Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Discord is not officially available on Amazon’s App Store, but it can be sideloaded onto Fire TV Stick devices
- You’ll need to enable installation from unknown sources and use a third-party app store like Downloader or FileLinked to get Discord’s APK file
- Sideloading Discord may cause some issues as it’s not optimized for TV interfaces, but it’s still usable for voice/text chat
As an experienced tech writer and Discord user, I understand the desire to have the popular chat app available on all devices, including streaming sticks like Amazon’s Fire TV line. While Discord doesn’t have an official app listing on Amazon’s App Store, there are ways to sideload and install the Android version onto Fire TV Stick devices. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps required.
Enabling Installation from Unknown Sources
Before you can sideload any app on a Fire TV Stick, you need to allow installation from sources outside of Amazon’s official app store. Here’s how:
- From the Fire TV home screen, go to Settings > My Fire TV
- Select Developer Options
- Turn on Apps from Unknown Sources and ADB Debugging
- Confirm the prompts about security risks
With unknown sources enabled, your Fire TV can now install apps from third-party sources.
Getting the Discord APK File
Since Discord isn’t on Amazon’s App Store, you’ll need to obtain the Android app installation file (APK) from another source. Two popular options are the Downloader and FileLinked apps:
Using Downloader
- Install the Downloader app from Amazon’s App Store
- Open Downloader and use the URL box to navigate to a trusted APK mirror site like https://apkmirror.com
- Search for “Discord” and download the latest version’s APK file
- The Downloader app will prompt you to install Discord when the download finishes
Using FileLinked
- Install the FileLinked app store from Amazon’s App Store
- Open FileLinked and search for “Discord”
- Select the official Discord listing and download the APK
- After downloading, use FileLinked or a file manager app to install the APK
No matter which method you use, be sure to only download Discord’s APK from trusted sources to avoid any malware.
Installing and Using Discord
Once you’ve downloaded the Discord APK file, you can install it like any other Android app:
- Open the APK file with a file manager or the app you downloaded it with
- Select “Install” when prompted
- Wait for the installation to complete
Discord will now show up in your Fire TV’s app list and recent apps row. However, since it’s an Android app not optimized for TV interfaces, there may be some usability issues:
- The user interface may be small and difficult to navigate with a remote
- You may need to use a mouse toggle app or remote app to properly click small buttons
- Voice chat may have audio issues or require allowing microphone permissions
Despite these potential drawbacks, the core Discord experience of text/voice chat should still work on Fire TV Sticks. You can join servers, chat in channels, and potentially share your TV’s screen or audio if you have the right setup.
Keeping Discord Updated
One downside of sideloading apps is that you won’t get automatic updates from an official app store. To keep Discord up-to-date on your Fire TV, you’ll need to periodically check for new APK versions and manually install them, replacing the old app.
Sites like APKMirror are good sources for finding the latest Discord releases. You can set a calendar reminder to check for updates every few months.
Alternatively, some third-party app stores like the YALP Store (which needs to be separately sideloaded) can automatically update your sideloaded apps.
With some patience and willingness to deal with a few quirks, you can absolutely get Discord working on an Amazon Fire TV Stick. The ability to voice/text chat with friends while watching shows, gaming, or just having the TV on can be very convenient. Just be sure to only install Discord from trusted sources to protect your device.