Fire TV devices just got a new update that rescinds a popular feature beloved by many users, making it even harder to hide applications on your home screen and, hence navigate across the interface.
The change was initially spotted by AFTNews, highlighting how Amazon's pre-installed apps, like Amazon Live Shopping, Fire TV Channels, and Prime Video, can't be hidden in the settings. This also extends even to all included profiles on the device, meaning every profile sees every installed app, creating intense clutter and confusion.
The update, which lands on devices ranging from first-gen Fire TV Sticks running FireOS 6 to second-gen devices with FireOS 8 installed. This includes the Fire TV Stick Max and even the recently-debuted Fire TV Stick HD, two of the best Fire TV devices you can buy right now.
But there are some secret workarounds. If you know our coverage on perusing the secret Roku menus, you'll know we can find every avenue in drawing out the best TV settings and streaming device woes. Let's get into it.
Another day, another Fire TV update
Fire TV is among the most popular TV interfaces, usually behind the likes of Google TV and Roku. But over the past several months, consistent updates and lackluster feature upgrades have made users more than a little agitated.
Amazon totally revamped and refreshed its Fire TV interface in July last year, which introduced several key features users longed for, the main among them being profiles and hiding apps for simpler navigation. But now that's all been changed following a new update that lands on Gen-one and Gen-two Fire TV Sticks.
Before the new change, you could tap "Context" on your Fire TV remote for the optional "Hide from your apps" setting, which lets you hide certain apps you may not want on your home page. It was primarily great for Amazon-specific apps, like Freevee that now doesn't even work — nor can you delete it like other third-party apps on the device.
And the issues stem even further as apps across profiles are showing up on every home page. It's leading to a lot of frustration and confusion as Fire TV users try to improve navigation and the decluttering of their interface. It's no mean feat. But we've got a few secret methods for amending this Fire TV issue.
Hiding apps on your Fire TV home page
Although many users are soon to jump shit for rival platforms like Google TV or LG's webOS, but before you make the leap we've got several ways of amending these Fire TV app issues. After all, Amazon is no stranger to delivering rather buggy or often damaging updates to its platform, but YouTuber TechDoctorUK has a novel approach to these constraints.
You'll have to download a third-party application called atvTools to your Fire TV-enabled device or display. The app is available on several different app stores, including Google Play, Apple iOS, and Android, allowing you to hide those pesky Amazon and assorted third-party applications cluttering up your home screen.
It is slightly more technical and takes longer to set up, but at least you can hide those unnecessary applications, if only in the most roundabout way. You'll have to open the tool and connect it to your Fire TV device first, then search for specific apps you want to remove from the home page and click "disable" on each one. With all your apps hidden, you just need to hit refresh so the changes take effect and your Fire TV home screen is decluttered once more.
Bit of a nuisance if you ask me, but I have a feeling this won't be the last of the many woes we'll experience with Fire TV devices in the coming future. If you're tired of all the unnecessary updates or need a change of pace, might I recommend either the Roku Ultra (2024) vs Google TV Streamer, two premium devices with tons of features on offer (and minimal debilitating updates to endure).
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