Top 7 Ways to Fix Apps Not Installing on Fire TV Stick

The Amazon Fire TV Stick is a great little streaming stick. For around $50 you can get your regular TV at your fingertips with Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube etc. You can turn it into a smart TV with tons of apps like But what’s the point of thousands of hours of content when your Fire TV Stick can’t open installed apps in the first place. Here is how you can troubleshoot Fire TV Stick not installing apps.

When you try to access your favorite TV show or movie, the Fire TV Stick will show a blank screen and the app will get stuck on the splash screen.

The problem may be with the Fire TV Stick or the app due to a spotty internet connection at home. That said, we will discuss every possible factor and fix the Fire TV Stick not loading apps issue for you.

1. Check Internet Connection

With resource-hungry and graphics-intensive apps like Netflix and Disney+, you need a reliable and working internet connection at home to stream content quickly and smoothly.

If you are trying to open apps on a Fire TV Stick on a slow network connection, they may not open on the first try. Make sure you’re dealing with at least double-digit Wi-Fi speeds and then access apps.

If your Wi-Fi router supports dual-band Wi-Fi frequency, try connecting to the 5GHz frequency, not the slow 2.4GHz frequency.

You also need to have a clear interface between your TV and router. Try to avoid thick walls, long distances, and other distractions that could block the connection between the router and the Fire TV Stick.

2. Restart Fire TV Stick

If your Fire TV Stick is not installing apps then the problem could be caused by a glitch in your device. A simple reboot will help you install apps.

You can unplug the Fire TV Stick from the TV, leave it there for a few minutes, and plug it back in for a complete reboot of the device.

Alternatively, you can restart Fire TV Stick with a simple remote control trick. Press and hold the Select button and Play/Pause button together for 4-5 seconds until you see the ‘Your Amazon Fire TV Turning Off’ message on your TV screen.

If the remote control trick doesn’t work for you, you can reboot the device from the menu below by going to Fire TV Stick Settings > My Fire TV.

3. Low Device Storage

The Fire TV Stick 4K comes with only 8GB of storage, which is more than enough for a streaming stick. Filling the default storage is pretty easy with hundreds of apps and games available on the Amazon App Store.

If you’re low on storage on the device, you’ll need to free up space on the Amazon Fire TV Stick for smooth operations. Uninstall unnecessary apps from the device and try to open the apps again.

4. Clear App Cache

All apps installed on Amazon Fire Stick collect cache data in the background to load content quickly. An app that collects a lot of cache data may cause the app not to open on the device. You need to clear cache data for the problematic app on Fire TV Stick. Here’s how.

Stage 1: Scroll down to the Settings menu on the Fire TV Stick homepage.

Step 2: Open Apps.

Stage 3: Scroll down to Manage Installed Apps.

Step 4: Choose an app that doesn’t install on the Fire TV Stick.

Step 5: Scroll down to Clear cache and click on it.

5. Forced Stop Enforcement

If an app is behaving strangely, you may want to force stop and reopen the app. You can do this easily from the Fire TV Stick Settings menu.

Stage 1: Long press the FireStick home button and go to Settings.

Step 2: Go to Applications > Manage Installed Applications.

Stage 3: Choose an app that doesn’t install on the Fire TV Stick. Click on it.

Step 4: Select Force stop from the menu below.

6. Update Fire OS

Amazon regularly releases new software patches to improve the stability of the Fire TV Stick. The company recently revealed a brand new interface for supported devices.

An outdated Fire OS software version may cause the Fire TV Stick not to install apps. You can manually check for updates and install a new Fire OS build on the Fire TV Stick. Here’s how.

Stage 1: Open Fire TV Stick Settings.

Step 2: Select My Fire TV.

Stage 3: Open About and select Check for Updates.

The Fire TV Stick will install OTA (Over the Air) updates on the device and you can proceed with app access.

7. Check Streaming Service Server

Services like Netflix and Peacock are interrupted occasionally. Fire TV Stick cannot skip home screen if your preferred service is facing downtime.

You can check Downdetector and search for the relevant streaming service. If other users are also reporting problems with the service, this is a confirmed server-side issue.

You will have to wait for the company to resolve the issue on their side. Only then will you be able to load the app home screen.

Binge-Watch Your Favorite Show on Fire TV Stick

When the Fire TV Stick does not load apps, it can spoil the perfect entertainment time at home. The solutions mentioned above should help you regain access to the apps on your Fire TV Stick. Which method worked for you? Share your findings in the comments below.