Amazon’s many versions of theFire TV Stick, along with the bigger and betterAmazon Fire TV Cube, offer one of the most immersive and Alexa-friendly interfaces for connecting with all of your favorite streaming apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, while also acting as a command center for your smart home devices (with the . But like any do-it-all device that is web-connected, you’ll want to make sure your Fire TV hardware is running the latest software.
Difficulty
What You Need
Fire TV device
Your Fire TV device’s remote
HDTV or better
Stable Wi-Fi connection
This ensures your Fire TV device performs smoothly, from navigation to Alexa commands, and is as hack-proof as possible when connected to your home Wi-Fi.
Fortunately, most Fire TV devices will perform automatic updates, but if you want to manually download the latest software or check to see which version your Fire TV gear is running, we’ve put together this step-by-step guide to teach you how.
How to update your Fire TV Stick or Cube
While your Fire TV device should be configured to download and install software updates automatically, you’re able to also do so manually. Here’s how to check for and install an update using the latest version of the Fire TV operating system.
Step 1:On theHomescreen, select theSettingsicon (a gear) on the far-righthand side of the screen.
Step 2:From the list of available settings, chooseMy Fire TV, then selectAbout.
Step 3:Choose eitherInstall update(if there’s an update to be installed) orCheck for updatesto see if there are any available for download.
Step 4:Once the update begins, do not unplug your Fire TV device. When the update is finished, your Fire TV device will automatically restart.
Updating a Fire TV device running a legacy OS
Depending on how old your Fire TV device is, the hardware may be running an older version of Fire OS that looks and performs a bit differently, although you’ll still be able to download and install software updates.
Step 1:On the home screen, chooseSettings, located on the far-righthand side of the screen.
Step 2:From the list of options, selectMy Fire TV, then chooseAbout.
Step 3:Like the newest version of Fire OS, you’ll see an option to eitherInstall updateorCheck for updates. Select which option is available, and be sure to keep your Fire TV plugged in if it’s downloading and installing new software.
How to check what software your Fire TV device is running
Checking what software version your Fire TV hardware is running is just as easy as downloading and installing the updates. Here’s how.
Step 1:Go toSettings, then chooseMy Fire TV.
Step 2:SelectAbout.
Step 3:You’ll then see a sub-menu on the right side of the page that displays whatFire OS software versionyour Fire TV device is running (underSoftware version), as well as how much storage space is available, and a few other fields.
Not sure what Amazon Fire TV device to purchase?We compared the Fire TV Stick with the Fire TV Cubeto help you decide.
Looking for advice on how to update your Roku streaming device?We’ve got a guide for that too.
