How to Update Kodi on a Fire Stick

Tips to help your jailbreak stay up-to-date

by
Scott Orgera
Scott Orgera
Writer
Scott Orgera is a former writer who covering tech since 2007. He has 25+ years experience as a programmer and QA leader, and holds several Microsoft certifications.
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Scott Orgera
Updated on September 11, 2020

There are many reasons to update Kodi on your Amazon Fire Stick, including making sure you have the latest security patches and ensuring the software functions correctly with the latest add-ons.

Some add-on developers aren't quick to issue required compatibility updates for their programs, meaning upgrading Kodi to the latest version may have the opposite effect and render an add-on useless. However, it's a good idea to have the latest build installed, as the downsides are minimal and rare.

Update Kodi on Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon, Inc.

Configure the Fire TV Stick

To get started, ensure the Fire Stick is configured to trust app installations from unknown sources. This setting would have been enabled when you first installed Kodi but may have been turned off. Take the following steps to confirm it's active.

  1. Use the Fire Stick remote control to select Settings, found toward the top of the screen.

  2. Scroll to the right and select Device.

  3. From the Device menu, choose Developer options.

  4. Turn on Apps from Unknown Sources. If it's active, do nothing and move to the next section of this tutorial.

  5. If you turned this setting on, a warning message labeled Apps from Unknown Sources appears. Select Turn On.

  6. You'll return to the Developer Options menu, with the Apps from Unknown Sources option activated.

Obtain the Downloader App

The next step in the process is to download and install the Downloader app from the Amazon Appstore unless you did so in the past. If not, follow these instructions.

  1. From the Home Screen, scroll to the left, so the Search interface is visible.

  2. Begin typing the word Downloader using the on-screen keyboard. As you type, the autocomplete feature shows the Downloader app in the suggested results list. Scroll down and select this option.

  3. Select the Downloader app image, which appears in the Apps & Games section.

  4. Details of the Downloader app appear. Select the Get button.

  5. The app is downloaded and installed. Once complete, you'll return to the previous screen.

Update Kodi to the Latest Version

You're now ready to update Kodi to the latest stable version, done by taking the following steps.

  1. Open the Downloader app.

  2. In the main interface of the Downloader app, select the address entry field, located below the Enter the URL of the website heading and prepopulated with http://.

  3. Enter the following URL using the on-screen keyboard: http://kodi.tv/download.

  4. Select Go.

  5. A warning message may appear, letting you know JavaScript is disabled. Select OK.

  6. The download section of the Kodi website displays in a browser window. Scroll down and select Android.

  7. Multiple instances of the latest stable version of Kodi display. Select the button representing the 32-bit release.

    Newer Fire Sticks can support the 64-bit version of Kodi, so you can install that if you wish. If you aren't sure if your Fire Stick supports 64-bit applications, either play it safe and install the 32-bit version or try the 64-bit build and revert to the older one if it fails to install or run correctly.

  8. The Kodi installer downloads. When complete, a prompt asks whether you want to install the application. Choose Install, located in the lower-right corner of the screen.

  9. When the app installed message appears, select Open.

  10. If the installation was successful, the latest stable version of Kodi launches on your Fire Stick.

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