Amazon blocks Downloader app on the Echo Show 15 in seemingly meaningless effort to thwart sideloading

Posted by Elias Saba on — 28 Comments

Amazon has blocked my Downloader app from being installed on the Fire TV experience of the Echo Show 15, despite it initially being available and marked as a compatible app. The app continues to appear in search results on the Echo Show 15 but is now listed as unavailable. Amazon made this change the day after a method for sideloading apps on the Echo Show 15 was discovered, where my Downloader app was used as the means for transferring an APK file to the device. Blocking Downloader does absolutely nothing to thwart sideloading on the device because it’s Amazon’s own pre-installed file manager on the Echo Show 15 that performs the sideload app installation and there are still many other apps available for the Echo Show 15 that can transfer APKs to the device. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: , ,

Workaround for Sideloading apps on the Echo Show 15 has been discovered

Posted by Elias Saba on — 23 Comments

When Amazon added Fire TV capabilities to the Echo Show 15, it went out of its way to block the ability to install apps from unknown sources, a.k.a. sideloading apps, through the traditional Fire TV methods. With the ability to make ADB connections to the Echo Show 15 and the ability to grant permission for apps from unknown sources both missing from the device, it seemed like there was no way to sideload apps. However, it appears as though Amazon left a loophole in place that can be used to sideload apps in a roundabout way. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: ,

How to Sideload APK Apps on the Amazon Echo Show 15

Posted by Elias Saba on — 50 Comments

The Echo Show 15 now has access to most of the Fire TV apps in the Amazon Appstore, but, unfortunately, Amazon has blocked the regular ways used to sideload apps on Fire TV devices. Thankfully, a workaround has been discovered by AFTVnews reader Super Street Racing. Using that discovery, here are full step-by-step instructions for sideloading APK app files on the Echo Show 15. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: , , ,

Customizable buttons on the Fire TV Pro Remote cannot open Sideloaded Apps

Posted by Elias Saba on — 21 Comments

The Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro is easily the best Fire TV remote you can own and you can read all about everything it can do in my review. The one and only issue with the new Pro remote is that the two customizable buttons, which can be assigned to open any app or execute any Alexa command, cannot be assigned to open sideloaded apps. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: , , ,

Developer Options, Sideloading, Downloader, and Remote Button Remapping all work on the Fire TV Cube 3

Posted by Elias Saba on — 11 Comments

With all new Fire TV models, there are always people wondering if anything has been done to thwart sideloading apps and, thankfully, it’s all business as usual with the 3rd-gen Fire TV Cube. Developer options are present and behave just as they do on other Fire TV models, although, as you’d expect, they follow the new behavior where developer options are initially hidden and must be revealed. My Downloader app works just fine and you can enable the option to allow it to install unknown apps just fine and use it to sideload APKs on the Fire TV Cube 3. My button remapping utility also works fine to remap the app shortcut buttons of the Fire TV Cube’s remote. However, everything isn’t perfect because there is one old sideloading issue that has resurfaced on the new Cube. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: , , ,

How to find/show/unhide/reveal Developer Options on an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, or Fire TV Smart TV

Posted by Elias Saba on — 24 Comments

In recent updates to the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick Lite, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Fire TV Cube, and Fire TV Smart TV, Amazon has hidden/removed the Developer Options menu where you can enable ADB debudding and enable installing apps from unknown sources, such as Downloader. These instructions show you how to unhide/reveal the Developer Options menu. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: , ,

AppLinked utility for bulk sideloading possibly gains malware under new ownership

Posted by Elias Saba on — 3 Comments

When popular bulk sideloading utility Filelinked was shut down by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, a piracy takedown coalition consisting of many major entertainment companies, it wasn’t long before numerous clones and replacements began appearing to fill its place. Be warned that one of the more popular clones, called AppLinked, has recently changed ownership and possibly gained malware and/or viruses in the process. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: , , ,

Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports Sideloading, Downloader app, and Kodi just fine

Posted by Elias Saba on — 15 Comments

With each new Fire TV model, the question is always asked if Amazon has done anything to deter sideloading apps. The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max is no different, but, rest assured, that it’s all business as usual. The latest Firestick does support sideloading just fine. You can use my Downloader app on it just fine and I’ve used it to install Kodi without any issues.

Posted in Article Tagged with: , ,

Filelinked utility for bulk sideloading on Fire TV and Android TV goes offline — Possibly gone forever

Posted by Elias Saba on — 35 Comments

Filelinked, the Android app and service formerly known as DroidAdmin, has gone offline and there are indications that it has been taken down deliberately. Filelinked, which touted itself as “the #1 Bulk Downloader Tool,” is, or possibly was, a popular tool for sideloading apps on Fire TV and Android TV devices. It was primarily used as a means to easily access a large number of apps, most commonly used for pirating movies and TV shows, which were not allowed in the Amazon Appstore or Google Play Store. This strong link to piracy may be the cause for its demise because the app’s website, and the backend service that makes it work, have been taken down earlier today. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: ,

What it means to ‘Jailbreak’ a Fire TV or Firestick and how it relates to Rooting, Sideloading, and the law

Posted by Elias Saba on — 18 Comments

There are many terms, such as Jailbreaking, Rooting, Sideloading, and Unlocking, that are used to describe the state of an Amazon Fire TV device and the changes made to it. While each term has a unique definition, they are often incorrectly interchanged and used to describe some type of software modification done to a Fire TV. Questions often arise regarding the legality of each term and each type of software modification. Since Jailbreaking arrests are in the news this week and a new bill may make illegal streaming a felony, it’s as good a time as ever to break down what these terms mean and, more importantly, how they’re used. Read more ›

Posted in Article Tagged with: , ,

TOP DEALS

24in Insignia Fire TVList Price: $119.99Sale Price: $69.99
32in Amazon Fire TV 2-SeriesList Price: $199.99Sale Price: $149.99
43in Amazon Fire TV 4K 4-SeriesList Price: $369.99Sale Price: $259.99



NEW 2023 DEVICES

Fire Max 11 TabletList Price: $229.99
Echo PopList Price: $39.99
Echo BudsList Price: $39.99
Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen)List Price: $89.99

Fire TV Shortcut Apps

Free Movies & TVView content that is free from numerous apps at once.
Manage Installed AppsQuickly quit apps and clear app cache.
Recently WatchedJump back to what you're watching without scrolling down the home screen.
Bluetooth DevicesEasily pair/unpair headphones. keyboards, mice, and more.
... and over 30 more!

Get AFTVnews articles in your inbox!

Get an email anytime a new article is published.
No Spam EVER and Cancel Anytime.

FOLLOW