Amazon Fire TV Stick is a popular and low-cost device that gives you access to a massive content library. It helps to convert a normal TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV. You can, however, access much more content and without spending too much money from your pocketbook, if you jailbreak the Amazon Fire Stick.
Why you need to jailbreak Amazon Fire Stick?
Amazon Fire TV Stick allows you to stream videos, shows and music from several streaming services, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, TV Networks and more. Along with these, you get regional TV apps as well, such as CNN Go, CBS All Action and more depending upon where you live. Also, it comes with quite a lot of content preinstalled and you can install more content later as well.
Though it gives you access to these services and content, you still have to pay to subscribe to these services to watch their content. And, subscription fees for these services are in no way cheap. Also, the default apps on the Fire TV are limited to those available in the Amazon App Store.
This is why you may need to jailbreak Amazon Fire Stick. Jailbreaking the device means breaking it free from Amazon’s ecosystem. If you have an unlocked Fire Stick, you can install the apps outside the Amazon app store as well. Moreover, you get free access to third-party streaming apps, meaning, watching your favorite shows, movies, and more without paying anything.
Now that you have a reason to jailbreak your Amazon Fire TV Stick, you might be concerned if it is legal to do so. How you use your Fire Stick is totally up to you, meaning, jailbreaking the device is not illegal at all. What could be illegal however, is how you use the device after it is unlocked, such as streaming pirated content would be illegal. For example, using Kodi is not illegal, but some third-party add-ons for Kodi allow you to stream copyrighted video. Thus, using such add-ons could be illegal.
How to jailbreak Amazon Fire TV Stick
Before we detail the process to jailbreak Amazon Fire Stick, let’s see the prerequisites:
Amazon account – you will already have an Amazon account which you used initially to set up the Fire TV Stick. If you don’t have one, you can create it by going to the Amazon home page.
Wi-Fi connection – you need a stable and reliable Wi-Fi connection. Also, your Fire TV Stick should be connected to Wi-Fi.
VPN software – this is optional. You may use VPN software for privacy and security purposes.
Now let’s see the steps to jailbreak Amazon Fire TV Stick:
Step 1: Go to the home screen of your Fire TV Stick by pressing the home button on the remote.
Step 2: Click on the Settings menu item.
Step 3: Click on Preferences.
Step 4: Click Privacy Settings.
Step 5: From the options under Privacy Settings, turn off “Collect App Usage Data” and “Device Usage Data.”
Step 6: Go back and click on Data Monitoring.
Step 7: Turn Data Monitoring off and return to the previous screen.
Step 8: Click the My Fire TV and then the Developer Options.
Step 9: Click on Apps from Unknown Sources and turn it on.
That’s it! You have now jailbroken your Amazon Fire TV Stick. The first thing that you should do now is to install Downloader from the Amazon App Store.
How to install Downloader
Downloader is a must-have tool for a jailbroken device as it allows you to install the apps that are not available in the Amazon App Store. Follow the below steps to install Downloader:
Step 1: Go to the home screen of your Fire Stick.
Step 2: Go to the search icon and type “Downloader.”
Step 3: Once you get to Downloader, click on it and then download it.
Step 4: Next click on the Open button and then click Allow button (if asked).
Step 5: On the update notes, click on the OK button.
Step 6: From the left side of the screen, click on the Settings menu item.
Step 7: Enable JavaScript checkbox and click the Yes button on JavaScript Warning.
Step 8: Click the Home button to go to the home screen of Downloads.
Step 9: Open the keyboard by clicking on the OK button on the remote.
Step 10: Click the Clear button on the keyboard and type “troypoint.com/app.” Now click on the Go button.
Step 11: Aptoide TV will now download. Once the download is complete, click Install and then open the Aptoide TV.
That’s it! You can now head to the Top Apps section to get the best streaming apps.
It is recommended that after you jailbreak the Fire Stick and have installed the apps that you want, disable the option to install apps from Unknown Sources. Since your device is unlocked, any app could install, even without your knowledge. Thus, this option presents a potential security risk. So, once you are done with the apps, you should disable the option to install apps from Unknown Sources. To do so, go to Settings > My Fire TV > Developer Options and disable the option to install Apps from Unknown Sources.
