How to Sideload Apps on Firestick/ Fire TV [Quick Guide]

Unlike a few other streaming devices in the market, Firestick is one of the streaming devices that allows jailbreaking and sideloading apps. Inspite of having almost every video streaming and music app on the Amazon App Store, still there are a few apps that missing on the App Store. If you want to install an app on your Firestick that is unavailable on the Amazon app store, you can use sideloading tools to sideload APK files and install the app to your streaming device.

There are various different apps that you can use to sideload apps on Firestick, the most popular apps for sideloading are Downloader and ES File Explorer. To sideload an app using a sideloading app, you must first enable the Install Unkown Apps option in the Firestick settings.

Ways to Sideload Apps on Firestick

There are numerous ways available to sideload the apps on Firestick. But still, we have mentioned the most common and easiest ways to install third-party apps on Firestick below.

• Downloader
• ES File Explorer
• Aptoide
• SFTTV
• Apps2fire
• adbLink

How to Install ES File Explorer on Firestick

As ES File Explorer has a native app for Firestick, you can download it from the Amazon App Store.

1. Power on Firestick and connect your Firestick to the internet.

2. Go to Apps and tap the Left navigation button on the Firestick remote to get the search function.

3. Enter the ES File Explorer using the on-screen keyboard and select the app from the suggestions.

4. Select Download to install the app on your Fire TV Stick.

5. Next, hit Open to launch ES File Explorer.

Similarly, you can follow the above steps to install Downloader on your Firestick.

How to Enable Unknown Sources on Fire TV Stick

Before you install third-party apps, you need to enable ES File Explorer under the Install Unknown Apps section.

1. Go to Settings and select My Fire TV.

2. Select Developer Options under My Fire TV’s list of options.

3. Navigate to Install Unknown Apps.

4. Select ES File Explorer to enable it.

If you have older models of Firestick, go to Settings → My Fire TV / Device → Developer Options → Apps from Unknown Sources → Enable.

How to Use ES File Explorer on Fire Stick

Unlike Downloader, to sideload apps via ES File Explorer, you need to purchase the membership. The monthly subscription to ES File Explorer costs around $9.99/mon.

1. Launch the ES File Explorer and select Downloader on the home page.

2. Select New in the options at the bottom.

3. Choose Path to enter the app’s URL you like to download.

4. You can fill in the Name section if needed. Select Download Now.

5. The APK file begins to download.

6. Once it gets downloaded, select Open File and choose Install.

7. When the app is installed, you can launch and start using it on your Firestick.

How to Sideload Apps on Firestick Using SFTTV

You can even sideload the Android apps on your Firestick using the SFTTV app (Send Files to TV). You can install the SFTTV app on your Fire TV Stick from the Amazon App Store.

For Android smartphones, you need to install the app from trusted third-party sites. Before you launch the app, enable the Install Unknown Apps feature for SFTTV on Firestick.

1. Head to SFTTV and choose Allow to grant the app permission.

2. Next, select Receive on Firestick.

3. On your Android smartphone, tap Send and choose the APK file you like to dispatch.

Note: Like Firestick, you need to grant media access to use SFTTV app on your Android smartphone.

4. The APK file will be received on your Firestick device.

5. Select the file and choose Open from the given options.

6. On the next step, select Install.

7. When the app gets installed on your Firestick, select Open and start using the app.

How to Uninstall / Delete Sideloaded Apps on Firestick

When the app you have installed is no longer needed, you can delete the apps from your Fire TV Stick device anytime.

1. Navigate to Settings and choose Applications.

2. Select Manage Installed Applications on the next page.

3. You can find the apps installed on your Firestick device.

4. Select the desired app. First, clear the data and clear the cache.

5. Finally, select Uninstall to remove the app from your device.

Alternative Method to Delete Apps

You can even delete the apps on ES File Explorer if you have downloaded them through this installer.

1. Open the ES File Explorer app and select Internal Storage.

2. Go to Download from the list of folders.

3. Select the desired APK you like to uninstall.

4. Choose Delete from the options at the bottom.

5. Select OK on confirmation to delete the app.

FAQ