Amazon Fire TV Stick offers streaming apps for thousands of TV shows and movies from popular services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Display+, Peacock and more. Built-in browser Silk browser allows you to enjoy the web with a bigger view. That said, there is a neat way to install the Google Chrome browser on Fire TV Stick.
Fire OS is based on Android Operating System, meaning one can always download APK files on the device and install it as a regular app.
Why Do You Need to Install Google Chrome on Fire TV Stick?
Unlike the default Silk browser, Google Chrome is a cross-platform solution with Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android availability. You can sync Bookmarks and History across all platforms.
It’s also a much better browser than anything available on the Amazon App Store, including Firefox.
Install Downloader on Amazon Fire TV Stick
As expected, Google Chrome is not natively available on the Amazon App Store. You will need to sideload using the Downloader app.
Do not worry. The real method is simpler than it seems. Follow our step-by-step guide below.
Note: In the example below, we’ve included screenshots from the new Fire TV Stick UI that Amazon recently introduced. If you’re still stuck with the old UI, consider updating Fire OS to the latest version.
Stage 1: Open the Fire TV Stick home page and navigate to the Find menu.
Step 2: Scroll down to the search option.
Stage 3: It will open the virtual keyboard. Type Downloader or use the Alexa voice assistant from the remote to search for the Downloader app.
Step 4: Select Downloader from the suggestions.
Step 5: Recognize the app by an orange background title on the app icon.
Step 6: Select the application and use the Get or Download option to install the application.
Step 7: In a minute or two (depending on your internet connection), the Fire TV Stick will install the app on the device.
This much. You have successfully installed Downloader app on Fire TV Stick.
Similar to Android phones, to install a Chrome APK on the device, you need to enable the corresponding permissions in the Settings menu. Follow the steps below to make changes.
Stage 1: Press and hold the Home button on the Fire TV Stick.
Step 2: Swipe to the settings menu.
Stage 3: Scroll down and select the My Fire TV menu.
Step 4: Click Developer Options.
Step 5: Find Apps From Unknown Sources. By default, it is turned off. open it.
You can now install APK files on Fire TV Stick without any issues. Follow the method below.
Download Google Chrome on Fire TV Stick
Stage 1: Open Downloader app on Fire TV Stick.
Step 2: Click in the search box, type https://chrome.en.uptodown.com/android and hit the Go button.
Stage 3: The downloader will take you to the web page to download the APK file to the device.
Step 4: Hit the download button and install the Google Chrome APK on the device.
Step 5: After successful installation, delete the APK file on the device to free up some space.
If you’re having trouble installing Google Chrome on Fire TV Stick, you’ll need to uninstall the apps from the device and free up some space.
Google Chrome Features
- Excellent and familiar user interface
- Google account sync
- Multi-tab support (missing in default Silk browser)
- Flashing web engine for fast browsing
- Ability to download APK files to the device
How to Uninstall Google Chrome on Fire TV Stick
After you are done, you should consider removing Google Chrome from Fire TV Stick. It will free up around 200MB of space (which is quite a lot considering 8GB of internal storage on the Fire TV Stick). Follow the steps below to uninstall Google Chrome on Fire TV Stick.
Stage 1: Press and hold the home button on your Fire TV Stick.
Step 2: Go to the Applications menu.
Stage 3: Scroll down to the Google Chrome app.
Step 4: Use the Option key on the remote and select Uninstall from the side menu.
Use Google Chrome on Fire TV Stick
Google Chrome treats Fire TV Stick as a touch device. For the best experience, we recommend choosing the Fire TV app on your mobile device or using a Bluetooth-connected keyboard and mouse. Go ahead, download the Chrome browser to Fire TV Stick and share your experience in the comments below.
Next: Constantly encountering buffering issues on Fire TV Stick? Read the post below to learn how to fix the problem.