Connecting a Fire TV
Fire TV lets phones control it only after ADB debugging is on. It takes a minute, once.
- On the Fire TV, open Settings > My Fire TV > About (on older models Device or System). Select the device name (for example Fire TV Stick 4K) seven times until "You are now a developer" appears. Older models already show Developer Options. Some Fire TV smart TVs only allow this after you sign in to your Amazon account on the TV.
- Go back to Settings > My Fire TV > Developer Options and turn ADB debugging on. You don't need "Apps from Unknown Sources" or "USB debugging".
- Press Home on the Fire TV remote so the TV isn't asleep or showing the screensaver, then pick your Fire TV in the app.
- The TV asks "Allow USB debugging?". Tick Always allow from this computer and choose OK.
Without the tick, the Fire TV asks again every time the app connects. Newer Fire TVs (2023 and later) may also ask again after a week without using the app; just choose OK again.
Fire TV Stick 4K Select (Vega OS)
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select (2025) and the newest Fire TV sticks (Fire TV Stick 4K, 3rd gen and Fire TV Stick HD, 2026) run Amazon's new Vega OS, which has no ADB debugging. TVkip can't control them; use the remote that came with the stick or Amazon's Fire TV app. All other Fire TV sticks, Fire TV Cubes and Fire TV smart TVs work.
Can't connect?
- "Your TV blocked the remote" means ADB debugging is off. Turn it on (step 2); after a factory reset, check it again.
- No prompt on the TV? Press Home on the Fire TV remote: the prompt can't show behind the screensaver. Then tap Try Again.
- Turn ADB debugging off and on again, or restart the Fire TV (hold Select and Play/Pause for five seconds).
- Close other tools that use ADB (a computer running
adb connect, a home automation hub), then try again. - Make sure the Fire TV and your iPhone are on the same Wi-Fi.
Buttons, typing and volume
- Quick presses are grouped and sent together, because older Fire TVs need up to a second per command. Hold an arrow to scroll; hold OK or Home for the Fire TV's long-press menus.
- Typing works for letters, numbers and punctuation. Accented letters are typed without the accent (é becomes e). Other alphabets and emoji can't be typed this way.
- Volume: Fire TV sticks and Cubes pass the volume buttons to your TV over HDMI-CEC, so the buttons work but no level shows. If they don't change the TV's volume, turn on HDMI-CEC on your TV and Settings > Display & Sounds > HDMI CEC Device Control on the Fire TV, or use your TV's remote. Fire TV smart TVs show and set their own volume.
- Turn off puts a Fire TV stick to sleep; your TV may stay on.