Do you love using your Firestick device to watch amazing online content but are annoyed that you can’t surf the web at fast speeds? Amazon did a fantastic job designing the Firestick TV network and implementing lots of cool features and apps into it.
However, there is one aspect that Amazon’s developers didn’t think about too much. The downside of using Firestick TV is that you can’t install Google Chrome. This is the world’s most popular browser, and there is a good reason for that. Chrome offers access to a plethora of cool features that make surfing the web a more enjoyable experience.
Even though there are many browsers that you can install on your Firestick device, they are all decent apps. They do not excel at speed or provide users with useful features such as incognito mode, for example. If you search the Amazon Appstore, you will quickly find out that Google Chrome is not available for direct download. However, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way to install Google Chrome on Firestick.
If you are tired of the limited functionality and speed that native Firestick browsers offer, you have arrived at the right place. Today we will show you how to install Google Chrome on Firestick. The tricky part about this process is that you will have to sideload the APK version of Google Chrome on Firestick.
Don’t worry if you are not familiar with sideloading APK (Android Package Kit) files because we are here to help. We will present the installation guide in a step-by-step manner that is easy to follow. With that being said, let’s jump right into it.
Google Chrome on Firestick – What Does It Have to Offer?
If there is one thing that all Google Chrome fans can agree about, it has to be the fact that the browser is super-fast. You can find online information in an instant! As you can imagine, this feature is super useful to have if you are using a Firestick TV device.
You can find online entertainment faster, and the loading speed of videos will be significantly improved. However, speed is not the only benefit that you will receive by choosing to install Google Chrome on Firestick. Keep on reading to get an overview of the browser’s top features.
Most people don’t know this, but Chrome is built on an open-source Blink engine that is optimized to perfection. The engine is the one in charge of handling the web layout and rendering of web pages. As a result, Chrome is optimized better than all other browsers that are available to download and install from the Amazon Appstore.
The cool thing about the browser’s powerful Blink engine is that it can load web pages faster while also using less internet data and hardware resources. The Firestick device will not be overwhelmed if you open multiple tabs. To make things even better, you can run the browser in “Lite” mode, and the resources that it requires to run will be reduced by up to 50%.
The reason why so many Firestick TV users want to install Google Chrome on their devices is that it makes it possible for them to download all types of files. This is a super useful feature to have because you can download pictures, videos, movies, and many other types of content that you can enjoy while offline.
The only thing you require is a direct download link, and you can get any media or APK files. In fact, Google Chrome is equipped with a built-in download manager that allows users to control every step of the download process. This includes stopping the download whenever you want and restarting it with the simple press of a button.
Since Google Chrome is by more than three billion users to surf the web, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out that the developers are putting a high price on user security.
Therefore, they have implemented multiple layers of security that will keep you safe when browsing the web. A really popular feature that enhances user security is called Incognito mode. If you choose to use this mode, you can be sure that your online activity will not be tracked.
You will no longer have to delete browser history, cookies, or cache because this private information will not be saved when using Incognito mode.
Top 5 Google Chrome Features on Firestick
- Access to user-privacy features such as Incognito Mode;
- Voice search (much easier to use than typing in words with the remote);
- An optimized engine that uses less internet data and hardware resources;
- Users can open multiple tabs;
- Users can download media and other files (including APKs) as long as they have a download link.
How to Install Google Chrome on Firestick
As previously mentioned, Google Chrome is not available to download directly from the Amazon Appstore. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that Firestick users can’t access the browser and all the cool features that it offers. This is possible by sideloading the latest Chrome APK file on the device.
Follow the installation guide below, and you will have Google Chrome installed on Firestick in no time.
Enable Sideloading
The process of sideloading represents installing an app that is not available to download from an official source. This is the case for all APK files. On the bright side of things, enabling sideloading on Firestick is not a complicated process, and everyone can do it if they follow the steps featured below:
- Access the Settings menu on your Firestick device;
- Select the Device & Software option from the Settings menu. The option might be called Device or My Fire TV if you are running on older software.
You will now be redirected to a new Settings menu where you need to choose Developer options (shown in the picture below);
- Enable the Apps from Unknown Sources option that is featured in the developer options menu. A pop-up warning will show up. Simply select Turn On to disable the warning.
If you followed the steps featured above, this means that you have succeeded in enabling sideloading on your Firestick device. Now, let’s go ahead and check out how to download Google Chrome on Firestick.
Get Downloader from the Amazon Appstore
The next step in the installation process is to get an app called Downloader. Unlike Google Chrome, Downloader is available on the Amazon Appstore. Thanks to this, installing the app on Firestick doesn’t take longer than one minute. You just have to follow the guide below:
- Access the search bar on Firestick by clicking on the magnifier icon (located at the top of the menu bar);
- Use the search bar to find Downloader. You can type in the name by using the on-screen keyboard or via voice commands;
- A drop-down list of results will now show up. You need to scroll down to Apps & Games and select Downloader;
- After accessing the Downloader page on the Amazon Appstore, you only have to click on the Get/Download option (shown in the image below).
Download and Install the Latest Google Chrome APK File
The final step is to download the latest Google Chrome APK file and install it via Downloader. Luckily, there are many reliable APK providers that you can use to access the latest version of Google Chrome. Here is how you can get this done:
- Use your phone or PC to search for the latest Google Chrome APK file that is available on a trustworthy website;
- Launch Downloader on Firestick (you can access it directly from the Appstore or in the Your Apps & Channels menu that is available on the home screen);
- The first time you are using this app, you will have to give it access to your device’s storage. Select Allow so that you can download Google Chrome and other third-party apps later on;
- Select the input box featured on the right side of Downloader’s home page and add the download link for the APK file. Copy the link you found earlier here exactly as it is;
- Select the Go option featured right beneath the link;
- The Google Chrome APK file will begin downloading, and after it’s done, a pop-up installation window for the browser will appear. Here, you need to select Install.;
- After the installation process is finished, all you need to do is select Done.
Sidenote: Firestick devices are not known for having large storage spaces, so it would be best to delete the APK file after the installation is complete.
How to Use Google Chrome on Firestick
Since Google Chrome is not available as a native app for Firestick, you might think that the user interface is not adapted to the device, but this is not the truth.
Google Chrome will look and run just fine on Firestick. You can use the app without any problems if you are already familiar with the Android, iOS, or desktop versions of the browser. In case you are not, the interface is very user-friendly and intuitive.
The best thing that you can do now is to use the Mouse Toggle app instead of the Firestick TV remote. The reason behind this is that navigating the options in Google Chrome might prove to be a bit difficult if you are using the classic Firestick remote.
The Mouse Toggle app will create a virtual mouse cursor overlay and make it much easier to use Google Chrome on Firestick. In addition, after installing and setting up Mouse Toggle, you will be able to start or stop it just by pressing the Play/Pause button on the remote.
Conclusion
Even though installing Google Chrome is no “walk in the park” if you are not tech-savvy or have access to a detailed guide such as the one presented by us today, the effort is definitely worth it.
Google Chrome offers access to so many useful features that web surfing will be a much more amazing experience on Firestick. To top it all off, the browser can also download content for Firestick as long as users insert a direct download link.
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