Amazon’s Firestick is a feature-rich and affordable device. However, most people are unaware of all of its capabilities. You can do so much in terms of streaming, gaming, and privacy if you understand it deeply. Many simple Firestick tips and tricks can help you get the maximum out of it. They help you easily enhance your overall experience.
If you want to upgrade the performance of this device, this article is here to help you. Scroll down and find the best ways to unleash the full potential of your Fire TV device.
- Gain Access to Endless Content
Undoubtedly, Firestick is packed with features and apps for a great user experience. But, users often worry about the subscription fees for major streaming apps. Well, you don’t need to dampen your experience because of it. Jailbreaking a Firestick is an easy way out of paying high monthly or annual subscription fees.
Now, the question what is a jailbroken Firestick will arise in your mind. It is just a regular Firestick. However, such a Firestick can sideload many third-party streaming apps. You wont find them on the official Amazon app store. A major benefit of jailbreaking a Firestick is that it gives you access to endless content. Upon installing third-party applications, you can stream diverse content. Another benefit is installing apps with less or no subscription fees.
To jailbreak your Firestick, enable ‘Apps from Unknown Sources.’ This option is available in the Developer option. Go to the Settings of the device to find it. The apps are installed as Android application package (APK) from the internet. You should install the APK through the Downloader app by entering the APK URL.
- Enjoy Retro Games on Your Firestick
This one is for gaming enthusiasts. Do you yearn to play the delightful retro games of your childhood? You can do so by installing RetroArch, an application that lets you play classic games you enjoyed on Atari, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy consoles.
The great thing is that RetroArch is easily available on the Amazon App Store. To begin retro gaming on your Firestick, just search for the app on the home screen of your Firestick and hit the ‘Download’ button. Click ‘Open’ to begin using the app. That’s it; now you can play the retro game of your choice!
- Access All Your Apps Effortlessly
Firestick is filled with many apps. Here’s a simple guide to help you set up and access them seamlessly.
- See the entire list of the installed apps by long-pressing the home button of the Firestick remote. Now, choose ‘Apps.’
- Modify the order of the apps on the Firestick’s home screen by choosing the app you wish to move. Now, on your remote, press the ‘Menu’ button and choose ‘Move.’
- To install apps remotely, go to the app store of Fire TV on a web browser. Here, you can search and download apps remotely.
POINT TO NOTE: Select the top six apps on your Firestick’s home screen wisely. Some will give you content suggestions when you hover your mouse over them. So, if you depend on video recommendations, choosing the top 6 apps correctly will help you get relevant recommendations.
- Use the Firestick Remote Efficiently
This is one of the lesser-known things about Firestick. Many people aren’t aware of the remote control shortcuts to navigate the device more quickly.
- Navigate to the top of the existing menu by pressing the ‘Back’ button.
- Go to the home screen’s top by pressing the ‘Home’ button.
- To jump backward or forward by a single day, hit the RW or FF button.
- To access playback options, hit the ‘Menu’ button on a home screen item.
- To visit your video library, the weather, or smart home controls, hit the ‘Alexa’ button.
- Use Alexa Without Hands
Do you own an Amazon Echo speaker? This is a great Firestick tip that will help you use Alexa in a better way. Did you know that you can control the Firestick with only your voice?
Follow these points to do that:
- Open the Alexa app and visit the ‘More’ section, followed by ‘Settings.’
- Now, choose ‘TV & Video.’
- Select ‘Fire TV’ and touch ‘Link Your Alexa Device’.
- From the list, choose your Fire TV and the Echo speaker to link with it.
Now, you can tell Alexa to play content on the Firestick. You can also command the voice assistant to fast forward, play, rewind, or pause the content.
- Easily Find Good, Free Content on Your Firestick
There are two ways to find free content on Firestick. The first is by going to the Firestick’s ‘Find’ tab. Here, find the section for ad-supported content. To find this section, navigate to the Find tab on the device and choose the ‘Free’ option.
The other way is to go to the Find tab and choose the ‘Movies or Find’ section. Now, select ‘TV Shows.’ After that, tap the ‘Free to Me’ option. You will now be able to access recommendations that are completely free. There will also be recommendations that come with your current subscriptions.
Use these two techniques to find new content without straining your wallet!
Wrapping up
The best features of Amazon Firestick aren’t fully apparent to the user. However, these simple Firestick tips and tricks will make your experience a lot smoother. Things like setting up your apps correctly, finding more content recommendations, and using Alexa more efficiently will help you get more out of this device. Use the tips above to improve your device’s performance and access content effectively.