Trying to update your Fire TV Stick, but unsure which menu you need? System software, apps, and the remote have separate update controls. Start with the system update below, then tackle failed downloads or update your apps and remote.
Update your Fire TV Stick from Settings
Open Settings on your Fire TV. Select My Fire TV, or Device & Software if that is the menu name on your device. Then choose About and select Check for System Update.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install any available update. Keep your Stick connected to power and the internet so it also receives automatic software downloads.
Get a failed system update moving again
Connection problems prevent your Fire TV Stick from downloading updates. Open Settings > Network. Press the remote’s Play/Pause button to test connectivity. Resolve any connection problem identified by the test before retrying the update.
Check available space under Settings > My Fire TV > About > Storage. Use Device & Software instead of My Fire TV when that is your menu name. Amazon requires at least 500 MB of available storage.
If you need more space, select an unused, removable app under Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications. Choose Uninstall to remove it.
For a failed update, unplug the Stick from power for one minute. Reconnect it to power. After that, retry the update through Settings > My Fire TV or Device & Software > About > Check for System Update.
Let system updates download automatically
You don’t have to check manually every time. Fire TV receives automatic software downloads while connected to power and the internet.
Leave your Stick connected to power. Keep it connected to the internet so it receives those downloads. Paired accessories also receive updates automatically.
There’s no Appstore switch to turn on for system downloads: the Appstore’s Automatic Updates setting controls apps.
Use your phone when the remote isn’t handy
Install Amazon’s Fire TV mobile app on your Android phone or iPhone. Connect your phone to the same Wi-Fi network as your Fire TV. Then open the mobile app.
Sign in. Select the remote icon. Choose Set Up New Fire TV. Complete the setup prompts.
Use the app’s navigation controls to open Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for System Update on your television. The alternative device menu is Device & Software. Follow the on-screen instructions to install any available update. Your phone works as a replacement remote here; the Stick still performs the update through its television menus.
Find app updates in the Appstore
Use the matching route for Fire OS 7 or 8; these app-menu instructions do not cover the Vega OS-based Fire TV Stick 4K Select or Fire TV Stick HD second generation.
- 1.On the newer Fire OS 8 interface, open the Fire TV menu and select Appstore.
- 2.Open Your apps and channels and select the app you want to update.
- 3.Choose More Info.
- 4.Select Update. If the page only offers Open, no newer version is offered through that store page.
- 5.For Fire OS 7 and 8 interfaces with the apps-list menu, use this alternative route: open Apps from Home, highlight the app without launching it, and press Menu, the button with three horizontal lines. Select More Info > Update.
- 6.If an app displays its own update prompt, follow it to the Appstore details page and install the offered update. The initial button label depends on the app; this updates the app, not the Stick’s operating system.
Keep Appstore apps updated automatically
On the newer Fire OS 8 interface, open the Fire TV menu > Appstore > Your apps and channels. Set Automatic Updates to ON to enable automatic updates for supported Appstore apps.
On Fire OS 7 and 8 interfaces that retain the settings route, open Settings > Applications > Appstore > Automatic Updates. Set it to ON.
Check your paired remote for an update
For a compatible paired remote, open Settings > Controllers & Bluetooth Devices > Amazon Fire TV Remotes. Amazon also labels the category Controllers and Bluetooth Devices. You can navigate these menus with the Fire TV mobile app.
Select your remote. Install an update if one is offered. If the manual check doesn’t offer an update, leave your Fire TV connected to power and the internet so its paired accessories receive automatic updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the latest software version for my Fire TV Stick?
The version depends on your exact model. Compare the installed version under Settings > My Fire TV > About, using Device & Software as the alternative device menu, with your model’s entry in Amazon’s Fire TV Device and Accessory Software Updates list. A listed version does not guarantee future updates.
Can I download a Firestick system update through a browser?
Amazon’s consumer update method runs through the Fire TV’s Settings menu. Its software-version page is a reference, and the Source Code Notice link is not a firmware installer.
What should I do if an app still won’t update?
For a removable Appstore app, open Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications. Select the app, then choose Uninstall. Search for it in Appstore and reinstall it. Expect to sign in again. This is an app-repair fallback, not a system update.
Can I ask Alexa to update my Fire TV Stick?
Amazon directs Fire TV owners to Settings for system updates. Its spoken software-update command applies to Echo devices.