10 Best Tips on How To Use A Firestick The Smart Way

How To Use A Firestick

Do you have an Amazon Firestick and wonder how to use it in the best way possible? Well, then you are on the right page. This article will provide you with the best tips on how to use a Firestick the smart way.

The Amazon Firestick is a great streaming device that lets you watch your favorite shows using different apps. Most cord-cutters may claim it to be the best device for streaming, and maybe some others will disagree. Based on personal experience, the Amazon Firestick is really great because it allows third-party applications that provide free streaming of different channels, movies, and TV series.

Aside from the fact that Amazon Firestick has something to offer, there are some hacks, or tips and tricks that you can use to use the device the smart way. If you can be able to make some adjustments, install some apps, etc. you can be able to use the device properly.

Tips on How To Use A Firestick The Smart Way

1. Jailbreak a Firestick

As I said earlier, Firestick has the ability to let users install third-party applications. Third-party apps are those that are not present in the Amazon App Store. They are from unknown sources on the internet. Jailbreaking your Firestick does not mean anything illegal. It means that you are allowing your device to install apps from unknown sources.

Most cord-cutters like jailbreaking their Firestick. It is easy and you can finish it in less than five minutes. No need to wait for anything. All you need to do is follow the steps below:

1. From your Home screen, go to Settings
2. Scroll down to My Fire TV
3. Select Developers Option
4. Turn off Apps From Unknown Sources

Now that you are done jailbreaking your Firestick, you can now install these best Amazon Firestick Apps.

2. Install the Downloader App

To install third-party apps on your Firestick, you need the Downloader app. The Downloader app is a browser that lets you install files to your device. By knowing the best Downloader codes, you will be able to install the best apps on your Firestick.

The Downloader app is an official Amazon app, which means it is available in the Amazon App Store. It will be easy for you to install this on your device, just follow the steps below:

1. From your home screen go to Find
2. Hover to Search
3. Search for Downloader
4. Click the icon of the Downloader app
5. Select Get or Download
6. Wait for the app to be installed
7. Choose Open to launch the app

3. Install the Mouse Toggle

If you really want to know how to use a Firestick the smart way, then you need to install Mouse Toggle. It is a very useful app that provides a mouse or cursor whenever you are having a hard time navigating through the app.

The thing is when you are using Firestick, you might want to use or may encounter apps that are not that compatible. It means they may be hard to move or navigate or even click on a certain button. Using a Mouse Toggle is the best option to do. Here is how you can install it on your device.

• Install the Downloader App
• Type in https://reviewvpn.com/mouse
• Click Go
• Wait for the App to be installed
• Select Open

For more information about this app, read How to Install Mouse Toggle on Firestick.

 

4. Install The Amazon Silk Browser

It is not only apps that you can use on Firestick. Believe it or not, you can also stream on different websites using your Amazon Fire TV device. There are a lot of streaming websites out there, and the best way to visit them using your Firestick is with the help of teh Amazon Silk Browser.

The Amazon Silk Browser is the official browser for Firestick. It is easy to install. You can find it in the Amazon App Store. Here is how you can easily install it on your device.

1. From your Home Screen go to the magnifying glass icon (Find)
2.  Scroll over to Search
3. Search for the Amazon Silk Browser
4. Click the icon of the Amazon Silk Browser
5. Choose the Get or Download button
6. Wait for the app to be installed
7. Click the Open button to launch the app

To know more, read How to Install the Amazon Silk Browser on Firestick.

5. Stop Amazon Firestick From Tracking You

This might be the best tip on how to use a Firestick in the smartest way possible. As you may know, there are so many trackers online. Aside from apps, and websites which we will tackle later, your device can also track you. One of the features of teh Amazon Firestick is to know your every move. The device has it in its settings which is on by default which allows it to record every activity the user does with it.

This is very alarming especially if you are very conscious of your privacy.

There are so many features that you need to turn off on your device. Here is how you can stop your Amazon Firestick from tracking everything you do.

1. Go to Settings
2. Scroll Down to Preferences
3. Go to Privacy Settings
4. Turn Off all of the options under Privacy Settings
   • Device Usage Data – OFF
   • Collect App Usage Data – OFF
   • Interest-based Ads – OFF

Once you’ve turned off all of these, you are now putting an end to your device tracking your online activities and presenting unwanted ads based on your activities.

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6. Check If Your Remote Batteries Are Dying

Your Firestick remote play a major role in using your device. It is important to make sure that your remote’s batteries are not dying. Good thing that there is a way to check the current strength of your remote batteries. Follow the steps below to learn how:

1. From your home screen, go to Settings.
2. Scroll down to Controllers and Bluetooth Devices
3. Select the option that says Amazon Fire TV Remote
4. Look at the right side to see the current strength of your Amazon Fire TV remote batteries.

7. Close Apps That Are Running In The Background of Your Device

As you use your Firestick, you will use different apps. When you exit an app and move to the other, the recent application is still running in the background of your device. This is the reason why you may experience your Firestick not being fast enough. In order to remove buffering while using Firestick, all you need to do is to clear the cache, clear data, or force-stop the application.

It is very easy to force close an application that is running in the background. Follow the steps below to know how.

1. From your home screen, go to Settings.
2. Go to Applications
3. Scroll down to Manage Installed Applications
4. Choose the app that you want to force close
5. Once you click on the application, you will see these options: Permissions, Launch Application, Force Stop, Uninstall, Clear data, and Clear cache.
6. Choose the best option for you, but in order to close the app, choose Force Close.

8. Check System Updates

The Amazon Firestick commonly has updates. In order for you to learn how to use a Firestick the best way, you need to always check if there is an available system update.

Actually, you can make it automatic for your device to update on its own when there is a huge system update available. But you can also check your settings for any available updates. Follow the steps below:

1. From your home screen, go to Settings.
2. Go to My Fire TV
3. Choose the About option
4. Click Check For Updates
5. With this, you will learn both the current version and the latest version available
6. If your Firestick is up to date then there is no need for you to update your device.

9. Check Firestick Storage

Another way how to use a Firestick the best way is to check if your Firestick still has enough storage. This problem is very common to all devices. When we install so many apps on our devices, we lessen the storage space.

It is best if you are aware of the storage space you still have on your device. Follow the steps below to learn how.

1. From your home screen, go to Settings.
2. Scroll down to My Fires TV
3. Select teh About button
4. Go to Storage
5. On the right side, you will see how much internal storage you already use and how much you still have.

10. Use A Virtual Private Network For Safe Streaming

The last tip that you need on how to use a Firestick the best way is to use a Virtual Private Network or VPN. A VPN can hide your IP address, and provide a new one that can help you bypass geo-restriction.

Another great thing about using a VPN is making sure that you are safe from so many trackers online like your Internet Service Provider (ISP), malicious domains, websites, apps, devices, and even from the government. By having a different IP address, you are hidden from any spying eyes.

A VPN is applicable to so many devices including Firestick. Learn the best VPN that you can use on your Amazon Fire TV device.

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Surfshark is also the best VPN that can unblock almost all streaming platforms even Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and many more. Its unblocking ability is beyond compare, making it one of the best VPNs in the market today.

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• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Cloud Storage
• P2P friendly VPN
• SOCKS5 Proxy
• Allows Torrenting
• Kill Switch
• Split Tunneling
• DNS Leak Protection
• Prevents Firestick Buffering and Kodi Buffering

For more details about this VPN, read our SurfShark review.

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How to Install Surfshark on Firestick with Screenshots

If your Firestick still has the older interface, read this article to learn how to update it: Update Firestick Interface.

You can download Surfshark directly from the Amazon App Store. It will be easy for you to find Surfshark with your Firestick’s Find feature. Refer to our screenshots below.

Follow our screenshots below to install the SurfShark VPN app on your Fire TV stick.

1. Go to the Home screen of your Firestick.

2. Navigate toward the Find tab. Press the Search button from the resulting dropdown.

3. Type in the keyword of SurfShark and select from the suggestions that will appear.

4. Click the official SurfShark icon from your search results.

5. Press the Download (You Own it) button.

6. The SurfShark VPN installer will download on your device.

7. SurfShark VPN’s app will automatically install itself on your Fire TV stick.

8. Press the Open button after completing SurfShark VPN’s installation process.

9. Please wait for the SurfShark VPN to load its user interface.

10. You can now log in with your SurfShark VPN account credentials.

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Conclusion

Learning how to use a Firestick is not that hard. These tips and tricks can show you the full potential of using this device. It may be best for streaming, but knowing these may boost its ability to show you more apps, and content to stream.

We hope that we are able to help you learn how to use a Firestick the smart way.