Amazon Fire TV is a streaming device that also allows you to browse the web. With Fire TV, you can access your favorite websites, use Google and Bing search engines, access social media, and more.
In addition, you can access movies and other content on various streaming websites on the internet. However, just like on your mobile and laptop devices, you need a browser to access the web on your Fire TV.
Some of the browsers you can use for Fire TV include Opera, TV Bro, Glance Browser and others. However the best browser for Fire TV is Amazon Silk. This is simply because Amazon Silk is the native application, and easiest to launch.
Let’s find out more about these browsers.
Best Browsers For Fire TV
1. Amazon Silk
When you launch your Fire TV, you’ll find the Amazon Silk browser among the pre-installed apps. It’s a built-in browser from Amazon for Fire TV, Fire Tablet, and Echo Show, among other devices.
As a built-in browser, Silk is optimized to work with Fire TV. Hence, it’s the overall best browser for a streaming device.
Amazon Silk works like any other popular browser. It lets you access the internet to search content, browse websites, and find trending videos. You can also access social platforms.
Many Fire TV users attest that the Amazon Silk browser is easy to use. Also, the friendly user interface and voice recognition are notable. Since Fire TV is an Amazon device, you can easily say, “Alexa, open Amazon Silk” to launch the browser.
It’s possible to browse anonymously with Amazon Silk using the private browsing mode. In addition, you can locally save account details for quick login and bookmark websites for quick access.
Note that since Amazon Silk is a pre-installed app, you cannot uninstall it from your Fire TV.
Explore: Best Browsers For Android TV
2. Opera
Opera is one of the fastest browsers for mobile devices. You can enjoy a similar browsing speed when you opt for the browser on your Fire TV. In addition, you enjoy privacy and security.
You’ll appreciate the clean and intuitive interface of the browser at the first launch. But the free VPN is always one of the best features of the Opera browser.
This free VPN allows you to surf the web anonymously and unblock geo-restricted websites. The VPN is also secure, so no one spies on your data.
Furthermore, the Opera browser comes with an ad blocker. The ad blocker is one of the main reasons the browser is fast, as web pages will load faster without too many ads.
The browser also comes with a cookie-dialogue blocker and tracker blocker – all of these work to ensure no third-party accesses your data.
One of the unique security features you get with the Opera browser is crypto-jacking protection. It helps prevent others from using your device to mine cryptocurrencies without your authorization.
In general, Opera is recommended for Fire TV if you also use the browser on your other devices.
Also Read: Opera GX vs Firefox
3. TV Bro
TV Bro is an exclusive browser for smart TVs. Many Fire TV users on Reddit confirm it’s one of the best FireTV browsers available. So far, the app has over 100,000 downloads, which proves its reliability.
The problem most Fire TV users have with other browsers, excluding Silk, is support for the TV remote. With TV Bro, you don’t have to deal with this problem as the browser has native support for smart TV remotes.
You can browse the web via multiple tabs, just like on your mobile and laptop devices. The browser also supports bookmarks and shortcuts, keeping your favorite websites within reach.
Aside from the support for TV remotes, which makes the browser easy to use, TV Bro also has voice search support. Rather than type what you want to search or browse, you can simply say it.
Perhaps the best feature you get with this browser is the option to switch user agents. In other words, you can browse using different browser details. This is an advantage if multiple people need to browse via Fire TV.
Another commendable feature is the support for the Android web rendering engine. It is based on WebKit and Blink, which lets you browse relatively fast. Furthermore, TV Bro comes with a built-in download manager.
The browser is open source and is available on GitHub. Hence, you can contribute to its development if you can code.
Also Read: Best Browsers For Google TV
4. Glance Browser
Glance may not be a popular mobile or desktop browser, but it’s popular among Amazon Kindle Fire tablets. If you own a Fire TV, you can use it as well.
Notably, the Glance Browser is advertised as an alternative to Amazon Silk. The browser uses WebView, a browser engine that Google Chrome uses. As a result, it’s a relatively fast browser.
Also, the Glance Browser features an easy-to-use interface. It comes with a search widget, which you can access directly from the notification drawer. You’ll appreciate this widget, as it lets you reach search engines in seconds.
Some free web browsers for smart TVs come with ads, but Glance Browser doesn’t. So, you get a clean browsing experience, in addition to the fast speed.
Glance is a privacy-focused browser, which makes it a safe browser for Fire TV. The browser does not track your browsing activities or share your details with third parties. Likewise, it blocks others from tracking your data.
5. Kiwi Browser
Kiwi is a quiet browser that allows you to browse the internet without any inconveniences. It works with Fire TV, but you must install the Mouse Toggle app to use the browser.
The browser is chromium-based and runs on the latest version. Hence, it has one of the most intuitive interfaces you’ll find with a browser.
In addition, the homepage is fully customizable, which means you can pin your favorite websites and news feed.
Kiwi comes with an ad and pop-up blocker. It’s a free blocker, which you can activate from the browser’s settings. The advantage is that you can browse faster and without distractions without ads and pop-ups.
You also get cryptojacking protection with the Kiwi. In fact, the browser was one of the first to support the security mechanism to keep hackers away.
Similar to blocking ads and pop-ups, Kiwi lets you block notifications. You can choose the websites you want to send you notifications and block the others.
Many Fire TV users who use Kiwi to browse commend the browser’s support for add-ons. As a Chromium-based browser, you can install any extension and add-on from the Chrome Webstore. With this, you get more functionality.
Furthermore, with support for over sixty languages, Kiwi is a browser you can use almost anywhere.
6. Vivaldi
You can use Vivaldi on Amazon Fire TV by sideloading it. In addition, you’ll also need a Bluetooth mouse to navigate as it won’t work with the TV remote.
If you successfully install the browser, you’ll agree it’s one of the best browsers for Fire TV after the first use.
With Vivaldi, you can browse the internet the way you want. The browser has a toolbar editor with which you can customize what appears at the top bars. You have many tools to choose from, and more are added from time to time.
However, the main advantage of opting for Vivaldi is that the browser is particular about privacy. Vivaldi won’t track your browsing activities, and it also won’t let third parties track you. In addition, the browser has an ad blocker.
You can monitor your privacy statistics at all times. From the statistics, you can see the number of trackers prevented and ads blocked. You also get details on the websites where the trackers and ads came from.
Support for a toolbar editor means Vivaldi is a highly customizable browser. But that’s not all. The browser also lets you create themes using various colors, edge roundings, and wallpapers.
The themes are shareable, meaning you can send them to other Vivaldi users. Likewise, you can import themes from other users.
7. Puffin Browser
Puffin is a TV browser optimized for Android TVs. Thankfully, it also works on the Amazon Fire TV. It’s free to use, but you can opt for the premium Puffin 365 version.
Puffin is a relatively popular browser with over 150 million downloads. It gives you a unique experience with an interface different from any mobile or desktop browser. Interestingly, you can manage the browser from your mobile phone.
In particular, Puffin lets you share URLs from your phone to TV, and you can create web page channels. With support for mobile phone control, Puffin eliminates the trouble of navigating with the TV browser. Yet, you can use the Fire TV remote with the browser without issues.
A notable feature of the Puffin browser is the Chatbox, which lets you integrate Facebook Messenger. As a result, you can chat directly from the browser, which is rare among other Fire TV browsers.
As mentioned earlier, Puffin has a premium version – Puffin 365. The premium version costs $2 per month or $20 per year. But you can save money by opting for the family, business, or education plan.
With Puffin 365, you get faster speeds and advanced features like web filtering, file virus scanning, and web-based admin control.
8. Mozilla Firefox
Before now, it was possible to download the Mozilla Firefox browser from the Amazon app store. But Mozilla discontinued support for the Amazon streaming device in April 2021.
Nevertheless, many Fire TV users continue to use Firefox by sideloading it, and the browser continues to serve.
Firefox brings popular websites like YouTube and Pocket to your home screen, allowing you to visit them with a single click. You can also search and browse other websites, and you can navigate the browser with the Fire TV remote or mobile app.
Notably, Firefox for Fire TV supports Turbo Mode. When in Turbo Mode, the browser blocks all third-party trackers. The result is a faster and safer browsing experience.
Like with Firefox for mobile and desktop, you can save bookmarks and clear cookies and site data. Furthermore, the browser comes with voice support, which makes navigating a lot easier.
How To Sideload Browsers On Fire TV?
Most of the best browsers for Fire TV listed above require sideloading to work. Sideloading simply means downloading and installing applications from a third-party source rather than Amazon’s official app store.
There’s nothing wrong with sideloading web browsers from third-party sources, provided you trust these sources. The browsers listed above are from trusted sources, so you don’t have to worry.
It’s easy to sideload browsers on Fire TV. All you need is the Downloader app from AFTVnews. But by default, the app cannot install apps from third-party sources. You first must allow apps from unknown settings in your Fire TV settings.
Here’s what you should do:
- Navigate to Settings on your Fire TV.
- Select “My Fire TV” and select “About.”
- Select your Fire TV name, press the enter button on the remote seven times, and wait for the countdown to complete. This is a security feature from Amazon to keep the Developer Options hidden. Once the countdown is complete, Developer Options become visible.
- Return to “My Fire TV” and select the now-visible “Developer Options.”
- Select “Apps from unknown source” and select “Allow.” You can also turn on “ADB debugging” to install apps over wireless connections like WiFi.
With this, you’ve successfully allowed installation from third-party sources.
Next, navigate the Amazon App Store to download the AFTVnews Downloader app. You can simply search for the app and click “Install.”
With the Downloader app installed, you can start sideloading browsers. Here’s how to do it:
- Launch the Downloader app
- Enter the URL of the browser you want to download or the keyword to search
- Click on “Download,” on the browser app page
- Click on “Install” after the app finishes downloading
That’s all. The sideloaded app will appear in your app list like any other app.
Note that while the AFTVnews Downloader app is free, you can support the developers with small donations.
Also Read: Best IPTV For Firestick
Bottom Line
Listed above are the best browsers for Fire TV. Among all the entries, I will recommend Amazon Silk.
This is because it is the native Fire TV browser and the most convenient you can use on the streaming device. Amazon Silk enjoys a quasi-monopoly when it comes to browsing on Fire TV.
Nevertheless, you can try other best browsers like Opera and TV Bro listed above. If you don’t find the browsers in the Amazon App Store, you can sideload them using the instructions in the article.
