How to enable Apps from Unknown Sources on an Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick


Turning on Apps from Unknown Sources on an Amazon Fire TV, Firestick, Fire TV Cube, or Fire TV Smart TV allows you to sideload app APKs onto the device from within another app, like Downloader. These instructions show you how to find Developer Options and allow the installation via side loading.

This guide was originally published in 2015 but has been updated in 2022 to include instructions for new Fire TV models, the new interface, and for devices with Developer options hidden.

2020 Interface (Latest)

If the main navigation menu on your Fire TV home screen is in the center of the screen, then your device has the 2020 interface and you may continue to the first step. Otherwise, if the main navigation menu on your Fire TV home screen is at the very top of the screen, scroll down to the 2015 interface section below.

  1. From the Fire TV home screen, scroll to Settings, which is the gear icon on the far right of the main navigation menu.
  2. Scroll down and select the “My Fire TV” menu if you are using a Fire TV Stick or Fire TV Cube, or the “Device & Software” menu if you are using a Fire TV Smart TV.
  3. Select the “Developer options” menu. If “Developer options” is missing, then see this guide to reveal the menu before continuing with this guide.
  4. If the bottom option is labeled “Apps from Unknown Sources” then select it to turn it ON and you’re done. Otherwise, if the bottom option is labeled “Install unknown apps” then continue to the next step.
  5. Select the “Install unknown apps” menu option.
  6. Select the app name, such as Downloader, to allow that app to install app APK files.

2015 Interface

  1. From the Fire TV or Fire TV Stick’s home screen, scroll to “Settings”.
  2. Next, scroll to the right and select “My Fire TV”. (It may be listed as “Device” on older models)
  3. Next, scroll down and select “Developer options”. If “Developer options” is missing, then see this guide to reveal the menu before continuing with this guide.
  4. Then select “Apps from Unknown Sources” to turn the option to “ON”.
  5. Lastly, select “Turn On” from the popup message that appears.

2014 Interface

  1. From the Fire TV or Fire TV Stick’s home screen, scroll down to “Settings”.
    screenshot-settings
  2. Next, scroll to the right and select “System”.
    screenshot-system
  3. Next, scroll down and select “Developer Options”.
    screenshot-developer-options-developeroptions
  4. Then select “Apps from Unknown Sources” to turn the option to “ON”.
    apps-from-unknown-sources
  5. Lastly, select “OK” on the popup message which appears.
    apps-from-unknown-sources-warning

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99 comments
  1. Wadi says:

    Not available on older firmwares? Or maybe all apps are allowed ?

    Thanks

  2. wmcdaniel says:

    install kodi on fire stick

  3. William R Evans says:

    Thank you. Merry Christmas.

    William Evans

  4. William R Evans says:

    Can’t wait to install Kodi

  5. chanel says:

    i dont see apps from unknown on my fire stick

  6. Testshoot says:

    Nor is it on my Fire TV Rev. 1. I can’t even get Total Commander to see the USB drive.

  7. ROSE M CUPELLI says:

    I dont know how to get the apps onto the amazon fire tv….my daughter has no trouble getting apps to her roku

  8. Daz says:

    I was having problems with Kodi not playing movies or anything for that matter. I thought it had become corrupted somehow so decided to uninstall and then reinstall it. Did so but all addons vanished and now it’s saying need vpn to play movies. Haven’t got a clue wot to do. Anyone please help. Just got my firestick plugged into tv, only way I can do it.

  9. lisa jones says:

    thank you so much I couldnt get to unknow sources without your help.Every other video i tried to watch had me so confused

  10. jb spurlock says:

    I am blocked on this firestick..will not allow me to move on after i enabled apps from unknown sources. How do I preceed

  11. G says:

    You guys should use android tv boxes. They are
    Twice as fast
    And hold the doubt or triple the ram. There’s a
    Keyboard I get that’s amazing. Holds bigger builds and can lan In with Ethernet cable
    I’d suggest. The km8p 16/2. I have some
    And and I support not only kodi but help people with et support.

  12. Hector says:

    Im having problems everytime i watch a movie tge screen turns white a green robot pops up saying test and i have to start my movie all over if anyone can help me remove this its also not installed in the apps so idk what to do its gets annoying

  13. Annoth says:

    I have downloaded a bunch of different techniques and programs and I still can not install programs and I STILL get “no streaming available ” have apps unknown sources on. I go to install ft ok m zip file and I can not install anything.

  14. Carol says:

    I have followed every instruction on associating my google account with fire stick. Still no joy. Can’t download anything as function not available at this tim. All my setting etc are as they should be. For the second time today I am re settin fire stick to factory setting. Been at it for six hours

  15. Diamond Dave says:

    Thanks! Saved me!

  16. Angela Workman says:

    I cant get to my homescreen ,firestick,have no internet at home eithr n thought this was gonna work I checked all ways I could thing to ask..how 2..how2 f ya dont got internet how 2s f ya dont got an ethernetcord..I mean geesh what else can I do guys ..plz help n asap..

  17. cpsmartin@hotmail.com says:

    I have a gen 4 fire stick. Whenever I scroll to settings then to developers options and click on Apps from unknown sources it doesn’t show the pop up message for me to turn it on.
    What seems to be the problem?

  18. Terry says:

    Bro,

    I have purchased Amazon cube 2nd generation. In Devloper options I have only 2 options 1) ADB Debugging 2) install Unknow apps. I don’t have options call apps from Unknow sources. Please help

  19. Leona says:

    In my settings on my Firestick it doesn’t have the option apps from unknown saucers so I carnt turn it on?

  20. Cynthia says:

    It really helped me! Thank you so much!

  21. Brad says:

    When I download a file off of Downloader it says “for your security, your tv is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source”. I have a brand new fire tv cube

  22. beardown says:

    Same issue with cube. anyone know the fix ?

  23. Aaron Medina says:

    Having the same issues with the cube anyone able to find a loophole or anything like that?

  24. Louis D says:

    Don’t open the downloader app until you have enabled download unknown sources to ON. Then make sure debugging is not enabled.

  25. Peter says:

    If you are missing Developer Options in your “My Fire TV” or “Device and Software”, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUIL7Y-bxoM

    You can force Developer Options to appear by going to “About” within the above menus, whichever you have (my 32″ Insginia FireTV has the 2nd one) and selecting your device 7 times, but watch the video to see the exact method.

    • Brwa says:

      Thanks a lot for your advice, but unfortunately there is no my fire icon on menu settings, and I can’t find it any where…

  26. Heidi says:

    I am trying to download http://bit.ly/gstvapp.

    I get a message saying “storage permission required to store a file”. How do I do this?

  27. Heidi says:

    I get a message saying “storage permission required to store a file”. How do I do this?

  28. Cheryl says:

    Hit firetv 5 times and developer options and the unknown sources

  29. Sab says:

    Okay people, i finally found out how to turn on developer mode. If you have a Fire OS 7.2.9.2 you have to go to:

    Settings –> My Fire TV –> About –> Click Fire TV Stick 5 times –> Click back on remote –> Click developer mode under “About”

    A message will pop up each time u click “My Fire Stick” in About tab. It’ll saying u are one-two-three-four steps closer to developer mode. I dont know why they made it so secretive but it worked for me finally. Hope it works for u guys too.

  30. julie221271@gmail.com says:

    I don’t have the option box of ‘my fire tv’… on my fire tv so I can’t install unknown apps. Anyone know how I get the option back as it was on but disappeared.

  31. Julie says:

    I don’t have my fire tv option. I did have but everything like devise and my fire tv isn’t available on my jvc fire tv

  32. Heidi says:

    Trying to do a download but keep getting “Storage permission required to store files”. How to I get past this?

  33. Felicia says:

    hi i dont have developer options in my settings so what do i do?

  34. Felicia Wilson says:

    hi i dont have developer options in my settings so what do i do?

  35. Emilio says:

    2022 It doesn’t work with this model AMZ_K24NE5_4K55N400A
    Fire OS 7.2.9.2.(PS7292/2984)

  36. Lurenzo says:

    Hey I’m having trouble loading an app. I turned on my ADB debugging as well as install apps from unknown sources but I still get error message on downloader. Do anyone have any suggestions?

  37. Jamie says:

    What if I don’t have developer options come up on the fire stick option?

  38. Wayne holmes says:

    Thanks for the info it worked a treat

  39. johnnie goodman says:

    do not show show “Developer options” in ‘My TV” button. i have firestick 4K MAX

  40. Phil says:

    Pressed about 6 times,came up with you are already a developer

  41. Delois Lee says:

    One don’t have either option

  42. louw says:

    Mine doesnt have developer options

  43. Yasmeen Jivani says:

    there is NO DEVELOPERS OPTIONS MENU available on my device which I just bought.

  44. Bradly says:

    i dont have a system tab in settings

  45. Bradly says:

    I don’t have a system tab in settings and I don’t have the fire tv tab. I also cant hit ok because my remote does not have that either

  46. Omar says:

    Halo
    I have a fire tv stick with version Fire OS 7.6.0.8(PS7608/3615)
    And it has not “Developer Options”.
    Could you please help me to find how to install unknown apps.
    With my best wishes.

  47. Daryl says:

    Mom’s Fire TV looks like the 2020 version,but it does not have “My Fire TV” in it’s settings. How then do I allow unknown sources?

  48. Amir says:

    To enable developer options on your Amazon Fire TV, open the Settings Menu, and navigate to My Fire TV > About. Select your device’s name 7 times, until you see “No Need, You Are Already a Developer.” The Developer Options menu will then be accessible in your Settings.

  49. Moffie says:

    Hi, I am using Firestick 4K and no Developer Options on My FireTV. Desperate to download a file from Downloader but cannot install. Hope you can give advice how to manage. Injave just updated the Firestick software to latest version. Thanks.

  50. Yvonne Mills says:

    That is not an unknown source or developing option on this fire stick

  51. Dawn says:

    There is no setting option on my firestick

  52. MAX says:

    Hello, I go on settings on my Insignia Fire TV and dont see the MY FIRE TV option, need help???

  53. Daniel says:

    I don’t have the option of developer option on my stick

  54. Dave says:

    I’ve just bought my alexa fire stick latest model 2023. And settings does not have a setting to allow me to download your app ? Please advise

  55. Walter Mcguigan says:

    my fire tv does not have the my fire tv option on it it is Toshiba can i do anything to allow side loading

  56. MARLOS VILELA says:

    Hi!!
    After downloaded, file doesn’t install. I can’t select CANCEL or INSTALL in the app.
    Any help?
    Thank you!
    M.

  57. Amvp says:

    On the 2020 interface you have above I am missing one of the options in Step # 5.

    I don’t have install unknown apps. I hav updated my firestick to see if that would help but it didn’t. Any suggestions how to make that option appear.

    As a side note, I have installed Downloader as well

  58. David Gutierrez says:

    I left it on for “Apps from Unknown Sources” but i downloade the downloader but it’s no showing up.

  59. Sandra O'Neill says:

    I’ve done this and downloaded the app file successfully, but the app just won’t download “App not downloaded” just keeps appearing

  60. Lorraine Lovelock says:

    Can’t get any further than downloading Developer app, I’ve put in the URL trying to press go & can’t get any further, HELP!!!!!!

  61. Justin mandel says:

    I have Toshiba c350 2023 fire tv how do I do this with out a fire stick I want to do that so I can install optimum tv

  62. kevin kerker says:

    there is no install unknown apps under developer options. don,t know what to do next. Trying to add kodi to firestick. Can someone please help me. Firestick is only 6 months old. Had to go back to factory settings.

  63. Carole says:

    So helpful. Many thanks

  64. 1 says:

    I am as far as unknown apps & have all the apps up & clicked on but don’t know where to go from there , I’m not much good at this kind of thing

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