Kindle Fire For Kid

How to enable and access developer options on Amazon Fire tablet (Fire HD, Fire HDX and Kindle Fire HDX), and how to hide developer options again?

by 24 Comments

Android developer options give app developers a lot of options to test the app under various simulated conditions.

But for normal users, sometimes, you may also need some features that are under developer options. For example, when you need run an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) command to backup the phone, or take lots of screenshots of Amazon Fire tablet  from your PC (if you just want to take a few, you can do this on the tablet with Power and volume up button as illustrated in this guide), you need turn on USB Debugging (enable ADB).

By default, the developer options on Amazon Fire tablet is hidden with the recent Fire OS. This is consistent with other Android devices which hide developer options since Android Jelly Bean 4.2,

But it is very easy to enable and access developer options on Amazon Fire tablet. In this guide, Fire tablet refers to Fire HD, Kindle Fire HD, Fire HDX and Kindle Fire HDX.

This guide will show you how to enable and access developer options on Amazon Fire tablet, and how to disable and hide the developer options on Amazon Fire tablet (after you enabling them).

How to enable and access developer options on Amazon Fire tablet?

Step 1: Go to Settings–Device Options

In your Amazon Fire tablet, go to Settings by swiping down from the status bar (top of the screen) or tap Settings app in the app drawer.

Then tap Device Options as shown below.

enable_and_access_developer_options_on_amazon_fire_tablet_1_settings

Step 2: Tap Serial Number Field  7 times

In the Device Options page, tap the serial number field 7 times.

After tapping the serial number 2 times, it starts to pop out the message as shown below.:

You are now X steps away from being a developer

Continue to tap the field to 7 times and the message will notify you the developer options are enabled on your Amazon Fire tablet.… Read the rest

How to sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX?

by 81 Comments

Update (2018-12):

Please use this guide if you want to install Google Play store or use any Google services on your Amazon Fire tablet. It works on Fire tablet (HD 7, HD 8 and HD 10) from 4th gen, 5th gen, 6th gen, 7th gen and 8th gen.

Updated with video. Transcripts added at the end of this post.

Video guide: how to sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX?

sideload_android_apps_kindle_fireCan I run Android Apps on Kindle Fire tablets?

You may already know that Kindle Fire tablet (Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HDX) actually is an Android tablet. The Fire OS 3 in the new Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HDX 7 and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 actually is based on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.

Of course, Amazon hacked Android so heavily that it is hard to find any traces of Jelly Bean in the UI. But this does not mean you cannot install Android apps, for example, from Google Play Store.

Amazon Appstore for Android has a decent collection of apps that are compatible with most Android devices. Similarly, most Android apps can work on Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX tablets without any modifications.

So, the answer is very clear. Yes, you can run almost all Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX.

Why sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX?

Currently, Amazon Appstore for Android still has far fewer apps than Google Play store. Sometimes, you may need some apps that are available in Google Play, but are not available in Amazon Appstore.… Read the rest