Guides for Fire Tablet

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How to use Writing Assist on Fire Tablet?

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How to use Writing Assist on Fire Tablet?

Writing Assist is the most practical tool among the three generative AI features currently available on Fire tablets.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains what Writing Assist is, the available features of Writing Assist, and how to access and use these features to help your writing. The guide also explains how to use Writing Assist with a Bluetooth keyboard and the limitations of this AI tool.

You may check the other two AI features on Fire tablet in these two guides: Webpage Summaries and Wallpaper Creator.

What is the Writing Assist on Fire Tablet?

Amazon announced three generative AI features when Fire HD 8 2024 was released: Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator.

Writing Assist on Fire tablet is simply an AI-powered writing tool. It uses generative AI to help you improve your writing and offers various suggestions, including grammar, spelling, style, and even the tone of your writing. You can even get suggestions for making your writing tone more casual or professional. The feature is similar to Samsung's Writing Assistant (powered by Grammarly) but not comparable to Galaxy AI's Writing Assist, which offers many advanced features like Composer and auto-reply.

Writing Assist is integrated into the Fire tablet's keyboard in Fire OS 8. So, it works across all apps that require text input and you can access it whenever you use the keyboard.

You can even use it when you use a Bluetooth keyboard with your Fire tablet (read on).

List of Fire tablet models with Writing Assist

Currently, Writing Assist is available on Fire tablets with Fire OS 8 (excluding Fire 7 2022).

Here is the list of suppirted Fire tablets:

… Read the rest

How to Use Webpage Summaries on Your Fire Tablet?

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How to Use Webpage Summaries on Your Fire Tablet?

Among the three generative AI features available for Fire tablets, the Webpage Summaries feature stands out as the most widely accessible.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains what the Webpage Summaries feature is, how to use the Webpage Summaries on your Fire tablet, and its availability on Fire tablet models. FAQs related to this feature are also answered in the guide.

You may check other guides on how to use the other two generative AI features: Wallpaper Creator and Writing Assist.

What is the Webpage Summaries feature?

With the release of the Fire HD 8 2024, Amazon announced three generative AI features:

  • Webpage Summaries to help you quickly get essential info on a webpage with the Silk browser.
  • Wallpaper Creator to help you create some unique wallpapers for Fire tablets.
  • Writing Assist to help you improve your writing in many apps.

In a nutshell, the Webpage Summaries can help you summarize the key points of a webpage, especially for long articles. This can save you a lot of time because many articles are usually too long and wordy.

Because the summary is created with generative AI, occasionally, hallucinations may be spotted for some articles that are too hard to understand (e.g., too technical or not well-written).

Which Fire tablet supports Webpage Summaries?

Among the three generative AI features, the Webpage Summaries has the highest availability. It is available on Fire HD 8 (2018 or later), Fire HD 10 (2019 or later), and Fire Max 11 (2023):

Please note that generative AI features are currently unavailable on Fire 7, including Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen) and Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen).… Read the rest

How to use the fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11?

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fingerprint ID on Fire Max 1

Fire Max 11 is the first Amazon tablet with a fingerprint reader (embedded in the power button). You use the corresponding fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11 to unlock the tablet quickly. Some apps may also opt to use it in the future.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains what the fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11 is, its limitations, how to register your fingerprints for the fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11, and how to use it on Fire Max 11.

Fire Max 11 is also the first Fire tablet with active pen support. Please check this guide for using the active stylus on Fire Max 11 and this guide for using the Fire Max 11 keyboard case. The limitations and missing features of Amazon Fire Max 11 are discussed here.

What is fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11?

To save costs, Amazon did not add a fingerprint reader on all previous Fire tablets. Fire Max 11 is the first Fire tablet that comes with it, and Amazon simply named it Fingerprint ID in Fire OS 8.

The fingerprint reader (sensor) on Fire Max 11 is embedded into the power button. This means you can use the fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11 by simply putting your finger on the power button.

The capacitive fingerprint sensor is actually way better (user-friendly and faster) than the fancy under-display fingerprint reader found in many “flagship” devices like Galaxy S23 or Google Pixel 7 Pro. Very likely, it is also cheaper.

Theoretically, you can use fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11 to:

  1. Unlock the tablet.
  2. Authenticate yourself in apps that support fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11.

For the latter, it seems there are no apps supporting the fingerprint ID on Fire Max 11.… Read the rest

How to Use Dark Theme on Fire Tablets with Fire OS 8?

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Use Dark Theme on Fire Tablets with Fire OS 8

With the release of Fire OS 8 on the 12th Gen Fire 7 (Fire 7 2022), Fire HD 8 (Fire HD 8 2022), and Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen), Dark theme on Fire tablets is now available in these devices, and the Fire Max 11 (13th Gen).

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains the advantages of the Dark Theme on Fire tablets, the difference between the Night Mode, Blue Shed, and Dark Theme, how to turn on/off the Dark Theme on Fire tablets with Fire OS 8, and how to schedule Dark theme on Fire tablets.

Dark Theme was introduced in Fire OS 8. So, this guide applies to Amazon Fire tablets with Fire OS 8.

Why do you need the Dark Theme on Fire tablets?

Dark Theme, aka system-wide dark theme, was officially introduced in Android 10. It allows you to show content in a dark background on the screen.

Fire OS 8, which is based on Android 10, implemented the Dark Theme on Fire tablets without messing it up.

The advantages of using the Dark Theme include the following:

  • Reduce eye strain, especially in a low-light environment.
  • Make the screen more comfortable (arguable) for most users in most situations.
  • Improve visibility for users with low vision and those who are sensitive to bright light.
  • Reduce battery usage (therefore, increase battery life) if adaptive brightness is available and enabled.

Fire 7 (all generations) does not have a light sensor. Therefore, it will not benefit from the longer battery life when enabling the Dark Theme. Fire HD 8 (including Fire HD 8 Plus) and Fire HD 10 (including Fire HD 10 Plus) support adaptable brightness.… Read the rest

How to use Quick Settings on Fire tablets?

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use Quick Settings on Fire tablets

Quick Settings on Fire tablets lets you enable or disable some features instantly without going through the Settings app.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains what the Quick Settings on Fire tablets is, how to access the Quick Settings panel on a Fire tablet, the differences in Quick Settings among Fire OS 5, Fire OS 7, and Fire OS 8, and how to use and customize the Quick Setting buttons.

Although the illustration and screenshots are based on Fire OS 8, this guide applies to most Fire tablets, including Fire 7 (12th Gen), Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 8+ (12th Gen), Fire HD 8 2024 (12th Gen)Fire HD 10 2023 (13th Gen), and Fire Max 11(13th Gen).

What is Quick Settings on Fire tablets?

Quick Settings on Fire tablets is simply a special panel that lets you turn on/off some frequently used features without fiddling around the Settings.

For example, if you want to turn on (or off) Bluetooth on a Fire tablet without Quick Settings, you need 5 steps.

  1. Navigate to the Home screen (you may have to leave the app you are using).
  2. Locate the Settings app.
  3. Open the Settings app.
  4. Tap Connected devices.
  5. Tap Bluetooth

With Quick Settings on Fire tablets, it will take you two steps to turn on/off Bluetooth:

  1. Without leaving the app you are using, swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers.
  2. Tap the Bluetooth button.

So, it is a matter of “efficiency” if you can use Quick Settings on Fire tablets. The Quick Settings is even available when you are on the lock screen.

Like all other Android devices (although Amazon tried hard to hide “Android” in Fire tablets), all Fire tablets offer the Quick Settings feature.… Read the rest

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

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Android developer options give app developers a lot of options to test the app under various simulated conditions. You can also enable developer options on Amazon Fire tablets.

But for normal users, sometimes, you may also need some features that are under developer options. For example, when you need to 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, Fire HD, Kindle Fire HD, Fire HDX and Kindle Fire HDX.

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

Fire tablet settings to enable developer options

Step 2: Tap Serial Number Field  7 times

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

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

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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