How to Update a Firestick (System, Apps and Remote)
To update a Firestick, press Home, open Settings, select My Fire TV (called Device & Software on some newer models), then About, then Check for System Update. If an update is available, the stick downloads it, installs it and restarts by itself. Leave it plugged in until it is back on the Home screen.
That covers the Fire TV software itself. Apps and the remote are updated separately, and both are explained below, along with what to do when the update will not go through.
How to update the Firestick software
These are the steps from Amazon's own help page, with a note on what you will see at each one.
- Press Home on the remote, then go to Settings (the gear icon at the right end of the menu).
- Select My Fire TV. If you do not see it, look for Device & Software instead. It is the same menu under a newer name.
- Select About. This screen also shows the name of your model and the software version it is running.
- Select Check for System Update. The stick contacts Amazon and looks for anything newer.
- If an update is found, let it download. When it has finished downloading, the same spot offers to install it. Select it and the stick installs the update and restarts.
A small update takes a few minutes. A large one can take longer, and the screen may go dark or show the Fire TV logo for a while during the install. That is normal. Do not unplug the stick while it is installing.
If the screen tells you the device is up to date, there is nothing to install and you are done.
Do Firesticks update automatically?
Yes. Amazon says Fire TV devices and paired accessories download software updates automatically whenever they are connected to the internet. Most of the time you never need to do anything.
The manual check is for the times you do not want to wait: an app asks for a newer system version, a feature you read about has not appeared yet, or the stick has been unplugged in a drawer for months and you want it current before you sit down to watch something. Checking by hand pulls the update now instead of whenever the stick gets round to it.
How to tell if your Firestick is out of date
Go to Settings, My Fire TV (or Device & Software), About. Note the software version on that screen, then compare it with Amazon's Fire TV Device and Accessory Software Updates page, which lists the latest version for every model.
Two things to know when you compare:
- Older models stay on older versions. A first-generation Fire TV Stick tops out at a much lower version number than a current 4K model. If your number matches the one Amazon lists for your model, the stick is fully up to date, even if a newer model is several versions ahead.
- Some newer sticks do not run Fire OS. Amazon's list shows a few recent models, such as the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, on Vega OS. Their version numbers look completely different from Fire OS ones, so match the model name, not the format of the number.
How to update apps on a Firestick
System updates do not update your apps. Apps from the Amazon Appstore have their own update setting, and you can also update a single app by hand.
Update one app
- Go to your apps. On most models that is the Apps icon on the Home screen, or Settings, Applications, Manage Installed Applications.
- Highlight the app you want to update, but do not open it.
- Press the Menu button on the remote (the one with three horizontal lines).
- Select More Info. If a newer version exists, an Update button appears. Select it.
If there is no Update button, you already have the newest version the Appstore offers.
Turn on automatic app updates
Go to Settings, Applications, Appstore, and set Automatic Updates to On. Appstore apps then update in the background without you having to check each one.
Apps installed from outside the Appstore
Some IPTV players are not in the Amazon Appstore and are installed another way, for example with the Downloader app. The Appstore does not know about those, so neither of the methods above will update them. Look for an update option inside the app's own settings, or install the newer version from the same official source you used the first time. Our Fire TV tutorial shows how the HoxyTV player is set up.
How to update the Fire TV remote
Recent Fire TV remotes get software updates too. Amazon's steps:
- Open Settings.
- Select Controllers and Bluetooth Devices.
- Select Amazon Fire TV Remotes.
- Select your remote from the list. If an update is available, you can install it from that screen.
Keep the remote close to the stick and do not press its buttons while it updates. If the remote stops responding afterwards, our guide to resetting a Firestick remote covers re-pairing it.
How to update a Firestick without the remote
Use the free Fire TV app for iPhone or Android. With your phone on the same Wi-Fi network as the stick, the app works as a remote, so you can go to Settings, My Fire TV, About, Check for System Update exactly as you would with the real one. You can also just leave the stick connected to the internet and let the automatic update arrive on its own.
Firestick won't update? Work through these in order
| What you see | What to try |
|---|---|
| The check fails or says it cannot connect | Check the network under Settings, Network. Restart your router and the stick, then check again. |
| The download stops partway | Free up storage, then try again. |
| It says up to date, but you expected something newer | Compare your version with Amazon's list for your model. It may already be current. |
| It seems stuck on the update screen | Give it time, then restart only if nothing has changed for a long while. |
| Nothing above works | Factory reset, as a last resort. |
1. Check the connection
An update cannot download without a working internet connection. Open Settings, Network and check that the stick says it is connected. A weak Wi-Fi signal where the stick sits can let a menu load but cause a large download to fail. Restarting the router as well as the stick is worth doing before anything more drastic.
2. Restart the stick
A restart clears whatever was running in the background and often lets a stuck update through. Hold Select and Play/Pause together for about five seconds, or go to Settings, My Fire TV, Restart. Our guide on how to restart a Firestick has every method, including what to do if it will not respond.
3. Free up storage
An update has to download before it installs, and that needs free space. Sticks have little storage, and a few large apps plus their caches can fill it. To remove an app you no longer use, go to Settings, Applications, Manage Installed Applications, pick the app and select Uninstall. Clearing app caches helps too, and our guide to clearing cache on a Firestick explains which option is safe to use.
4. If it seems stuck mid-install
Large updates can sit on one screen for a long time without anything being wrong. Leave the stick alone and plugged in for a while before you decide it has frozen. Pulling the power in the middle of an install is the one thing most likely to make things worse. If nothing at all has changed after a long wait, unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in and run the check again.
5. Factory reset, last
If the stick still will not update after all of the above, a factory reset under Settings, My Fire TV, Reset to Factory Defaults wipes it back to how it came out of the box and usually lets the update download cleanly afterwards. It deletes every app, sign-in and setting, so keep it for when nothing else has worked, and have your account details ready before you start.
After an update: if an app starts misbehaving
Now and then a player app crashes or will not open after a system update. Amazon's advice for crashing apps is to restart the device, clear the app's cache and data, and if that fails, uninstall and reinstall the app, which also gets you its latest version. Updating the app itself, as described above, is often all it needs.
If live channels load but keep stopping to buffer, the update is rarely the cause. That is usually the network, and our guide to streaming IPTV without buffering walks through the fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Do Firesticks update automatically?
Yes. Amazon says Fire TV devices and their paired accessories download software updates automatically while connected to the internet. You only need to check by hand if you want an update straight away.
How do I force my Firestick to update?
Go to Settings, My Fire TV (or Device & Software), About, Check for System Update. This makes the stick look for an update now instead of waiting for the automatic download.
How do I know if my Firestick is out of date?
Find the software version on the About screen and compare it with the version Amazon lists for your model on its Fire TV software updates page. If they match, you are up to date.
Does updating a Firestick delete my apps?
No. A system update keeps your apps, sign-ins and settings. Only a factory reset, or clearing an individual app's data, removes them.
How do I update the software on my Fire TV remote?
Go to Settings, Controllers and Bluetooth Devices, Amazon Fire TV Remotes, and select your remote. If an update is available, you can install it from there.
How long does a Firestick update take?
It depends on the size of the update and the speed of your connection. Small updates are done in a few minutes. Larger ones take longer, and the stick restarts on its own at the end.
Amazon's official steps are on its Update the Software on Your Fire TV help page. If you are a HoxyTV customer and the player still gives you trouble after updating, our support page is the next stop.
