Kindle Fire Update

How to use the 15 special keys and 11 keyboard shortcuts on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

Last updated on: October 9, 2023, first published on: September 2, 2021 2 Comments

The official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus) is one of the most useful accessories if you need to type a lot on the Fire HD 10 tablet. But some owners are confused about the 15 special keys and are not aware of the keyboard shortcuts that can improve their productivity greatly.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains the meaning and usage of the 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). The available keyboard shortcuts are also explained to help you improve your productivity.

If you want to know how to pair or configure the keyboard, please check this guide.

You may check Fire Tablet Buyers' Guide to see whether you should buy the Bluetooth keyboard as a productivity bundle.

Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen) also has a similar official keyboard cover, which works identically to the one for Fire HD 10 2021. However, due to the differences in dimensions, you cannot fit the keyboard case for Fire HD 10 2021 with Fire HD 10 2023. And vice versa. So, this guide also works for Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen). The Fire Max 11 keyboard case also share the same 15 special keys (shortcut keys).

What are the 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

There are 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). 13 of them are located in the top row, and the other two are left to the space bar, as illustrated below.… Read the rest

How to use the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

Last updated on: October 9, 2023, first published on: July 25, 2021 6 Comments

With the release of the 11th Gen of Amazon Fire HD 10 (and Fire HD 10 Plus), Amazon introduced the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). The wireless keyboard cover is also part of the productivity bundle for Fire HD 10 2021.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains the advantages (and disadvantages) of the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus), how to attach and remove the wireless keyboard cover from Fire HD 10 2021, how to pair the wireless keyboard with Fire HD 10 2021, and how to use the official wireless keyboard on Fire HD 10 2021 and Fire HD Plus.

Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen) also has a similar official keyboard cover, which works identically to the one for Fire HD 10 2021. However, due to the differences in dimensions, you cannot fit the keyboard case for Fire HD 10 2021 with Fire HD 10 2023. And vice versa. So, this guide also works for the corresponding keyboard for Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen). There is no trackpad on the keyboard for Fire HD 10 2021 and Fire HD 10 2023. Only Fire Max 11 keyboard case has a trackpad.

What is the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

The official wireless keyboard cover for Amazon Fire HD 2021 is actually not an Amazon product. It is made for Amazon by Fintie, which is an Ohio-based accessories maker.

Of course, just like the Fire tablet, the keyboard cover is manufactured in China.

The wireless keyboard covers consisted of a wireless keyboard and a back cover.… Read the rest

How to Use Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2019,2021,2023), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire HD 8 (2020, 2022), Fire HD 8 Plus (2022, 2022), and Fire Max 11?

Last updated on: October 9, 2023, first published on: July 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

Split Screen is a new feature introduced in the 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus. It allows you to use two apps side by side concurrently.

This Fire tablet guide explains what Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) is, how to launch apps in the Split Screen mode, and how to manage and resize screen size for Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021).

Please note, although 9th Gen Fire HD 10 (2019), 10th Gen Fire HD 8 (2020), and Fire HD 8 Plus (2021) are also on Fire OS 7.3, the split-screen feature currently is exclusive for the 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021). ~~It is unclear whether Amazon will port back this feature to these older devices~~. This feature is now available on all Fire HD devices (8″ and 10″) with Fire OS 7 or Fire OS 8.

Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen), Fire HD 8 2022 (12th Gen), Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen), and Fire Max 11 are all shipped with Fire OS 8. But the split-screen is supported on Fire HD 8 2022 and Fire Max 11, and is NOT supported on Fire 7 2022.

What is Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD Plus (2021)?

On Android, the split-screen feature was introduced in Android Nougat (7.0). Fire OS 6 is derived from Android 7.1. But Amazon did not implement it, possibly due to the low memory configurations on previous Fire HD tablets.

Now, Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) have 3GB and 4GB RAM, respectively.… Read the rest

Fire HD 10 Plus vs. Fire HD 10 2021 vs. Fire HD 10 2019

Last updated on: November 3, 2023, first published on: June 19, 2021 Leave a Comment

As a refreshed version of the Fire HD 10 tablet, Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen) offers a moderate update over Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen).

Fire HD 10 Plus is the first “Plus” version of the Fire HD 10 series, apparently inspired by the moderate success of the Fire HD 8 Plus.

This Fire tablet guide explains the new features of Fire HD 10 2021 (11th gen) compared to Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen) and the difference between Fire HD 10 Plus vs. Fire HD 10 2021 to help you decide whether you should get the new Fire HD 10, or the new Fire HD10 Plus. The productivity bundle for the 11th Gen Fire HD 10, Fire HD 10 Kids, and Fire HD 10 Kids Pro are also explained.

Update: Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen) was released. Please check this guide on the new features(e.g., Fire OS 8 and active stylus support) and improvements in the 13th-generation Fire HD 10.

Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen) vs Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen): what's not changed?

The 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 is not a significant upgrade to the 9th Gen. A lot of key features and specs (and the price) still remain unchanged.

Chipset (CPU/GPU)

The tablet is still powered by the same MediaTek MT8183 (64-bit octa-core). It is a decent entry-level mobile chip and is probably still the fastest processor for a tablet under $150.

Anyway, for most Fire HD 10 tablet owners, the chipset should be sufficient. You may get a bit frustrated if you play heavy games or render videos on the tablet.

Fire OS 7

Both Fire HD 2021 (11th Gen) and Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen) were released with Fire OS 7, which is based on Android Pie (Android 9).… Read the rest

The ultimate guide of USB-C fast charging on Fire HD 10 2019, Fire HD 8 2020, and later devcies

Last updated on: November 21, 2025, first published on: October 14, 2020 9 Comments

The addition of a USB-C port on Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen), and Fire HD 8 Plus makes these Fire tablets support 15W USB-C fast charging and be compatible with more USB accessories. This Fire tablet how-to guide explains what USB-C fast charging (PD) is, how to use it to charge your Fire HD tablets faster, and known problems and caveats of using fast charging on Fire HD tablets.

Please note, that this guide only applies to Fire HD tablets with a USB-C port. Currently, Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire HD10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen), and Fire HD 8 Plus, Fire HD 8 2022 (12th Gen), Fire HD 8 Plus (2022), Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen), and Fire Max 11 (13th Gen) have the USB-C Port. Older generations and Fire 7 only have a micro USB port. Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen) has now also switched to the USB-C port, and therefore, this guide also applies to the 12th Gen Fire 7 (2022)

You may check the latest edition of the Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide to get more info,

What is USB-C fast charging (USB PD)?

For the 10th gen Fire HD 8 (Fire HD 2020), Amazon stated:

Fully charge in under 5 hours using the USB-C cable and 5W power adapter included in the box. Fully charge in under 4 hours with 9W adapter (sold separately), and under 3 hours with 15W adapter and USB type C to C cable (adapter and cable sold separately).

Essentially, you can fully charge Fire HD 8 2020 or Fire HD 8 Plus (and Fire HD 10 2019 and Fire HD 10 2021) within 3 hours with fast charging.… Read the rest

Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen) vs Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen)

Last updated on: September 16, 2023, first published on: September 11, 2020 4 Comments

Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen) vs Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen) Amazon announced two models for the 10th generation of Fire HD 8: Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 8 Plus, instead of the traditional one, as the successor of Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen).

So, what are the differences between Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen) vs Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen)?

This Fire tablet guide explains the significant differences among Fire HD 8 Plus (2020), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th gen), and Fire HD 2018 (8th Gen) to help you understand the benefits of the improvements.

Update: there is a newer version of Fire HD 8: Fire HD 8 2022 (12th Gen).

Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen)

Fire HD 8 Plus and Fire HD 8 2020 share identical dimensions and ports. So, the cases for these two tablets are interchangeable. The hardware inside these two tablets is almost identical, with two exceptions (read on).

Both tablets also run identical software with almost identical Fire OS 7.3 (which is based on Android Pie/9.0). This also means it is very easy to add Google Play Store to both tablets.

You can also use the micro SD card as internal storage on both devices as well.

There are two major differences between Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) and Fire HD 8 2020.

Difference 1. Fire HD 8 Plus has a 3GB RAM

Amazon increased the RAM in Fire HD 8 (10 gen)to 2GB (from 1.5GB in previous generations). And Fire HD 8 Plus further increases the RAM to 3GB.

So, Fire HD 8 Plus is the Fire HD tablet with the largest RAM currently. Remember, the latest Fire HD 10 (Fire HD 10 2019) only has 2GB RAM.… Read the rest

How to use the micro SD card on the Fire tablet?

Last updated on: September 26, 2023, first published on: January 2, 2020 28 Comments

With the release of Fire OS 6 on Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen) and Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen), Fire OS 7 on Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th gen), Fire HD 8 Plus (2020), and Fire OS 8 on Fire 7 2022, Fire HD 8 2022 (12th Gen), and Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen), you have the new option of using the micro SD card as the tablet (internal) storage (adoptable storage) to expand the internal storage on these 3 5 devices.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains the new option and the pros and cons of using the micro SD card as adoptable storage on Fire HD 10 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 (8th Gen), and Fire 7 (9th Gen). Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen), Fire HD 8 Plus 2020, Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen), and Fire HD 10 Plus. It also explains when you need to use the adoptable storage option.

The guide also shows you how to use the micro SD card as internal storage, and how to manage the SD card on Fire HD 10 (9th,11th Gen), Fire HD 8 (8th,10th, 12th Gen), Fire 7 (9th,12th Gen), and Fire Max 11 (13th Gen).

What is the new option of using the Micro SD card on the Fire tablet?

In addition to using the SD card as external storage, you can now use a micro SD card as internal storage (adoptable storage) on Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen), Fire HD 2020 (10th Gen), Fire HD 8 Plus (2020), Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen), and Fire Max 11 (13th Gen).… Read the rest

Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen): everything you need to know

Last updated on: November 3, 2023, first published on: November 23, 2019 18 Comments

Fire HD10 2019 (Fire HD 9th Gen) is an updated model for Fire HD 10 2017 (7th Gen). It is a significant update with some new features and improvements and at the same affordable price.

As Amazon stopped the Fire HDX series of tablets, Fire HD 10 is the “flagship” tablet from Amazon. And Amazon now refreshes the tablet every two years. Fire HD 10 and Fire 7 were updated from 7th Gen to the 9th Gen in 2019. Update: Amazon Fire Max 11 is now the “flagship”.

This Fire tablet buying guide explains everything you need to know about Fire HD 10 9th Gen: the new features, pros and cons (review) of Fire HD 10 2019, alternatives to this tablet, and answers to questions you may have about this tablet.

Please note, the successor of Fire HD 10 2019 is Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen). You can find the updated features here.

Top 9 new features of Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen)

The 9th Gen of Fire HD 10 looks similar to the previous 7th gen Fire HD 10. Actually, the ports, buttons, cameras, and speakers are located almost in identical locations. The dimensions are also almost identical.

But don't be fooled by the look. There are some excellent new features. Here are the top 9 new features (compared to Fire HD 10 2017).

USB-C port

Finally, Amazon ditched the vintage micro USB port with the future-proof USB-C port on Fire HD 10 9th Gen.

The USB-C port offers numerous advantages. For example:

The connector is symmetric. You can easily insert the cable into the port without turning on the light.
More protocols can be supported.

… Read the rest

How to install Google Play Store on Amazon Fire Tablet: Fire 6, Fire 7, Fire HD 8, Fire HD 10, and Fire Max 11?

Last updated on: December 29, 2024, first published on: December 9, 2018 157 Comments

install Google Play Store on Amazon Fire Tablet: Fire HD 7, Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10

Google Play store is the store for Android devices. Although the Amazon Appstore and the pre-installed Amazon apps are sufficient for some owners, many users may need to install Google Play Store on Amazon tablets to get more value from their Fire 6, Fire 7, HD 8, HD 10, or Fire Max 11.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains the steps of installing the Google Play Store on an Amazon Fire tablet, and shows you how to download and install the 4 correct APK files.

This guide applies to all Amazon Fire tablets with Fire OS 5 or newer. So, you can follow this guide to install Google Play Store on Amazon Fire tablets, including Fire 6, Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10 from the 4th gen to the 13th gen, including the Kids edition, and Fire Max 11.

Why do I need to manually install Google Play Store on Amazon Fire tablet?

In a nutshell, the Amazon tablet is an Android tablet. Fire OS in Amazon tablets is based on Android.

In the past, Amazon tried very hard to make it difficult to install the Google Play store on the Fire tablet. But since Fire OS 5 (corresponds to Android Lollipop 5.1), Amazon apparently stopped the efforts.

But you should not expect Google Play store or any Google services on Amazon products: they are direct competitors on all fronts: Amazon Appstore vs. Google Play store, Amazon Fire TV vs. Google Chromecast, Amazon Echo vs. Google Home, Amazon Video vs. Google Play TV movies + YouTube Prime, Amazon Cloud vs. Google Cloud.

The relationship between Google and Amazon is so intense that Amazon once barred Google Chromecast and Google Home in the platform.… Read the rest

How to setup a Google account on Amazon Fire tablet?

Last updated on: October 13, 2022, first published on: March 31, 2015 146 Comments

Update (2018):

For Fire Tablet 4th gen to 8th gen (Fire HD 7, Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10), you may check this guide to find out how to install Google Play Store directly on the tablet.

Some links to APK files in this post were broken. Please use this guide if you want to install the Google Play store or use any Google services on your Amazon Fire tablet.

Update (2016): What works and what doesn't when set up a Google account on Amazon Fire tablet?

1. For Fire tablet 5th generation (Settings–Device options –Device model)

If you have own the current generation (5th) of Fire tablet, you can use Google Play store as well. Just install the 4APK files, and run one ADB command. Everything should work, including the Google Play store. You can update Play services and all apps through the Play store.

For Chromecast users, screencast (screen mirroring) also works!!

Yes, the $50 fire tablet can run Google Play store and almost all Google apps without issues.

2. For all previous generations of Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, and Kindle Fire HDX tablets

Almost all Google apps except Google Play store, work on all previous generations of Kindle Fire tablets. This is very likely blocked by Amazon. But you can install Google apps APK files directly. GMail, YouTube,… almost all Google apps should work after you install the 4 APK files and run one ADB command.

In this case, although Google Play store does not work on these tablets, you still need to install it because some other Google apps require it.

Because you cannot update Google Play services through the Play store, you need manually install the latest version of Play services using APK files.… Read the rest

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