Fire TV Stick for Advanced Users: Tricks to Make It Even More Comfortable

Today I want to go a little deeper, for people who have already mastered the Fire TV Stick. Assuming the basic setup is done, I’ll dig into “how to make it run even more smoothly” and “are there any quietly handy settings?”. Honestly, not that many people go this far. But these are all little tricks you can’t go back from once you learn them, so try whichever catch your interest.

Customize the remote’s buttons to your liking

Something many people overlook is the Fire TV Stick’s remote settings. You can actually change the app button shortcuts. Go from the settings screen to “Remotes & Bluetooth Devices” → “Remote settings” and there’s an item where you can choose which apps are assigned to the app buttons. Netflix and Prime Video are there by default, but just swapping them for apps you use often saves you the trouble of going back to the home screen each time. It’s subtle, but when you think about how it adds up every day, it’s not to be sneezed at.

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Also, review what long presses do. Surprisingly many people don’t know what happens when they long-press the home button. Depending on the settings, it can be used to launch voice input or switch between recently used apps. It’s worth checking once.

Enable ADB to broaden what you can do

From here on it’s a bit more advanced. The Fire TV Stick is Android-based, so if you enable ADB (Android Debug Bridge), the range of things you can do expands greatly, such as controlling it from a PC or sideloading apps. You can turn on ADB debugging from “Settings” → “My Fire TV” → “Developer options”. But at your own risk. It may conflict with Amazon’s terms, so do it understanding that.

With ADB, you can, for example, disable unnecessary preinstalled apps. It’s effective for people worried about free storage. However, disabling system apps can make it unstable, so research before you do it. When I first started, I disabled things carelessly and the home screen froze. That made me panic.

Various settings to bring out performance

If you feel your Fire TV Stick has gotten sluggish lately, the first thing to check is the “screen resolution setting”. Even if your TV supports 4K, deliberately dropping it to 1080p can make it run lighter. It’s especially worth trying if you’re using a second-generation or older model. You can change the setting from “Display & Sounds” → “Screen resolution”.

One more thing: clear the cache regularly too. Each app builds up cache, so clean it frequently via “Applications” → the app in question → “Clear cache”. That alone can bring back the snappiness. And boldly uninstall apps you don’t use. When storage gets tight, it affects overall performance.

Handy hidden features worth knowing

Something surprisingly little known is the Fire TV Stick’s “screenshot” feature. You can capture the screen with a combination of remote buttons. It’s handy when you want to put something on your blog or social media. The way to do it is to hold the remote’s “Back” and “Home” buttons at the same time. However, it doesn’t work on every model, so try it with the remote you have.

Also, many people don’t make full use of the voice remote’s “Alexa”. You can ask not just “play ○○”, but things like “search for the latest ○○” or “what’s the weather in ○○”. Using it to check the weather in the living room saves you the trouble of going to get your phone, which is quietly convenient.

Security and maintenance habits

Finally, the more advanced you are, the more careful you should be about security. Among sideloaded apps, there are some suspicious ones mixed in. Not installing apps of unknown origin and regularly reviewing your app list alone reduces the risk. And don’t forget to remove old devices you no longer use from “Manage devices” in your Amazon account settings.

Depending on the settings, the Fire TV Stick can still transform. If you try even one of the things I’ve introduced today and it makes a difference in comfort, that’s a win. For people who love tinkering, I think it’s an irresistible device.