The Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick have a hidden Developer Tools Menu (previously called the System Status Monitor menu) that contains diagnostic options, most notable of which is a System X-Ray bar which displays CPU, memory (RAM), and network usage. Here is how to access the secret menu and an explanation of each option.
Launching the Developer Tools Menu
RECOMMENDED METHOD
Using a shortcut app: Install the Developer Tools Menu Shortcut app for free. Launching it will instantly show the Developer Tools Menu without needing to do any complicated steps.
OTHER METHODS
Using a Remote Control: Press and hold the CENTER and DOWN buttons together for 5 seconds, then release those buttons and press the MENU button.
Using a Game Controller: Press and hold “A” and “Y” buttons together for 5 seconds, then release those buttons and press the MENU button.
Using an App Launcher: You can use an app, like ES File Explorer, that is capable of listing and opening system apps. Go to the app area, be sure system apps are visible, and select the “System Status Monitor” app to open the developer tools menu.
Using ADB: Connect to the device via ADB and run the command:
The hidden menu was added with Fire OS 5, so you won’t find it on devices running Fire OS 3. Depending on which version of Fire OS 5 your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick is running, the menu may have a different name and/or different options.
Menu Items
System X-Ray
The “System X-Ray” option is a bar that appears at the top of the screen and is displayed over everything, regardless of which app is being used. It contains display, CPU, memory, and network information. For a complete overview of the System X-Ray bar, see this post.
Developer Options
The “Developer Options” item was added with the 5.2.1.1 software update. Enabling the “Developer Options” item seems to just open a submenu with a single “Clear Recommendations” option. I wouldn’t be surprised if a future software update moves the “ADB Debugging” and “Apps from Unknown Sources” options, found currently in the Fire TV’s regular settings menu, into this developer tools menu. I can’t tell what the “Clear Recommendations” option does exactly. If you can tell, please comment below.
Launch Network Advisor
The “Launch Network Advisor” option simply opens the same network diagnostic tool found in the Fire TV’s network settings menu.
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On the Fire Stick remote which is the “Center” button? I have never seen or heard any Fire Stick button referred as such.
I got it. The “Center” button is the Select button. I ktpt pressing wrong button for Menu.
Thanks.Very helpful article.
Correct. The CENTER button is the one inside the circular UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT buttons. It is sometimes referred to as the SELECT or ENTER button.
I think the “Center” button is the one to the side.
I thought this was something Kodi or some other program was doing. Maybe that app does the command somehow.
is there any way to do this without a game controller
on a fire tv stick?
if not is there a way to pair a ps3 controller, like use sixaxis, i have kingoroot
and soes the menu persist att he top in apps too? or just on th ehoem screen, if i go to kodi it will not be there right? would there be a way to pull it up from within kodi?toggle it off and on from within an app?
I’ve added a fourth way to launch the developer tools menu using ES File Explorer. See above.
Yes, the menu and the System X-ray bar will be visible in any app, including Kodi. You don’t have to turn it on within Kodi. You can turn it on anywhere and it will stay on the screen all the time, no matter which app you start using, until you manually turn it off.
Thanks for the tip!
Averages through a 30Mb ISP …
Netflix 4K – 17Mbps
Smithsonian 4K – 9Mbps
Curiosity Stream 4K – 20Mbps
This is odd, I accidentally got into this screen yesterday by pressing the menu button only. When I turned it on, it got annoying since I didn’t know what it was and didn’t know how to turn it off. It wasn’t until I restarted the FireTV everything was back to normal. So then I looked up what mode I was in last night and found the center, down, menu directions from another website.
My only conclusion is that sometimes hitting the center or down may get stuck and that’s why when I hit the menu it prompted me to turn on X-Ray.
This is a easy way to access the Developer Tools Menu for Kodi users;
Kodi Home Screen > Programs > Andoid Apps > System Status Monitor.
How do i fond programs on the fore stick? Every video flr kodi shows people going to programs and i cant even find it. Please help? Just bought off a coworker and youtub everything for it. Thanks Kathie
I recently installed Kodi on my fire stick, amazon updated automatically updated homepage and I have lost the settings tab on the amazon home page. How does one get this back?
Ok. I turned on developer option successfully (thank you for your instructions.
How do I turn on option to allow installation from unknown sources?
My new Amazon box doesn’t have a “system” option under settings.
Thank you!
I’m having the same issue. We can enable developer options but it does nothing for adb that every YouTube video advises on. Annoying
I can’t find the system button under settings. Had to set my firestick back to default and this looks home screen looks completely different. I want to add Kodi back but need to access system setting.
Im trying to upgrade to Kodi 17.1 but all the videos tell me to
Go to settings then go to systems, but I don’t have a system on my firestick settings.
Same issue here. How do i get to the System option within tje Firestick?
Once you have turned on Developer options, go back to the setting screen and select Device. You will find the Apps from unknown sources option there.
anyone heard of the get more button on the firestick. I heard it was just under youtube in the video add-ons under kodi?
is it possible to make screen shots and save on external sdcard. thank you. FIBER0PTIC. I am
on firestick version 2
I can’t go to settings on my firestick because it’s not showing setting on the screen and it’s not showing home when it loads up trying to update what could be wrong
On my 2nd-gen Amazon Fire TV box, I had to disable ADB Debugging in order to access the Developer Tools menu on my remote. FYI.
When I hit OPEN in the System Status Monitor, Properties menu, I get a message that says “Sorry, cannot start this application”.
Any help would be appreciated.
Anyone else try to get system x-ray working lately?
I’ve used it in the past, but with the most recent system update to 3220, I can’t seem to get the overlay to pop up…
Tried with ADB debugging on, and ADB debugging off, and couldn’t get it to pop up with either setting???
Using the same command of holding down the center and down keys on the remote together for 5 seconds, then pressing the menu key.
Sorry, found my answer….
I was doing a slow 5 count, as in, one thousand one, one thousand two, etc etc… And apparently, that’s too slow.
So when I changed my count to just saying, one, two, three etc and then pressing the menu key, the diagnostic overlay came up fine.
And that was even with the ADB Debugging setting in the Device / Developer Options menu set to “ON”.
So yes, the diagnostic overlay is still there in the latest OS update for the Fire TVs. Just don’t count too slow.
Hello. I wonder if anyone can please share how to display the time with the Fire Stick? I searched Google and the developer apps to no avail. Thank you so much! Positive vibes!
This app gives you the option of showing the clock time and/or realtime download speed in relatively small size characters at the upper edges of your FTV screen. But it’s not like having a big clock screen saver….
https://www.amazon.com/Vishnu-N-K-Speed-Monitor/dp/B0786KC4C1/
Also, if you press and hold the Home button on your remote, it will bring up a menu screen with a BIG clock time display on it, along with menu buttons for apps, sleep, mirroring and settings. That will remain on the screen until you dismiss it.
What about proxying with https? Is there a way of storing a Charles root certificate on the device?
is there not yet a PHY emmc hack to load a better rom?
Ask Alexander for developer tools menu
Easiest