This article shows you how to enable developer options on Firestick, a key step to allow the installation of apps from ‘unknown sources’ or sideloading , just as it happens on Android terminals and devices.
One of the advantages of the Fire TV Stick is that it’s based on Android, so if the app you’re looking for isn’t in the Amazon Appstore, you can always sideload it to your device from external sources. To do this, the first step is always to enable developer options on Firestick.
How to enable Developer Options on Firestick
Installing apps from external sources is the only solution available if the app is not available in the App store of your Firestick. This is the case of Cinema HD and CyberFlix TV, among others.
That is why resorting to sideloading is always an option that should be considered.
Originally, the developer menu was enabled by default in Fire OS for Fire TV devices. However, since a June 2022 update, this feature has gone dark (they hid it). This is probably a decision made for security, knowing the things that enabling this menu allows.
However, it’s still very easy to access, just follow these steps to reveal your Fire TV’s developer options:
- Open the Settings menu of your Fire TV, and o to “My Fire TV“
- Go to “About”.
- Tap 7 times on your device name.
- When you reach the last key, the developer mode will be activated (Fire OS will notify you).
- Go back to the “My Fire TV” menu and you will see that the developer options have been enabled.
If you recently updated your Fire TV Stick to Fire OS version 7, your developer options may be gone again. If this is the case, you will only have to do the above again to have the options active again.
When you enable this hidden menu, you will see that we have three options. One of them is ADB debugging to modify parameters through the command line tool, another one that refers to the installation of unknown apps , and the last one is ‘Deep sleep‘, a power saving mode for the Fire TV.