to cancel Amazon prime on Fire Stick

• Go to Manage Your Prime Video Channels and select Prime Video Channels.
• Find the subscription you want to cancel.
• Select Cancel Channel and confirm.
• If you’re offered a self-service refund, and choose to accept it, your cancellation will immediately take effect.
• Otherwise, your subscription end date displays on the confirmation screen.
• You’re able to reverse your cancellation until that date. After the end date, you won’t be charged for, nor have access to content from that channel.

Note: You need an Amazon Prime membership to access Prime Video Channels. If you cancel your Amazon Prime membership, your Prime Video Channel subscriptions also cancel.

How to add another Fire Stick to Amazon account

• Using your remote, from the main Fire TV menu go to Settings.
• Settings highlighted on Fire TV main screen.
• Then go to My Account. Fire TVs come pre-registered with the account they were purchased under and this should show up under Amazon Account.
• Amazon Account option highlighted on Fire TV account settings screen.
• If you wish to register with another account, select Amazon Account from the screen then select Deregister. You will be asked to confirm your choice. Select Deregister again.
• Deregistration confirmation screen.
• De-registering a Fire TV device removes all content associated with the respective Amazon Account.
• Once de-registered, you can re-register your Fire TV with any Amazon Account you choose by selecting Register.
• Amazon account registration option.
• Type in the email address associated to the Amazon Account then select Next.
• Email entry screen for Fire TV registration.
• Then type in the password for your Amazon Account and select Sign In.
• Password entry screen for Fire TV registration.
• Your Fire TV will be registered with the chosen Amazon Account.

What is Amazon FreeTime on Fire Stick?

Amazon FreeTime helps you create a personalized experience for your kids on Amazon Fire TV. With FreeTime, you can choose what content your kids can access on Fire TV. The FreeTime apps is pre-installed on most of the Fire TV devices. You can find the app under Your Apps & Games section. However, the app is not available on 3rd generation Fire TV devices as well as the Fire TV stick.

With FreeTime app, you can create several child profiles for your children and choose the content accessible to each of your children. You can create up to four child profiles on a Fire TV device. Each profile you create on your Amazon Fire TV automatically syncs with the other Amazon devices on which you are using the FreeTime app. The devices can be FreeTime enabled Kindle and Fire Tablets.

Creating Child Profiles On FreeTime

To create a child profile on Amazon Fire TV, follow these simple steps;

• Launch the Amazon FreeTime app and select Get Started.
• You’ll be prompted to set an Amazon Video PIN. The same PIN will be used to manage parental control settings.
• Enter the PIN and hit Next.
• Enter the name, gender and Date of Birth of your child.
• Select a profile and hit Next to save the profile.
• In the same way, you can create multiple profiles and you can add up to four profiles on an account.
• If you forget your PIN, you can reset it from Amazon Video Settings. Just go to Parental Controls > Amazon Video PIN and enter a new 5 digit PIN.  

Using FreeTime On Your Device

You can easily switch to FreeTime mode on your Fire TV device by launching the FreeTime app from Your Apps & Games. After launching the app, you need to select your child’s profile and then your Fire TV automatically switches over to the FreeTime mode. As long as the FreeTime app is open, your Fire TV will only display the content you’ve selected for your child’s profile.

How to use Fire Stick without an Amazon account

• Visit amazon.com from either a PC or a smartphone.
• Click on “Account and listing” which appears on the top right corner of the screen.
• Now, click on “Create an account”.
• Enter all the credentials.
• After you enter all the credentials, you’ll receive a link to verify your account.
• Click on the link and verify.

Note: You’ll have to connect Fire Stick with TV afterwards.

• When you turn on both the devices.
• You’ll see a setup screen.
• Login with the credentials of the account that you have just made and verified above. This will take you to the homepage.
• Now, download a third-party app to access the Firestick content like Kodi.

How to create a playlist on Amazon music on Fire Stick

To add music to your playlist:

• Open the More Options menu (three vertical dots) next to a song or album.
• Select the Add to Playlist option.
• Choose the playlist you wish to add your selection to.

Note: Playlists have a 500 song limit. If you want your playlists to sync across your devices, be sure to manage your playlists while “Online Music” is selected under Library. Any changes made while “Offline Music” is selected do not carry over.

Amazon Fire Stick not turning on

• Replace the batteries in your remote.
• Use the power cable and adapter included with your Fire TV device.
• If you lose your Fire TV device power cable or adapter replace them with Amazon branded equipment to ensure compatibility.
• Unplug the power cord from your device or wall outlet for several seconds then plug it back in.
• Press the source or input button on your remote and ensure your TV input matches the name or number of the HDMI port your Fire TV is plugged into (often located on the back of your TV).
• Use an HDMI cable rated for high speed (you can purchase this separately).
• Unplug your Fire TV from your HDMI hub (if you’re using one) and plug it directly into your TV’s HDMI port.

Amazon prime not working on Fire Stick

Video or Playback Errors

Video or Playback Errors occur when there’s a problem connecting to the Prime Video service.

Use these troubleshooting steps to try and resolve common playback issues.

Restarting your Fire TV depends on the type of device you have:

• For a Fire TV Set-Top Box or Stick you can do the following:
• Press and hold the Select and Play/Pause buttons at the same time for about five seconds.
• Or, From the main screen of your Fire TV, go to Settings.
• Then go to Device.
• And choose Restart. Confirm your decision by selecting Restart.
• Alternatively, you can unplug the power cord from the device, wait 10 seconds and then plug it back in.

For a Fire TV Edition Smart TV you can do the following:

• Press the Power button on the remote, wait for 10 seconds and then press it again.
• Alternatively, you can unplug the power cord from the outlet, wait 10 seconds and then plug it back in.
• Power cycle procedure. Unplug it and plug it back in.

Availability Errors

If you receive a Video/Application Unavailable Error when attempting to stream Prime Video content on your Fire TV, you will need to ensure your country settings are updated to the country you are streaming content from.

• Update Location Settings
• Open a web browser of your choice on any device and go to www.amazon.com/mycd.
• You will be asked to Sign in to your Amazon account. Type in the email or phone number associated to your Amazon account and click or tap Continue.
• Then type in your Amazon account password and click or tap Sign in.
• Once logged in, go to Settings, then to Country/Region Settings to expand that section and click or tap Change.
• Fill in your name, location and phone number then click or tap Update. Your country of residence has to be supported for this fix to work.

Note: To complete this process, you need to switch to your Fire TV and deregister then reregister your account. After that, It make take up to an hour for the changes to take effect.

Amazon Account Registration

• Using your remote, from the main Fire TV menu go to Settings.
• Settings highlighted on Fire TV main screen.
• Then go to My Account. Fire TVs come pre-registered with the account they were purchased under and this should show up under Amazon Account.
• If you wish to register with another account, select Amazon Account from the screen then select Deregister. You will be asked to confirm your choice. Select Deregister again.
• De-registering a Fire TV device removes all content associated with the respective Amazon Account.

• Once de-registered, you can re-register your Fire TV with any Amazon Account you choose by selecting Register.
• Amazon account registration option.
• Type in the email address associated to the Amazon Account then select Next.
• Then type in the password for your Amazon Account and select Sign In.
• Your Fire TV will be registered with the chosen Amazon Account.

Payment or Order Errors

Payment and Order Errors occur when there’s a problem processing one of your Prime Video orders or with your order payment method. You can try the following to resolve common order issues:

Check your payment settings and location – Prime Video on Amazon.com is only available to customers located in the United States and U.S. territories . To purchase Prime Video titles, you need an Amazon account, billing address, and 1-Click payment method from an eligible location.

Check the order – Go to Your Digital Orders, and look for on-screen messaging about a problem with the order. You can also verify your payment details if needed, and try the order again.

To Check Payment Settings;

• Open a web browser of your choice on any device and go to www.amazon.com/mycd.
• You will be asked to Sign in to your Amazon account. Type in the email or phone number associated to your Amazon account and click or tap Continue.
• Login entry screen on Amazon page.
• Then type in your Amazon account password and click or tap Sign in.
• Password entry screen on Amazon website.
• Once signed in, click or tap Change to the right of Memberships and subscriptions or Rentals or purchases. Change option highlighted for Amazon account payment methods.
• Select Edit payment methods to verify that your payment method is valid and location is eligible, and correct if necessary. Select Add a card if you wish to add a new payment method. Once you filled out all the required information select Continue.

PIN Errors

PIN related errors occur when there’s an issue with your Prime Video PIN.

PIN issues are typically temporary. Try waiting a few minutes, then enter your PIN again. If the problem continues, you can reset your Prime Video PIN from your Prime Video Settings.

Reset PIN

• Open a web browser of your choice on any device and go to www.amazon.com/mycd.
• You will be asked to Sign in to your Amazon account. Type in the email or phone number associated to your Amazon account and click or tap Continue.
• Then type in your Amazon account password and click or tap Sign in.
• Once signed in, go to Parental Controls and select Change under Prime Video PIN.
• Enter a new PIN then select Save.

Fire Stick could not contact Amazon.com

If your Fire Stick refuses to connect to Amazon.com, it is more than likel that the issue has been cause by internet connectivity issues.

Reasons your Firestick is Not Connecting to the Internet

The most common cause of a Fire Stick not connecting to the internet is some manner of problem with your home network, but there are a number of other potential issues you’ll need to rule out. Here are the most common reasons a Fire Stick will fail to connect to the internet:

Wi-Fi signal strength: If your Fire Stick is too far away from your wireless router, or there are too many obstructions, the wireless signal may be too weak. Repositioning your router or Fire Stick may fix this problem.

Network hardware issues: An issue with your router or modem may be preventing the Fire Stick from connecting to the internet. Restarting your hardware will usually fix this problem.

Fire Stick issues: There may be a problem with the Fire Stick itself. Restarting the Fire Stick may fix your problem, or you might have to factory reset it.

VPN configuration: If you have a VPN installed on your Fire Stick and it’s configured incorrectly or malfunctioning, the VPN can keep the Fire Stick from connecting to the internet. Fix the configuration or uninstall the VPN to fix this kind of problem.

Check this too: Altice Remote How to & Troubleshooting Guide

Internet outage: If your internet is down or experiencing other issues. This can prevent the Fire Stick from connecting to Amazon’s servers.

Amazon services outage: If Amazon is experiencing a service outage, the outage can prevent your Fire Stick from working.

What to Do When Your Firestick Won’t Connect to the Internet

Before you do anything else, check to see if Amazon is down. If Amazon services are down, there’s nothing you can do but wait for them to fix the problem. If everything seems to be working on their end, and you’re able to access things like Amazon Prime from other devices on your network, then you can move on to troubleshooting other potential issues.

To get your Fire Stick connected to the internet, follow these troubleshooting tips:

1. Check your Fire Stick Wi-Fi connection. You can check your connection by navigating to Settings > Network, then selecting your network. If the signal strength isn’t good or very good, consider moving your wireless router or your Fire Stick to improve the connection.
2. Reset your network connection. If it says your Wi-Fi signal strength is strong or very strong, but you still can’t connect to the internet, try resetting the connection. Navigate to Settings > Network > Your Wi-Fi Network, then press the menu button to forget the network. You can then select your network again to reconnect, enter your password, and check to see if the connection is working.
3. Try your 2.4 GHz network if possible. If your modem provides a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network, navigate to Settings > Network and switch to the 2.4 GHz network and check to see if the Fire Stick can connect. The 5 GHz network is faster, but the 2.4 GHz network will have a stronger signal and a greater range.
4. Try a wired Ethernet connection. If you aren’t able to establish a strong Wi-Fi connection, you can connect a Fire Stick to your router with an Ethernet adapter. This is an accessory which plugs into the USB port on the Fire Stick and allows you to connect both power and an Ethernet cable to the Fire Stick.
5. Restart your network hardware. A lot of network connectivity issues can be solved by restarting your network hardware, including your router and your modem. Unplug both from power, wait for 30 seconds to a minute, and then plug them back in.
6. Restart your Fire Stick. If there’s a problem with the Fire Stick itself, a restart will often get things working again. Your Fire Stick doesn’t have a power button, but you can restart it by unplugging it from power for five seconds and then plugging it back in.
7. Check your VPN configuration. If you have a VPN installed on your Fire Stick, it may be preventing the Fire Stick from connecting to the internet. You can easily rule this out by temporarily uninstalling the VPN and checking to see if you’re able to connect to the internet. If that fixes the problem, contact the developers of your VPN app for information about how to configure it.
8. Deregister your Amazon account. If you’re seeing an error where home is currently unavailable, or the Fire Stick can’t connect to server, then deregistering your Amazon account may help. Navigate to Settings > My Account > Amazon account > Deregister and follow the on-screen prompts. You’ll then have to sign back into your Amazon account, and check to see if the Fire Stick works.
9. Factory reset your Fire Stick. If your Fire Stick is still unable to connect to the internet, perform a factory reset. This will completely reset the Fire Stick, so you’ll have to set it up like you did when you first got it.

Amazon Firestick with Kodi not working

DO the following to remedy the problem.

1. Restart Your Firestick

When applications are not working on your Amazon Firestick, the first thing that you should do is restart your system. There are instances that some application files on your system are not loaded correctly when you first boot up your Firestick.

If this is the case, simply restart your Amazon Firestick, and the problem should go away. Here’s what you need to do:

• While on the main screen, press the Home button on your Firestick’s remote to access the Settings.
• After that, go to the My Fire TV tab.
• Finally, scroll down and choose the Restart option to reboot your device.
• Once done, try launching Kodi on your Firestick to check if the problem is solved.

2. Check Your Internet Connection

If you can’t access online features on Kodi, it may indicate a problem with your network. To verify this, run a test using Fast.com to measure your internet connection’s current upload and download speed.

Speed Test

If you’ve confirmed that your network causes the issue, restart your modem or router to re-establish the connection with your service provider’s servers. Unplug your router from the outlet and wait for 5 to 10 seconds before reconnecting it.

Restart Router

Perform another test afterward to confirm if the problem is solved.

Contact your internet service provider if your network continues to run slow and ask them to fix their service.

3. Try Other Applications on Your Firestick

Before changing your system settings, check other applications on your Firestick first to see whether the problem is limited to Kodi or your entire system. Launch Netflix or YouTube on your Firestick and see if you would encounter issues while using other applications.

If other applications are working, it means that the problem is with Kodi.

4. Update Add-Ons

If some add-ons or features are not working on Kodi, try updating them to patch potential bugs and glitches.

Here’s what you need to do:

• First, go to Settings and click on Add-ons.
• After that, choose the add-on that is not working on your Firestick.
• Now, click on Versions and select the latest build possible.
• Lastly, enable Auto-Update to keep your add-ons up to date all the time.
• Kodi not working on Firestick
• Once done, try accessing the feature you’re having issues with to check if the problem is solved.

5. Clear Kodi Cache

Kodi uses application cache to speed up its performance when loading up medial files, sites, and applications. Unfortunately, Kodi’s cache may accumulate over time, and your Firestick may have difficulties loading them.

If Kodi is not launching on your Amazon Firestick, follow the steps below to clear your app cache:

• On your Firestick, go to the Settings and access the Applications tab.
• Next, click on Manage Installed Applications and choose Kodi.
• Finally, click on Force Stop and hit the Clear Cache button.
• Try launching Kodi afterward to check if the problem is solved.

6. Toggle Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration is a feature that allows an application to utilize your graphics card for faster rendering. This improves video playback performance, user interface loading, and other elements that require rendering.

If you experience video playback issues with Kodi on your Amazon Firestick, try toggling hardware acceleration on and off to see which settings work for you.

See the steps below to guide you on the process:

• Access Kodi’s Settings on your Amazon Firestick.
• Next, go to the Player tab and click on Videos.
• Finally, try turning off/on Allow Hardware Acceleration – DXVA2’.
• Go back to the video or movie you’re trying to watch to check if the problem is solved.

7. Reinstall Kodi

If none of the solutions above worked,you recommend reinstalling Kodi on your Firestick. Some of its installation files may have gotten corrupted, or the app was not properly installed on your device.

Here’s how you can reinstall Kodi on your Firestick:

• First, go to the Settings of your Amazon Firestick.
• Next, click on Applications and choose Manage Installed Applications.
• Lastly, select Kodi and click on Uninstall.
• Once done, reinstall Kodi on your Firestick and see if it’s now working.

Amazon Fire Stick not connecting to Wi-Fi

Here’s a list of a few troubleshooting items that you should check to solve any wireless connectivity problems you’re having with your Fire TV device:

• Restart your devices. Reset your hardware by performing the following tasks, in order:
• Turn off your modem.
• Turn off your Wi-Fi router.
• After a few seconds, turn the modem back on and wait until the modem reconnects to the Internet, which may take a few minutes.
• Turn on your Wi-Fi router.

Many Wi-Fi devices these days are all-in-one gadgets that combine both a Wi-Fi router and a modem for Internet access. If that’s what you have, insteof performing steps 1 through 4, you can just turn off the Wi-Fi device, wait a bit, turn the device back on, and then wait for the device to connect to your Internet service provider (ISP).

1. Restart Fire TV.
2. Look for interference. Devices such as baby monitors and cordless phones that use the 2.4 GHz radio frequency (RF) band can wreak havoc with wireless signals. Try either moving or turning off such devices if they’re near your Fire TV device or Wi-Fi device.
3. Keep your Fire TV device and Wi-Fi router well away from microwave ovens, which can jam wireless signals.
4. Many wireless routers enable you to set up a separate Wi-Fi network on the 5 GHz RF band, which isn’t used by most household gadgets, so it has less interference. Check your router manual to see if it supports 5 GHz networks.
5. Check your password. Make sure you’re using the correct password to access your Wi-Fi network.
6. Check your range. Your Fire TV device may be too far away from the Wi-Fi router. You usually can’t get much farther than about 230 feet away from most modern Wi-Fi devices before the signal begins to degrade (that range drops to about 115 feet for older Wi-Fi devices). Either move the Fire TV device closer to the Wi-Fi router or, if it has one, turn on the router’s range booster. You could also install a wireless range extender.
7. Update the wireless router firmware. The wireless router firmware is the internal program that the router uses to perform its various chores. Wireless router manufacturers frequently update their firmware to fix bugs, so you should see if an updated version of the firmware is available. See your device documentation to find out how this works.
8. Update and optionally reset your Fire TV device. Make sure your Fire TV device is up to date and, if you still can’t connect to Wi-Fi, reset your Fire TV device.
9. Reset the Wi-Fi device. As a last resort, reset the Wi-Fi router to its default factory settings (see the device documentation to find out how to do this). Note that if you do this, you need to set up your network again from scratch.

Why is my Amazon Fire Stick showing a black screen?

If your Fire TV Edition Smart TV or the TV to which you’ve connected your Fire TV device shows a blank screen, here are a few things to check out:

• Make sure the TV is plugged in and turned on.
• Make sure the TV is set to the correct input.
• For a TV with a Fire TV device attached, switch to whatever input the Fire TV device is connected to.
• For a Fire TV Edition Smart TV, make sure the TV is using the Fire TV input (press the Home button on the Fire TV remote to display the Fire TV Home screen).
• For a Fire TV device connected to the TV via HDMI, disconnect and then reconnect the device.
• If your Fire TV device is connected to your TV with an HDMI cable or HDMI hub, try replacing the cable and/or the hub.
• On the Fire TV remote, press and hold both the Up button on the navigation ring and the Rewind button for about ten seconds. Fire TV begins running through the available resolutions for the TV and displays each resolution for ten seconds. If you see the text for a particular resolution, choose Use Current Resolution.
• If you have a second-generation Fire TV Cube (which supports 4K), make sure you’re using a high-speed HDMI cable.

Amazon Fire Stick cannot pair with the Fire TV mobile app

After you have your Fire TV device set up, the Fire TV mobile app will automatically locate and pair with the device. This enables you to use the app as a remote control for the Fire TV device (and, if you have Fire TV Recast, it also enables you to use the app to watch and record over-the-air TV programs).

It’s all very convenient, but that convenience goes out the window if the Fire TV mobile app can’t locate or pair with your Fire TV device. If that happens, optionally curse your rotten luck and then try these troubleshooting techniques:

• Make sure your Fire TV device and the device that’s running the Fire TV mobile app are connected to the same network.
• Check to see if another device on your network is currently mirroring the display of your Fire TV device. If your Fire TV device is currently being mirrored, the Fire TV mobile app won’t be able to pair with the Fire TV device, so you need to first stop the mirroring.
• Restart Fire TV.
• Restart the device on which the Fire TV mobile app is installed.
• Disconnect a Bluetooth device or Fire TV remote (including any device running the Fire TV mobile app) from your Fire TV device. Fire TV supports up to seven connected devices, so if you’re already at that limit, your Fire TV mobile app won’t be able to pair with the Fire TV device.
• (Advanced) Log in to your wireless router and search the advanced settings for Multicast support. If you see an option for toggling Multicast, make sure that setting is On. (See your wireless router manual to learn how to log in and access the router’s settings.)
• (Advanced) Log in to your wireless router and check to see if a static IP address has been assigned to your Fire TV device. If so, configure the router to assign an address to the Fire TV device automatically. (Again, see your router manual to learn how to work with IP addresses.)

Why does my Amazon Fire Stick keep buffering?

This is mainly caused by internet connectivity issues. To remedy the problem, do the following;

1. Reboot Firestick

Rebooting a Firestick can solve many issues, including buffering. Rebooting will shut down all of the apps and services currently running, giving you a clean slate. A quick reboot should be your first port of call for almost any problem on Firestick.

• From the home screen, go to Settings
• Scroll right and select My Fire TV
• Choose Restart

2. Improve wi-fi signal

You can check the strength of your wi-fi signal in the Fire TV settings:

• From the home screen, go to Settings
• Select Network
• Highlight the wi-fi network to which you’re currently connected
• Signal strength is displayed on the right. Ideally, this should be Very Good

If the connection isn’t strong, try moving your wi-fi router or the Fire TV so it can receive a clear signal. Other wireless devices might be interfering, so arrange your devices accordingly. You might also consider using a wi-fi extender.

Many wi-fi routers come with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. While 5 GHz is faster, keep in mind it also has a shorter range.

3. Use an ethernet cable

If improving the wi-fi signal isn’t an option, you can always hardwire the Fire TV to ensure nothing gets lost in transmission. An ethernet adapter like this one should do the trick.

4. Use a VPN

A VPN encrypts all the data traveling to and from a device and routes it through an intermediary server in a location of the user’s choosing.

If your internet service provider is throttling video streams, a VPN can mask the stream so that it’s indistinguishable from any other type of download. This prevents your ISP from discriminating against certain types of internet traffic, such as videos or data from specific sources.

Bear in mind that VPNs tend to have a negative impact on overall internet speed due to the extra “hop” through the VPN server plus the encryption and decryption process. Be sure to choose a VPN provider with plenty of bandwidth and a lightweight app.

NordVPN is our top recommendation. It makes a Fire TV app available directly from Amazon’s app store. NordVPN also improves your privacy and unblocks a wide range of region-locked video sites, including BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.

5. Turn off background apps and processes

Other apps on your Fire TV might be using up bandwidth and system resources even when you’re not actively using them.

• From the home screen, go to Settings > Applications
• Select Manage installed applications
• Select the application you wish to turn off
• Either Force stop or Uninstall the app

6. Clear app caches and data

Each app has its own permanent and temporary storage on your Firestick. Some apps might get out of control and store too much data, which uses up the Firestick’s limited space. The option to clear stored data and temporary cached data can be found in the same place where you uninstall or force stop apps.

• From the home screen, go to Settings > Applications
• Select Manage installed applications
• Note the information on the right about each app. You’ll see how much space the app itself takes up, how much data it stores, and how large its cache has grown.
• Select the apps that take up too much memory and use the Clear data and Clear cache options as necessary

7. Update Fire OS and apps

Any apps that you install through the default Amazon app store that comes with your Fire TV should update automatically. If you installed an app from another source, then you might have to update it manually using the same process you used to install it in the first place.

Likewise, you should keep Fire OS up to date to prevent software conflicts and ensure your device is secure. Your Fire TV will update itself automatically when not in use. But if you want to manually force an update, follow these steps:

• From the home screen, go to Settings > My Fire TV
• Select About
• Scroll down and select Install update
• This might require rebooting your Firestick.

8. Ensure the Firestick stays cool

If your Firestick is running hot, then it could be under heavy lofrom apps and processes running on it. This can impact performance and cause buffering in some cases.

Make sure the Firestick can breathe. Bear in mind that your TV generates heat, and it might be transferring some of that heat to the Firestick. You might consider using a different HDMI port or an HDMI extender.

9. Try a lower video quality

Higher video qualities require more bandwidth and system resources to stream and playback. Most video players will automatically select a video quality on your behalf, but many also give you the option to manually set video quality. This is usually determined by video resolution, such as 4K, 1080p, 720p, or 480p. A lower resolution typically requires less bandwidth and will stop to buffer less.

10. Stop other devices from hogging bandwidth

Check whether other devices in your home are using up bandwidth. They might be downloading updates or files or streaming video. If your Fire TV has to compete for resources, it might be getting the short end of the stick. Stop other devices running download-heavy tasks to free up bandwidth for your Firestick.

11. Factory reset

As a last resort, consider a factory reset. This will revert your Firestick to how it was when it first left the factory. That means all your apps and files will be deleted, so be sure to make backups as necessary and take note of the apps you want to reinstall.

• From the home screen, go to Settings > My Fire TV
• Scroll down and select Reset to Factory Defaults
• Select Reset

Although a factory reset might be extreme, it will wipe the slate clean and root out any persistent problems that might be causing your Firestick buffering. That includes most types of malware.

Why does my Amazon Fire Stick keep freezing?

1. Check Your Internet Connection

If you can navigate the Fire TV interface but video content keeps buffering or freezing, your internet connection is most likely the problem. Interestingly, Fire OS lets you check the status of your Wi-Fi connection.

Heto the Settings tab, select Network, move the cursor to the active network, and press the Pause/Play button on the remote.

On the Connection Status page, make sure both checkmarks re“Connected to Wi-Fi” and “Connected to the internet.” Additionally, ensure the network’s Signal Strength and reads “Very Good.”

If the Connection Status page displays a “Connected with problems” error message or the network signal strength is labeled “Weak” or “Poor,” your Fire TV may buffer content while streaming.

To resolve this, restart your Wi-Fi router and reconnect your Fire TV to the network. You should also consider adjusting your router’s antenna, disconnecting other devices from the Wi-Fi network, or using a Wi-Fi extender. That’ll free up some bandwidth for the Fire TV and possibly end the buffering or freezing issues.

Your Fire TV may display a “No network connection” error message if it’s blocked from accessing your router’s internet. If this is the case, check the router’s admin panel and make sure your Fire TV has internet access.

2. Force Stop and Clear App Cache

The more you use an app, the more temporary files it creates and stores on your Fire TV. Albeit cache files help applications lofaster, over-accumulation of cache data can leto unresponsiveness and other problems in the long run.

If your Fire TV only keeps freezing when you use a particular app, kill the app, delete its temporary files (or cache data), and rerun it.

Here’s how to force-quit an app on your Fire TV:

• Navigate to the Settings tab and select Applications.
• Select Manage Installed Applications.
• Select the app that keeps freezing your Fire TV.
• Select Force stop.
• That’ll prompt Fire OS to close the app in the foreground and background.
• Select Clear cache to delete the app’s temporary files.

Wait for a minute and open the app again. If the app keeps freezing your Fire TV, the app is probably outdated or contains some bugs. In that case, updating the app might be the only solution. Proceed to the next section to learn how to update apps on your Fire TV.

3. Update the App

There are several ways to install apps on the Fire TV: Directly from the Amazon Appstore or sideloading apps from your PC or third-party websites. Whatever the source of your Fire TV apps, it’s essential to keep them up-to-date.

To update apps installed from the Amazon Appstore, go to Settings > Applications > Appstore and press the Select button on your Fire TV remote to enable “Automatic Updates.”

For sideloaded apps, heto the developer’s website, downlothe latest version of the app, and sidelothe app’s setup file on your Fire TV again.

4. Restart Fire TV

If your Fire TV starts freezing or otherwise malfunctioning out of the blue, rebooting it could help fix the problem.

Perform a Soft Restart

Soft-restarting your Fire TV means rebooting the streaming device using the remote. Simply press and hold the Select and Pause/Play buttons on your Fire TV remote simultaneously.

In about 5 seconds, you should see a “Your Amazon Fire TV is Powering Off” notification on your TV screen.

In another 5-10 seconds, the Fire TV should turn on automatically. Open some apps, play a Netflix movie, open your favorite TV channels, and check if your Fire TV now works without freezing.

Perform a Hard Restart

If a soft reboot doesn’t fix the problem, unplug the Fire TV from its power source and plug it back in after some seconds. That’s called a “Hard Reboot.”you recommend waiting for about 30 seconds before reconnecting the device to its power source. You can either unplug the USB cable from the Fire TV dongle or unplug the USB power adapter from the electric socket.

While you’re at it, check that the Fire TV’s HDMI end fits into your TV’s HDMI port. If your TV has multiple HDMI ports, switch the Fire TV to a different HDMI port and check if that stabilizes the device.

5. Update Your Fire TV

Your Fire TV may lag if it’s running an outdated or bug-ridden operating system. Here’s how to install the latest FireOS on your Fire TV:

• Go to your Fire TV’s Settings tab and select My Fire TV.
• Select About.
• Select Check for Updates.

If there’s a new Fire OS version, your Fire TV will immediately •        Download and install it from Amazon’s server. Otherwise, you’ll see a “Your Fire TV is up to date” message on the screen.

6. Reset Fire TV

Resetting your Fire TV to factory default will remove all third-party apps, delete your downloads, and deregister your Amazon account from the streaming device. On the upside, however, factory resetting your Fire TV will most likely resolve issues causing it to freeze during usage.

We should mention that you should only reset your Fire TV if all other troubleshooting steps don’t work.

• Hit the Settings tab, select My Fire TV, and select Reset to Factory Defaults.
• Select Reset on the confirmation prompt to proceed.
• Alternatively, press and hold the Back/Return button and the Right direction button for about 5 seconds until a factory reset confirmation prompt pops up on the screen.
• Select OK to proceed. If you don’t select an action before the countdown runs out, your Fire TV will automatically proceed with the factory reset.

Restoring your Fire TV to factory default can take about 10-15 minutes. The streaming device may also restart multiple times during the reset process. Do not unplug the Fire TV from its power source or turn off your TV. That’ll disrupt the process and possibly damage the streaming device.

Contact Amazon Customer Service

If your Fire TV keeps freezing after a factory reset, contact Amazon Customer Service for support. The problem is most likely due to a manufacturing defect. If that’s the case, you’ll get a refund or a replacement unit—but only if your Fire TV is still under the 90-Day limited warranty for Amazon devices.

USB not enough power for Amazon Fire Stick fix

The Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV Stick 4k are both HDMI streaming sticks that require power. You can power the Fire TV Stick off your TV’s USB ports, but to address “insufficient power” warnings you’ll need a special USB to micro-USB cable.

The fire-Cable Plus solves this problem without the use of an outlet. it features an inner core built with premium heavy copper designed to provide maximum power supply. Alternatively, you can just use the adapter provided in the box and connect the Fire Stick to a power outlet.

Why is my Amazon Fire Stick not working

If your Fire Stick is not responding when you press the remote, restart it to reboot it.

Restarting your Fire TV depends on the type of device you have:

For a Fire TV Set-Top Box or Stick you can do the following:

• Press and hold the Select and Play/Pause buttons at the same time for about five seconds.
• Or, From the main screen of your Fire TV, go to Settings.
• Then go to Device.
• And choose Restart. Confirm your decision by selecting Restart.
• Alternatively, you can unplug the power cord from the device, wait 10 seconds and then plug it back in.

For a Fire TV Edition Smart TV, you can do the following:

• Press the Power button on the remote, wait for 10 seconds and then press it again.
• Alternatively, you can unplug the power cord from the outlet, wait 10 seconds and then plug it back in.

Amazon Fire Stick not detecting remote

Below are some of the most common problems, along with instructions on fixing them.

1: Dead, Weak, or Incorrectly Installed Batteries

How to Check the Batteries in Your Firestick Remote

Batteries that are improperly inserted or low on power can cause issues with Firestick remotes. Sure,you all know how to install and replace batteries, but accidents can happen. In addition, batteries are a very popular cause. One might think that the batteries work because they functioned effectively a second ago, but realize that there isn’t enough “juice” in them to keep working.

Banging the remote sometimes wakes the batteries—for a short period. Sound familiar? I’m sure someone you know has tried that fix, or maybe it brings back some memories? Well, that solution doesn’t last very long. You’ll find yourself doing that same thing again in a short period, perhaps to the point of a future surprise battery leak or internal damage to the remote.

Remove the batteries from the remote, paying close attention to how they were installed.

Check the direction marks on the Firestick remote to ensure the batteries were not installed incorrectly. They often get changed/interchanged by kids or borrowed for another device and can easily get reinserted the wrong way.

If the batteries were installed correctly, replace them with fresh ones. Ensure you use matching batteries—mixing and matching is never recommended (potential for leaking, exploding, etc.).

If the remote still doesn’t work, the issue is likely somewhere else. Also, If using rechargeable batteries, try alkaline ones as the batteries may no longer hold a charge very well. Rechargeable batteries tend to weaken after so many repeated charges and continue to do so until they no longer work effectively.

2: Fire TV Remote Not Working with Your TV or Firestick

Remotes that are unpaired from the firestick won’t operate your TV when using CEC-enabled settings and CEC-enabled TVs. However, remotes with Infrared (IR) functionality (2nd Gen, 3rd Gen Alexa Voice Remotes) can work with your TV when within line-of-sight, as long as you are not using the CEC settings to control your TV.

Re-pairing (not repairing) often solves the problem for CEC functionality. However, you must also have a CEC-enabled TV and a Wi-Fi network to make it work. Wi-Fi is required for the remote (2nd Gen. or newer) because the Fire TV Stick or Cube uses Wi-Fi Direct to communicate with the remote.

In other words, you have the IR option to control your TV or the CEC-enabled option over a Wi-Fi network. Controlling the Firestick or Cube uses either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct. CEC can control the TV from great distances as long as it can connect to the Wi-Fi. IR requires line-of-sight to function.

When using CEC, you’re not actually sending the remote’s signal to your TV; you are sending it to the firestick which then sends the command signal to the TV via its CEC-enabled HDMI plug. 1st Gen. remotes used Bluetooth while 2nd Gen. and newer use Wi-Fi Direct. There are NO programming steps used to make the remote work on TVs like there is with universal/multi-device remotes. Here’s how to do it.

Turn the TV on and ensure the Firestick is connected with power.

Access the TV’s settings (varies by make and model), then look for CEC options and enable CEC functionality. This allows the firestick to turn the TV on and off.

Press the “Power button” on the firestick remote to see if it now turns your TV on/off. If it works, you’re done. If the remote doesn’t turn the TV on/off, continue to Step 4.

Turn your TV on manually or with its remote, then verify if the firestick remote is working for the firestick. If it fails, continue to Step 5.

When the remote doesn’t work for the firestick either, press and hold the “Back” and “Home” buttons for “10 seconds.” You have now cleared/unpaired the Firestick.

To re-pair the remote, press the “Home” button for “10 seconds,” then test it on the TV. Repeat the process a few times if neccessary.

If pairing didn’t work, maybe your remote needs reset. There are different resetting commands for each model. Check out how to reset your Firestick remote on Amazon.

Firestick Not Responding to the Remote

Check Your Remote’s Distance from the Fire TV Stick

Firestick remotes run on Bluetooth. The theoretical range is about 30 feet, but the actual range is generally much lower. If you have a large living room or are trying to use your remote from another room, it may not work.

To check whether the distance is the problem, move the remote closer to the Firestick and ensure there are no obstructions between them. If the remote only works when you’re very close to the TV, consider using the Firestick extension dongle to reposition the device, or replace the batteries.

Re-pair the remote to the Firestick

Just like when your Fire TV Stick remote doesn’t work for your TV, re-pairing it often makes it work for the firestick again.

• On the remote, press and hold the “Back” and “Home” buttons for “10 seconds” to unpair and clear it.
• Now, re-pair the remote by pressing and holding the “Home” button for 10-12 seconds.
• Now, the remote should work on your Fire TV Stick or Fire Cube.

If it fails, try checking the CEC Settings. Confirm that CEC is enabled on the Firestick by navigating to the “Equipment Control” settings.

Incompatibility

If you realize your remote isn’t compatible with your device, you can use your smartphone as a remote until you replace it. You can get the Android Fire TV App or the iPhone Fire TV App. Just follow the steps below to use your smartphone as a remote.

• Download the Fire TV app on your smartphone.
• Turn the TV on by pressing the “Power” button on it or using its remote, then log into your Amazon Fire TV account on your smartphone app.
• Select your Fire TV device from the app.
• Copy the code that shows on the TV into the app.

5. Check Your Fire TV Remote for Damage

External damage and internal faults can cause your remote to stop working. Whether there was some water damage or failed components, the remote can sometimes become useless.

Firestick Remote Not Working—No Light

If your Firestick remote shows no light, try unplugging the Fire TV stick from the back of your device and wait 20 seconds. Plug it back in to see if the issue is resolved. Usually, the lack of communication to the firestick often causes the remote to not light up, assuming the batteries are working correctly.

How to Pair Fire TV Stick Remote to the TV

If the above process didn’t help, maybe your Firestick remote isn’t paired to the TV. You can do so by following the steps below.

• Power up your Fire TV Stick using the remote.
• Get the remote close to the TV and press the “Back” and “Home” buttons for “10 seconds.” You have now unpaired the Firestick.
• Press the “Home” button for “10 seconds” to re-pair it. Repeat the process a few times if neccessary.

If the above steps don’t fix the remote light/LED issue, ensure you’re close enough to the TV. As previously mentioned, the Firestick remote is a Bluetooth device, meaning it can only work at a certain distance from the device.

Also, don’t forget to check if the batteries were installed correctly. Maybe they’re running low on charge or need to be replaced.

Firestick Remote Not Working With Volume

Many Fire TV Stick users experience volume problems with their remotes. The issue occurs for several reasons. The most common way to fix the problem is to pair your Firestick remote through the Equipment Control setting by using your smartphone instead.

1. Manage the Equipment Control Options

In the “Equipment Control” settings on your Firestick, you can use the “Change TV” option to reconnect the remote to your particular TV, which may solve your volume control issue.

• Install the Amazon Fire Tv app on your smartphone
• Turn on your TV via its remote or use the power button on it. Ensure you have the right input set to display the Firestick, then navigate to “Settings -> Equipment Control.”
• Go to “Manage equipment,” then choose “TV.”
• Navigate to “Change TV” and click on “Change TV” again.
• Press “Continue.”
• Select the type of TV you have from the list.
• Press the power button on your Fire TV remote to turn the TV off.
• Wait for 10 seconds and press the power button again to turn it back on.

Firestick Remote Not Working After Update

If your Firestick remote stopped working after an update, try the following five methods. If the first one doesn’t work, go through the steps until the issue gets resolved.

Hold the “Home” button on the remote for “10 seconds.” This should pair the remote to the TV in case it got unpaired.

• Unplug your device from the outlet and try the remote again.
• Turn the TV off and reset the remote.
• Make sure there are no obstructions between the remote and the TV.
• Replace your batteries and ensure they’re installed correctly (positive side up).
• If someone or something damaged your remote, the new update might not support working with it anymore. If none of the above steps help, consider replacing the remote.

Firestick Remote Not Working After Reset

If your Firestick remote stops working after resetting your Forestick, you can try the following methods.

Restart the Firestick TV. When you get redirected to the remote pairing screen, unplug the TV from the outlet. Re-plug and pair the remote by pressing the Home button for 10 seconds.

Change your batteries. Maybe the batteries are running low and changing them could solve the problem. Just make sure to install them properly. Also, it’s best to get a brand-new set of batteries if you think the old ones may be damaged. As you change the batteries, make sure to clean the battery compartment of dirt.

Try another remote. If resetting and removing the batteries didn’t help, try connecting another remote to your Firestick TV. You can borrow one from a friend or purchase it online. Alternatively, you can use the Fire TV app for iPhone or Android and use it as a remote.

Fixing Your Firestick Remote

Not being able to use your Firestick remote is never a pleasant experience. However, there are solutions to everything, and the remote is no exception. The most common solutions include resetting and re-pairing the remote or inserting new batteries. However, if none of the suggestions from this article work, you may want to contact Amazon’s customer service or replace your remote.

Why does Amazon Fire Stick keep telling me to register every time?

Before you attempt to register your device or application, make sure:

• Your device or application is running the latest available software version.
• You’re entering the login information (email address or mobile number) you use to sign into your Amazon account.
• Your email client isn’t filtering incoming mail from Amazon to a junk or spam folder when you log in with your email.

• At the time of registration, some devices or applications require additional authentication.

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To complete registration, follow these steps:

• Choose to register your device or software application.
• Enter your login information to sign into your Amazon account (email address or mobile number). An email or text will be sent using the same method you choose.
• You’ll receive an email or text notification from Amazon containing a temporary one-time password. It’s time sensitive and must be used within 10 minutes of receiving.
• Register your device or application using the same email address or mobile number with the one-time password.
• Your device or software application should be successfully registered to your Amazon account.
• If Two-Step Verification is enabled on your account and you have trouble registering your device or application, visit Resolve Common Two-Step Verification Issues.

Amazon Fire Stick having trouble streaming media

Streaming media on Fire TV works well most of the time, but problems can arise, particularly the following:

• The media never starts.
• The media takes a long time to start.
• The media plays intermittently.
• The media stops playing and never resumes.

It’s maddening, for sure, but most of the time you can fix the problem. I say “most of the time” because there are a couple of situations where media streaming just doesn’t work well:

• When you have a slow internet connection speed: Media files are usually quite large, so for these files to play properly you need a reasonably fast Internet connection. Amazon recommends at least a half a megabit per second (0.5 Mbps), but realistically you should probably have a connection that offers at least 8 Mbps downlospeeds for HD content.
• When you have an intermittent internet connection: If you live in an area with spotty internet service, that now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t Internet connection makes streaming media impossible.
• What if you have a zippy internet connection and strong service all the time? First, congratulations! Second, there are a few things you can try to get media streaming to work better (or at all). Try these troubleshooting ideas in the following order:
• Restart your Wi-Fi router and Fire TV device using the steps I outline in the preceding section.
• If you have other devices accessing your Wi-Fi network, shut down any devices you’re not using.
• Move your Fire TV device closer to your Wi-Fi router. Your Fire TV device must be within 230 feet of the router (115 feet for older routers), but the closer the two devices, the stronger the Wi-Fi signal.
• Make sure your Wi-Fi router isn’t situated near devices that can cause interference, such as microwave ovens and baby monitors.
• Make sure your Fire TV device isn’t close to a wall or a metal object.
• If your Fire TV device is sitting on a low shelf or even on the floor, move it to a higher location.
• If your Fire TV device is inside a cabinet or similar enclosure, take it out.
• If you’re having streaming problems with a particular app, run through the following steps to clear the app’s application data:
• An app’s data includes your app account info and any settings you’ve configured for the app. If you clear the app’s data, it means you have to enter your login info all over again and reconfigure your settings, so be sure you want to perform this operation before proceeding.
• On your Fire TV device, choose Settings→Applications→Manage Installed Applications.
• Choose the app you’re having trouble with.
• Shut down the app by choosing the Force Stop command.
• Clear the app’s data by choosing Clear Data→Clear Data command.