UPDATE: As of 3/16/2018, Google had blocked uncertified devices from accessing the Play Store. See this post for a possible workaround to allow Google Play to run on your Fire.
With the new $150 Fire HD 10 tablet finally shipping, the first reviews of it are starting to pop up all over the place—and almost without exception, every review says that it’s a great tablet, but will unfortunately only let you install apps from Amazon’s store.
It makes me wonder just how much research any of those review writers ever bothered to do, given that restriction hasn’t actually been in effect for months now. As I noted in a previous post, it’s not only possible but easy to install the Play Store and Google’s applications to any tablet running a modern version of the Fire operating system. You don’t have to root it, you don’t have to hack it in any way. You have to change just one setting, then download some packages through the web browser. Update, Nov. 21, 2017: In addition, you need to bypass Amazon’s new witting or unwitting barrier against sideloaded apps—instructions here. One user, upon seeing the Install button grayed out, just tapped the home button and returned to the app installer screen. Try this quick method first.
Granted, the Fire doesn’t come from Amazon with the Google stuff pre-installed, but you would have thought that these reviewers could have spared a sentence or two to note that it can be added afterward with the greatest of ease. That could make a considerable difference in whether or not someone decides to buy the thing, after all.
So, just to make it perfectly clear, I’m going to run through the instructions one more time. These steps will work for the Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10.
Allow Apps from Unknown Sources
The first step is to go into “Settings,” either by using the “Settings” icon on the Fire’s home screen, or by swiping down from the top and tapping on “Settings” there. In “Settings,” scroll down and tap on “Security.” When this screen opens up, switch the “Apps from Unknown Sources” to “on,” as shown here. This will cause a warning message to pop up, which you can safely disregard (as long as you limit your non-Amazon downloads to the generally-trustworthy Play Store, at least).
Install the Google Packages
Now, open the Silk browser, and navigate to this article. Click the following links to download and install the following four software packages in this order:
If the page says there’s a newer version of the package available, don’t worry too much about it. If the newer version is compatible with your Fire, then your Fire will update to it on its own once you get the Play Store’s automatic update function going. If you want to check the newer versions anyway and see if one of them is compatible, scroll down to the list of packages at the bottom of the download page. But bear in mind, you need to make sure that the version you download is listed as being compatible with Android 5.1 Lollipop or earlier. Otherwise, it won’t work.
David Rothman, TeleRead’s owner, found that he had to stick to the older versions of the package—the one featured—to get the Google apps working.
Restart and Launch Google Play
Now all you need to do is power your Fire off, wait for a few seconds after it shuts down, and then restart it. Once it finishes booting up, launch the Google Play Store and follow the instructions there for logging into your Google account.
Not every app will be available in a Fire compatible version, and of those that are, not all of them will run properly (most notably, Gmail and Inbox don’t work right). But a surprising number of Android-only apps that aren’t available from Amazon will launch and run just fine.
And this makes any size of Fire a lot more than just a storefront on Amazon limited to only those apps Amazon wants to give you. You may still have to put up with the lock-screen ads (unless you pay Amazon or ask Amazon support to remove them), and won’t have access to some of the cool features from later versions of Amazon like screen splitting, but you’ll have an inexpensive tablet that is useful out of all proportion to its price for watching media, reading books, and doing other general Internet tasks.
@Chris: Yes, works fine on my 2017 Fire HD 10. I’ll see about updates of the Google Play Store and the apps there. I might need to mess with “allow apps from unknown sources” again. The new 10 is a great value for the money, by the way. I very much agree with the raves.
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I have been trying to help my friend install the Google play app on her new fire HD 10. When we get as far as clicking get on download other sources it will not go to the OK screen! So fusterating!
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Thank you for the instructions. My Fire 8 HD had been sitting in a drawer unused until I saw your post and decided to try it. It was easy to do and I am now really enjoying being able to have my Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Google Play books on the one device. I do not like traveling with my iPad but for the price have no worries tossing the Fire into my handbag. Thank you again.
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Our favorite GP only app is plants vs zombies v2, and now I have it working just fine, thank you, on my Kindle Fire 6 that I picked up off Woot for $30. Thanks.
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I am one of those reviewers…..
If we put the “how” in our review, or even recognize in the review there is a way to do it manually, Amazon will delete the entire review – right now, they are pre-reviewing all of the new HD10 reviews prior to letting them post vs. the normal automatic post. Your instructions are concise and easy to follow for all Fire users, thanks for posting!
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I’m talking about reviews on other websites, not on Amazon’s listing for the product.
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There is a problem parsing this package
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Then try an earlier version from the download page.
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I own a Fire 10. Yes, the earlier version from the download page will work on the 10 and, if need be, other Fires. Try Chris’s suggestion. Amazonized Android is behind times in Android terms. On the plus side, the newer stuff on the download page might bail us out when Amazon updates the OS.
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Great article,
It is good to know that the Amazon fire 8 has an easier way to install the google play store. This Amazon product is price, at a good price and the convenience of being able to load the google play store and services just made it, even more, valuable to shopping consumers. Achieving all desired function and features top line tablets have to offer.
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I have a Fire7. After downloading #1 Google Account Manager, I am able to open and scroll to “Next”, but when I click on “Install”, nothing happens. Any suggestions?
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Thank you David Rothman for the workarounds!
https://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-slates/new-amazon-fire-tablet-os-update-stops-you-from-sideloading-apps
I used Option #1 -when you get to the greyed out install page, put your Fire to sleep, then re-login. After installing all packages,I was able to launch the Google Play Store. Yeah!!!
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For me the install button is not clickable , i have the allow app from unknown sources set up up and developer options enabled.
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I was able to install this on my Fire HD 8 2 weeks ago, but now I’m also running into a grayed out ‘install’ button. This is on a brand new Fire HD 10 as well.
Did you ever figure it out? What am I doing wrong?
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I have the same problem.
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Sorry about your problem, Andrew, and apologies to you and others for this late reply. I’ve alerted Chris Meadows to see if there’s a solution. Meanwhile I assume that the second time around, you installed the existing version of the package rather than following the update links. I myself installed the upgrade successfully on both my new Fire 8 and a new Fire 10. I’d hope that Amazon wouldn’t have changed anything and created an extra hassle. If so, one solution might be to try the updated upgrade package.
Update, 8:49 a.m. EST: Amazon apparently has created a new hassle, getting in the way of sideloaded apps. But this could be a possible workaround:
https://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-slates/new-amazon-fire-tablet-os-update-stops-you-from-sideloading-apps
Let us know if this works.
Thanks,
David
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btw I have a fire 10 with Alexa hands free
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Loved finding this work around. The sleep option worked great for me.
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Reblogged this on Crawfordgold's Blog.
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I am able to install Google play and apps from GP, but apps icon doesn’t show on home screen, any work around?
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I am having the same problem. Apps are downloaded but I need to search for them on the search bar. When I click on them in the recently used section O am given the option remove from home or uninstall. However they are not appearing on the home screen.
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Try this,
Settings > Apps & games > Manage all apps > Select “Running” then the three dots at the top right. “SHow cached processes”
Then Home Pages, hit Stop
See if that fixes it for you. This is what worked for me.
I have the newest HD10
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Same here, all worked great, but can’t see any way to get the app icons yo appear on the homepage…
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Everything downloaded great. Google Play appears on home screen but will not open. When clicked the home screen briefly flashed gray then returns to normal. Any thoughts? Fire 8 2017.
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I figured it out. Although the default version of Play Services installed correctly, I had to keep backing down until I got to version 11.7.45 before Play Store opened. It works great now!
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Excellent article. Struggled to download the fist 2 components until your tip about using an older version. When I did this the downloads and installation worked first time. Thank you.
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