Amazon has added support for sideloaded apps in the Fire TV interface with the latest 5.0.4 software update. Apps you sideload, like Kodi, will now appear in the Fire TV’s “Apps” section along with apps downloaded from the Amazon Appstore. Sideloaded apps can even be favorited, just like official apps, so that they always appear on the front of your app list. Once older devices, like the 1st-gen Fire TV, are updated to Fire OS 5 next month, they too should gain this ability.
Sideloaded apps still do not appear on the Home screen’s “Recent” app list. Hopefully this is just a bug that will be addressed in the future. The “Apps” section and the “Home” of the Fire TV are completely separate parts of the Fire TV interface. It may appear like you’re in the same interface/app when navigating through the different Fire TV side menu items, but in reality, when you navigate to the Fire TV’s “Apps” section, you’re actually launching an entirely different interface/app that is run by the Amazon Appstore app on the Fire TV. While it’s not perfect, it’s great to see Amazon supporting sideloaded apps and acknowledging it’s what the Fire TV community wants.
Important note for Kodi users:
If you’re not seeing Kodi appear in the “Apps” section, it’s likely because you need to delete Kodi from your Amazon app purchases. If you “purchased” Kodi from the Amazon Appstore back when it was available, it is still associated with your account. You need to go to Amazon’s “Your Apps” page, find Kodi in the list of apps, and delete it. Then go to the “My Account” section of the Fire TV’s settings menu and select “Sync Amazon Content.” Kodi should then be available in the Fire TV’s “Apps” section.
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This is a nice addition/fix to see from Amazon. I just got my FTV2, and my usb a-a cable yesterday in hopes of rooting it (It’s on 5.0.3.1) It’s great to see the new updates being good updates, also I saw that zeroepoch states that 5.0.4 can still be rooted and has dumped original stock images. which is great news also.
…everything i was just thinking, you wrote already. Thanks!
I’m betting its because of their recent “Shopping” enhancements on the Home screen. I know that I was spending all my time using Firestarter as my “Home” screen, firing up the Amazon Home screen only when I wanted to specifically watch Prime.
I imagine Amazon wants people to spend as much time as they can in front of the Shopping banners, menu and such, even if it means allowing sideloaded apps onto the Home screen.
No grief from me, its a welcome change.
I initially claimed that 5.0.4 fixed the DD 5.1 issues but I was wrong – see my updates –
http://www.aftvnews.com/software-update-5-0-4-begins-rolling-out-with-new-dolby-digital-audio-option/
Great News!
A good start. If Kodi showed up in Recent also, I would consider using the amazon launcher rather than firestarter.
That’s really good news for those using Kodi with the Fire(s). I may come back to that combo someday, but for now I’m happier using Plex on my Roku 2. I finally got fed up with the dropped frames while watching Netflix on the Fire.
Does anyone know if this will work on a Stick?
It should work with the Fire stick with voice remote. That comes with version 5.
or a Stick that ran the Dev preview and has already received OS 5 live versions.
Bout freaking time!
my greatest wish is 24p support.
I’d rather use Firestarter, because I don’t have to scroll sideways through a ribbon and can reorder the apps.
Yeah, firestarter is still a better option. Kodi as default launcher is still king though :D
How do you make kodi the default launcher? I just installed the latest firmware and it has broken my firestarter.
Kodi now shows up in my apps and I have set it as a favourite but the icon looks dreadfull, I have spent forever and a day setting up my kodi (and I originally used a TVMC build instead of kodi and have been tweaking it for months) so Im scared to take the original apk that had lots of plugins that i dont want and repack with the decent looking icon for fear of screwing up my perfectly working build.
when is the kodi app going to be available in the amazon marketplace again ? its not there at the moment??
im using a firestick with software version 54.1.2.3 will it be possible for me to get this working
i think its still available on the amazon app store, just not thru the fire tv or fire tv stick. i just downloaded it on my fire tablet i got during black friday deal.
The kodi version may be old as I don’t believe the developers are submitting update to Amazon
Do I have to wait for the update? I did go on my Amazon fire TV box under systems and checked updates and still the old version. No new update
Thks for the article.
1st gen firetv not working
Looking forward to amazons update in january
I have fire TV 5.0.4 and kodi is not associated with my amazon account. Kodi does not show up in my apps page.
Same for me
Same!
5.0.5 and does not work for me either.
I had to de-register and re-register the amazon account on 2 boxes + 1 stick for Kodi to appear in the Apps menu.
Thumbs up! Thank you, This worked for me.
Worked for me too
My fire tv box got the update last week. I am trying to update my Kodi to the newest version using es file explorer. When getting to the kodi site, I get an orange box instead of the normal blue highlight to get to the android arm version and not able to download kodi 16. Is anyone else having this issue and know of a way to fix? Thanks
I have had the same issue, if you scroll further down the page and select Older releases, then select android, select arm, and highlight koi-16.0-Jarvis-armeabi-v7a.apk – press left and navigate to the More button bottom right off the screen and select “Open In Browser”, then select open file and Install when prompted.
Fire TV ver 5.05 will not allow apps icon to activate and show kodi and other side loaded apps
Jack A, I had the same thing happen on my first gen stick. I deregistered my Amazon account then registered it again and now all is well.
This is not working for me either. Even when after de-registering and re-registering.
When I ask alexa on my echo dot to play a video it comes back with I cannot do this.After looking it up on you tube someone says on the Alexa app scroll to Music.Video .Books. But when I do that it only shows music and books and no video..Help