An odd omission on Amazon Fire TV devices is an easy way to check for app updates for aps that you’ve installed from the Amazon Appstore. Fire TVs do a decent job of automatically updating apps on their own, if you have Automatic Updates enabled, but there is actually a slightly hidden way of checking for app updates yourself and manually forcing them to install. Here is how to check for and install app updates on Amazon Fire TVs, Firesticks, Fire TV Cubes, Fire TV Edition televisions, and soundbars.
This guide is for checking / installing updates to Amazon Appstore apps, like Netflix or Disney+. This is not for updating pre-installed apps, like Prime Video or IMDB TV, or for system apps (a.k.a system components), like the screensaver or Alexa. To manually check for and install updates to pre-installed / system apps, got to Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for updates.
Quick Guide
In short, you can check for app updates by highlighting the app icon anywhere, such as the Home screen’s Recent row, and then press the Menu button on your remote. A menu will appear in the lower right corner of the screen. Select the “More Info” option and the detail page for that app will appear. If the app has an update available, there will be an “Update” button instead of the usual “Open” button. Select the Update button to manually force the app to update. For instructions on updating sideloaded apps, see the bottom of this guide.
Detailed Guide
- Find and highlight the app that you want to update on the Fire TV’s Home screen. If you can’t find it in either the “Recent” row or the “Your Apps & Channels” row, you can surely find it by holding the Home button on the remote down for a few seconds and then selecting the “Apps” option.
- With the app that you want to update highlighted, press the Menu button on your remote and a menu will appear in the lower right corner of your screen. Select “More Info” from that menu.
- The app’s detail page will load. This screen normally has an “Open” button, but if there is an update available for the app, there will be an “Update” button instead. Select the “Update” button to manually force the app to update.
- If, for some reason, there is no option to update the app and you are certain that an update is available, your only option is to uninstall the app and then reinstall it. Installing an app from the Amazon Appstore will always get you the latest version, regardless of what version was previously installed on your device. Do note that uninstalling and then reinstalling will remove all of your settings/changes/logins for that app. For instructions on how to uninstall an app on a Fire TV, follow this guide.
How to Update Sideloaded Apps
If you are using Downloader, simply sideload the new version of the app the same way you would sideload any other app. The new version that you sideload will replace the existing sideloaded app on your Fire TV without losing any of your data/settings for that app. For details on how to sideload apps with Downloader, see this guide.
If you are sideloading an app update via ADB, simply use the command
@AFTVnews
AFTVnews
This guide was updated on July 22, 2020. Comments below from before that date are for the previous version of this guide and may not be relevant.
I just side loaded the pecocktv app on my fire tv. Installed fine restarted my tv, I when I try to open the peacock app I get a message that says I need to update the app. It says that I need to go to the devices App Store where can I find this?
If one is using the stick, or the box, for streaming from the internet only, is there any benefit of upgrading from 13.2 to 14.x?
Love the site. Keep it up.
No.
Yes there are benefits, such as improved hardware decoding support on android. Also, if you’re using it exclusively to stream from the internet that means you’re running old versions of plugins as well, which may have support dropped at some point, as well as meaning you don’t have the latest fixes for said plugins.
Thank you for the guides. For those of us who installed tvmc instead of xbmc, how would the upgrade to kodi be different?
thank you for the instructions. How do you rename? is it the basic dos command or a special adb command?
Either the “mv” command from shell, or just use an app like ES file manager from within android
Thanks once again awdahelwidit, One last question for you or any other knowledgeable people. I have two firetv and one firetv stick. I have kodi setup exactly how I like it on one machine, with the channels I like and the interface I enjoy. Is it possible to extract that info and dump it on the other firetv and to the stick with or without installing kodi on them first? Or do I have to set kodi up all over again and those new machines?
B4 upgrading to kids check if your favorite plug in supports the new kids version, you might want to wait till the add on developer makes the necessary adjustments if needed
B4 upgrading to kody check if your favorite plug in supports the new kody version, you might want to wait till the add on developer makes the necessary adjustments if needed
I have a stooopid problem. Got the Firestick…connected to network….lost the remote and no longer have access to that network. Losing the remote was no big deal when I had the network as i used my iPhone application. But now I can’t sync my iPhone remote app to stick because I can’t set the sticks network without remote.
Help?
Plug in a keyboard or mouse (wired or wireless) Make your adjustments with these input devices.
Buy a new remote.
use a blue tooth keybord and or mouse, then set a hot spot on your iPhone using the same wifi name and password. then you can get in to the stick and change it to your new wifi info.
Hi
Trying to install helix 14.0 kodi on my aftv box. Had a older kodi version on already so I know it will side load with adbfire 1.15 but the apk file for the stable kodi 14.0 won’t side load …… Just keeps uploading thru the network but never tells me that “install successful ” …..
Matt,
Same thing happened to me using adbfire 1.15. It seemed like it was stuck in an endless loop. (Not sure if it’s something with the new version of adbfire-1.15) I ended up using the command line…
Reset the aftv box (unplug power, plug it back in)
Restart the computer
Now go into the unzipped adfire 1.15 folder (where the adbfire.exe file is)
Shift-right click on an empty space and
Click “Open Command Window Here”
Type: adb connect XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX (your aftv ip address)
Type: adb install C:\kodi-14.0-Helix-armeabi-v7a (or whatever the path and file name is)
Hope this helps!
Anyone know the correct way to update Kodi 14 to 14.1 on the FTV?
I was wondering the same thing. I do not want to lose all the addons and settings.
It’s the same as updating any sideloaded app. Follow the instructions in the “How to update Sideloaded Apps” section above.
I found out if you are using adbfire in ubuntu that you need to install adb in the terminal, the command to do that is: apt-get install android-tools-adb
after that you can connect to the AFT without problem and do the update to 14.1 (or any apk for that matter)
Can anyone advise me please
I have just purchased a uk version AFTV and keeping reading that I can’t put Kodi on these new models is that correct?
You should be able to sideload the app.
Finally updated my AFTV to kodi 14.1. Thanks for the instructions.
On my FireTV, I’ve been trying to update from 14.1 to 14.2 but I keep getting:
Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_ALREADY_EXISTS]
I’ve even restarted the FireTV but no luck. Considering that this is the first time that I’ve tried to update to 14.2 I’m not sure why I’m getting an ‘already exists’ error message.
Does anyone have any tips that would allow me to install the update without losing my settings?
Thanks.
Canuck, same here. I found out that if you do adb install -r [file path of apk] that worked.
Hello,
I don’t get get the update button for Mincrafte V11.1. Also after reboot there is no update.
How do I force a appstore update on a app on the Fire TV?
Regard
As of now, is there no way to update via adbfire? It never completes.
What does the -r do?
i’m a bit confused. I want to update to from Kodi 14.2 to 15.0 and this guide says that I should run a command in ADB but HOW do I run a command there? please some help anybody…? thanks
How to update Sideloaded Apps
…
Run the command:
adb install -r C:\full\path\to\app.apk
(Note: The -r in the above command is important. Also, replace C:\full\path\to\app.apk with the full path to your apk file.)
You have to download the proper files to your computer. Search adb download to get the shell. It uses simple command line commands to connect your computer to your fire tv over the network. Note that the computer and fire tv have to be in the same network and you have to know your ip of your fire tv to command the adb shell to connect from your pc. Just download the latest kodi apk.
1. Download adb off internet to your computer
2. Download kodi 15.0 arm apk from official site
3. Open adb on windows by clicking start and type cmd enter
4. Type: adb connect to your amazon fire tv ip
5. Right click the kodi apk on your pc and note the path name under properties
6. Back to the adb shell type adb install -r The folder path name/kodifilename.apk
7. Wait a couple of minutes and you should see success that you updated kodi
worked like a charm :) thank you very much for the assistance.
Thanks for the guide
Hi. I originally got Kodi onto Fire Tv by downloading Kodi (14.2 at the time) and sideloading. Didn’t need to use computer/any commands.
Will I be able to use this simple method to update 15 without losing addons/favourites/Kodi short cut on windscreen?
Thank you for any help.
Matt.
*(Downloading Kodi 14.2 onto Android phone, that is.)
Haha *homescreen!
I give up I’m beyond help.
Hi
I have my uk amazon fire tv since one month now and I think there is some issue with the apo updates. I don’t see the Update option in any of the apps installed. My netflix app is 1.1.5 build 147, which seems pretty old.
So; do you think I have some problem with app update? Who can I be sure, is there some app that gets frequent updates so I can check it? The dates I ser in App Details are from 2014…
UK fire TV, american amazon account, using unblock-us dns.
Or simply fire tv apps don’t get updated too often?
A hint for people unfamiliar with typing a file path within CMD. I followed Nick’s advice above, but was getting a CANNOT FIND PATH error. I did not know this, but if the is a SPACE anywhere within the path name you must enclose the whole path in quotation marks.
EXAMPLE:
C:\Users\JohnSmith\Downloads\Kodi-x.x.x-v5a.apk is OK, but
C:\Users\John Smith\Downloads\Kodi-x.x.x-v5a.apk IS NOT OK.
Since there is a space between John & Smith, you have to enclose the whole path within “quotations” Like this.
“C:\Users\John Smith\Downloads\Kodi-x.x.x-v5a.apk”
Sorry, I did mean to dumb down forum, but I was unaware of this fact and thought it might be helpful to others.
After I realized my mistake, updating from Kodi to Isengard was smooth as silk.
I need instructions on updating Kodi on FireTV Stick by using a Nexus 7 tablet. Do not have computer.
I tried uploading Issengard to the Stick, which has Helix, but after upload notification from Apps2Fire app uploader, Kodi is still Helix.
How ugrade apps on Stick using Android device, not a computer?
I have a sling account but my amazon stick keeps telling me I need an updated version. There isn’t an update button under the sling app. How can I fix this?
I erased thumbnails on fire stick kodi 14.2 now I’m getting no dream how do I fix is there a reset?
I pushed kodi across via my Galaxy S6 with the AGK Fire app. Is is possible to update to a new version of Kodi using this method?
Thanks,
Stephen
I am not the saves tech person around. Can someone tell me where can I find a step by step on how to update my Kodi 14.2 installed on a amazon fire stick that I bought through ebay.
I am looking the new update path for kodi on amazon fire tv box plz anyone help I update my box manually
When I run the Hulu app thru fire stick it say that the Hulu app need a update to run but I don’t see where there is a option to get the update
Hey, I just did an update on my fire stick, but now the stick is not registering on tv. I had tried different sockets and different cables,nothing worked. I tried resetting the remote. Also tried a different tv! Nothing. Any advise?
Kodi on my fire stick has switched to Bollywood movies only. What is going on?
This guide was updated on July 22, 2020. Comments above from before that date are for the previous version of this guide and may not be relevant.
I imagine it’s a rare occurrence for an official app from the Amazon app store NOT to update on its own (assuming auto update is set to “on”)
Would this only be the case if new permissions are required? Also shouldn’t a new notification appear if an app can’t update because it requires the user to manually select update?
Yeah, given time, it’ll straighten itself out. This guide is mainly for those with auto-updates turned off or those who don’t want to wait for the auto-update process to kick in on its own.
I have a fire tv. It’s system is up to date and it has auto updates enabled yet netflix says it needs an update and i am unable to do so. I go thru the info menu for the app, select update, it says an update is available then I click update again and it goes right back to the first update page. Nothing happens.