Last Updated on July 1, 2020 by Husain Parvez
Are you looking to learn how to upgrade Kodi on FireStick TV and bring your big screen entertainment up to speed? Here’s how you can get the latest version of the Kodi media player up and running on your Amazon Fire TV Stick and why it is essential to do so.
The reason most of the modern world has adopted the cable-free route t entertainment is to not only break free from the shackles of costly cable services, but to also move past the viewing restrictions set by them. One of the earliest players in the cord-cutting trend has been Kodi media player, which started off as a way to enjoy media content on the original Xbox console. Since its inception, the Kodi media player has received widespread acceptance and support across multiple software platforms.
In olden days, the Kodi media player would need to be installed on an Android TV or on a third-party Android TV Box so that it could be viewed on the big screen. However, the release of the Android-based Amazon Fire TV Stick has made it easy and affordable to get Kodi on the big screen. If you have been able to get the universal media player up and running, then you will surely have to learn how to upgrade Kodi on FireStick TV at some point in time. Since new updates for the Kodi media player are released periodically, it is essential to understand how the process of updating works.
Want to learn how to install Kodi on your FireTV – Click Here.
Why Update Kodi on Amazon Fire TV Stick?
So you followed the pathway to installing the Kodi media player and enjoy the freedom that it brings of managing all of your entertainment content in one place. After a few months or a year of using Kodi, you may notice that some of your favorite Kodi add-ons don’t seem to work as well as they used to, or simply crash right away. Restarting the Kodi media player app or updating the add-on may not always fix the issue, especially when the version of Kodi itself is outdated.
Unlike most apps and services that are available for Android, Kodi media player does not comes with a built-in updater. This means that you need to learn how to manually update Kodi on Amazon FireStick TV to ensure that you have unrestricted access to your favorite entertainment channels through Kodi. The process can be done directly from the Amazon Fire TV Stick itself, so you won’t need to hook up the device to your mobile phone to transfer the Kodi media player update.
How to Upgrade Kodi on FireStick TV
Now that you know why it is important to keep the Kodi media player updated on your Amazon Fire TV Stick, here’s how you can go about doing so:
Step 1: Find out the Kodi Version Installed
The Kodi media player app may or may not outright mention whether there is an update available for it. Hence, you need to manually check for an available update for Kodi from the Applications menu and find out if you have the latest version installed or if you need to learn how to you can update Kodi on Amazon Fire TV Stick manually.
- From the home screen of your Amazon Fire TV Stick, scroll over to the Settings tab using the remote buttons.
- Scroll towards the right side to find the Applications tab and click to open it, and then make your way to the Manage Installed Applications
- Scroll down through the list of installed apps to find Kodi and on the right side, you will be able to see the Version of the app.
The current version of the Kodi media player that is available for Android users is Kodi 18.2 Leia. If the Kodi version installed on your Amazon Fire TV Stick is lower than the latest one, then you must proceed to the next step to understand how to upgrade Kodi on FireStick TV the easy way.
Step 2: Download the Latest Version of Kodi
Kodi media player is an open-source software which is available for multiple platforms absolutely free of cost. Since Amazon Fire TV does not come packed with the Google Play Store, you need to manually install the APK file for Kodi on your streaming device. Similarly, every time that you need to update Kodi media player, you will have to fetch the APK file manually and then sideload it to your Amazon Fire TV Stick. If you do not have the ability to install apps from Unknown Sources enabled already, here’s what you need to do first:
- Right from the main screen on your Amazon Fire TV Stick, head over to the Settings
- Head over to Device tab and then make your way to the Developer Options
- Here you will find the tab that reads Apps from Unknown Sources and click on it to turn the feature ON.
With the Unknown Sources feature enabled, you can now go ahead and download the latest APK of the Kodi media player and install it on your Amazon Fire TV Stick without a hiccup.
- Head back to the main menu and then look for the Apps
- Using the search menu, find the app called Downloader and install it to your Amazon Fire TV Stick.
- Open the Downloader app and go to the Home section to enter the URL.
- Type in the following URL in the empty box – http://www.kodi.tv/download and hit the Go
- On the screen that you see on the TV, click on the Android icon using the Amazon Fire TV Remote.
- Choose the ARM7A (32BIT) version that you see under the Release
- The file download of the Kodi APK will now begin, so give it a few moments to complete.
- Once the APK file is downloaded, click on Install to upgrade Kodi on FireStick TV.
The older version of Kodi media player that was previously installed on your Amazon Fire TV Stick will now be replaced with the latest version.
Why Use ExpressVPN for Movie Streaming
The problem with this movies streaming platform like Kodi are that these services are not exactly legalized. Since the copyright content is distributed freely without the approval of the production studios, watching movies and TV shows of Kodi not only lies in the legally gray area but also may not even be possible if your ISP (internet service provider) has blocked such websites. Under such circumstances, the only option that is left for you to try out is a dependable VPN service such as ExpressVPN which not only unlocks free movie streaming sites but also keeps your privacy in place.
- Since free online streaming sites may be blocked by your ISP or geo-restricted, ExpressVPN is essential in helping you change IP address and get past the limitations right away.
- ExpressVPN comes with a built-in Speed Test service which helps you predict the connection speed you can expect during your viewing session.
- Thanks to the dozens of servers that are spread across the globe, ExpressVPN is able to offer you different connections with varying Speed Index, so that you can choose the server that offers you the highest transfer speeds.
- By changing your IP address without taking a bite out of your surfing speed, ExpressVPN offers you complete anonymity when browsing the internet, keeping your ISP out of your personal business.
Final Words
You can now head back to the Manage Applications tab in the Settings to confirm that the latest version of Kodi media player has been installed on your Amazon streaming device. Apart from improvements in the performance and increased compatibility among add-ons, the upgraded version of Kodi v18.2 Leia allows you to unlock a slew of new features on the big screen with the latest update.
Were you successfully able to understand and execute the process on how to upgrade Kodi on FireStick TV? Do you need any assistance in understanding why you must keep Kodi updated and how to do it the easy way? Just reach out to us in the comments section down below with all of your queries and we’ll be sure to resolve them for you.
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I currently have the firestick TV with Alexa,not the new 4k because I don’t have a 4k television.I must need to do the upgrade because I’m finding the 17.6 works much better than the 18 version!Also I installed the Blaze Build which is really good except in the live TV section the different choices are in red and very hard to read.Can I change the color to something that stands out more
Easy to follow instructions thanks
Would like to have a ipvanish installed on my firestick and Kodi but when I did it one time then none of my movies or TV shows with play that I watch with Prime. Is there any way I can have both
Just disconnect vpn while watching anything but kodi. Amazon and Netflix will not work while vpn is connected.