Downloader missing from Install unknown apps? Fire Unlock restores its permission on affected Fire OS devices — straight from your phone, with no computer.
Fire OS 7.7.1.6, 8 & 8.1.8.2 One payment: £9.99 Refunded if it fails
Simple setup
Unlock Downloader in three steps.
Built for affected Fire OS 7.7.1.6, Fire OS 8 and Fire OS 8.1.8.2 devices where Downloader no longer appears in Install unknown apps.
01
Prepare your Fire TV
Enable developer mode and ADB debugging
Open Settings, then My Fire TV and About. Select your device name seven times to reveal Developer options, then switch on ADB debugging so Fire Unlock can reach Downloader's permission.
▶Video tutorial coming soon
02
Connect from your phone
Connect Fire Unlock to your Fire TV
Open Settings, My Fire TV, About, then Network. Enter the IP address shown into Fire Unlock and tap Connect. Keep your phone and Fire TV on the same Wi-Fi.
▶Video tutorial coming soon
03
You are ready
Unlock Downloader
Choose Downloader, make the one-time £9.99 payment, then tap Unlock Downloader. Fire Unlock restores and checks the permission so Downloader can open and install downloaded files.
▶Video tutorial coming soon
Get Downloader installing again.
Download Fire Unlock, connect to your Fire TV and restore Downloader's missing permission.
Available on iPhone and Android
Need to unlock a different app? Submit a request from inside Fire Unlock and we will review it.
Questions & answers
Fire Unlock FAQs.
Why can Downloader not install apps on my Firestick?
On Fire OS 7 and 8 every app needs its own Install unknown apps permission before it can install anything. On many Fire TV Sticks Downloader does not appear in that settings list at all, so there is no switch you can turn on. Downloader can still fetch the file, but the install is refused. Fire Unlock grants Downloader that permission directly on the device — the switch the settings menu is not showing you.
Downloader is missing from Install unknown apps. Is my Firestick broken?
No. It is normal on newer Fire OS builds. The permission still exists on the device, Amazon just stopped listing every app in that screen. Fire Unlock sets the same permission the screen would have set, then reads it back from the Fire TV to confirm it took effect.
Which Fire OS versions are affected?
The reports we see cluster on Fire OS 7.7.1.6, Fire OS 8 and Fire OS 8.1.8.2. On those builds Downloader is missing from Settings, Applications, Install unknown apps, so there is no way to grant it permission from the remote. Check yours under Settings, My Fire TV, About. Fire Unlock also works on Fire OS 6 and earlier Fire OS 7 builds, where it sets the older global unknown sources switch instead.
Do I need a computer or ADB commands?
No. Everything happens from the Fire Unlock app on your iPhone or Android phone. The phone just has to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the Fire TV. You never see a terminal or type a command.
What do I need to do on the Fire TV first?
Two things, both one-off. Install the free Downloader app from the Amazon Appstore, then turn on ADB debugging in Settings, My Fire TV, Developer options. The first time Fire Unlock connects, the Fire TV asks you to approve the connection — tick Always allow and select OK.
Which Fire TV devices does Fire Unlock work with?
Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, 4K Max, Fire TV Cube and Amazon Fire TV smart TVs running Fire OS 6, 7 or 8. It does not work on newer Fire TV devices running Vega OS, because those do not run Android apps or offer the same developer connection.
How much does it cost?
£9.99 for one unlock. A single payment, not a subscription. If the unlock fails, the payment is refunded — you only pay for an unlock your Fire TV confirmed worked.
Is sideloading on a Firestick legal?
Changing a setting on a device you own is your decision to make, and the permission Fire Unlock grants is a standard Android setting that Amazon ships on the device. What you install afterwards is your responsibility — only install apps and content you have the right to use.
What if the app I am stuck on is not Downloader?
Tap Request inside the app. Tell us which app is giving you trouble, what is going wrong and an email address, and we will look at whether an unlock is possible for it.
Downloader.
