Sideloading a Fire TV device is not very difficult, but it is significantly more complicated than downloading and installing official apps.
Why Should You Sideload Fire TV Apps?
Before You Begin: Prepare Your Fire TV Device for Sideloading
Regardless of which method you use to sideload your Fire TV device, the first thing you need to do is prepare your device for sideloading. For security reasons, Fire TV devices are not able to sideload apps unless you change two settings. This is an easy process, and you only need to do it once.
Open the Settings menu on your Fire TV device. Select My Fire TV. Depending on the type of Fire TV device you have, you may need to select Device instead of My Fire TV. Select Developer options. Turn on both ADB debugging and Apps from Unknown Sources. To confirm that you want to run apps from unknown sources, select Turn On when prompted.
Your Fire TV device is now ready to sideload using either of the following methods.
How to Sideload a Fire TV Device Using a Downloader App
You can sideload apps to any Fire TV device, including the Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube, using a downloader app. This method doesn’t require any additional equipment, because it uses a downloader app that is freely available from the official Fire TV app store.
Here’s how to sideload your Fire TV using a downloader app:
How to Sideload a Fire TV Device With an Android Phone
If you have an app installed on your Android phone and would like to have the same app installed on your Fire TV device, there’s a way to sideload directly from your phone to your Fire TV. This method requires an Android phone, so it is not helpful if you are an iPhone user.
Your sideloaded app is now ready to use.
Here’s how to sideload apps from your Android phone to your Fire TV device:
Download and install Apps2Fire on your Android phone. Open the Apps2Fire app, and select the menu icon indicated by three vertical dots (⋮). Select Setup. Select Network. On your Fire TV, navigate to Settings > My Fire TV > Network, and write down the listed IP address. Locate your Fire TV device in the list and select it. Depending on your network, the devices in your list may or may not have names. If the list consists entirely of IP addresses, you will need to refer back to the IP address that you wrote down in the previous step. If you don’t see your Fire TV in the list, make sure your Fire TV and your phone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Select Save. Select Local Apps. Locate an app you want to sideload to your Fire TV device and select it. Select Install. Check your Fire TV. When prompted, select OK. Go back to your phone and select OK. The sideloaded app is now ready to use on your Fire TV.
The sideloaded app is now ready to use on your Fire TV.
