This tutorial will demonstrate how to restore or unhide the Developer Options on FireStick. I am using a FireStick 4K for demonstration. However, all FireStick and Fire TV devices have identical interfaces. Therefore, the steps will apply to FireStick 3rd Gen, Fire TV Cube, FireStick Lite, 4K, and 4K Max.
What is Developer Options?
Developer Options is a setting on Android devices that gives you access to several advanced features and tweaks. Most laypeople do not need Developer Options. Therefore, by default, it is hidden on most Android touch devices. You must unhide it through the Settings.
This was not the case with FireStick and Fire TV devices. The Developer Options came enabled by default up until the Fire OS version 7.2.8.5. Since the rolling out of this version, the Developer Options is no longer visible. You need to unhide it from the FireStick settings.
Attention FireStick Users: Read before you continue
Your government and ISP are probably monitoring your streaming activities. You will likely get into serious legal trouble if caught streaming copyrighted videos on your FireStick. Your IP address 181.214.196.230 is exposed to everyone. Therefore, I strongly recommend getting a trusted VPN for FireStick and hiding your online identity.
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Read: How to Install & Set up the best VPN on FireStick.
Why Do I Need Developer Options?
There are three reasons why you might need this option:
- You are a streamer looking to sideload the third-party apps on FireStick that are not available on the official Amazon Store. To sideload apps, you must enable installation from unknown sources. And to do that, you need to access Developer Options.
- You want to use an app, such as Mouse Toggle, that requires ADB Debugging turned on. You can’t enable ADB Debugging without Developer Options.
- You are a developer and want to design apps for FireStick.
Regardless of why you want it, the steps to unhide Developer Options are the same. So, let’s get started.
How to Unhide/Enable Developer Options on FireStick
Follow the quick steps below to get Developer Options back:
1. Highlight Settings on the FireStick home screen (the gear icon on the far right).
2. Open My Fire TV.
3. Now, this is the window where you would typically see the Developer Options. However, it’s not there. Therefore, it must be enabled. Click the option About.
4. Select your FireStick on the next window. For example, I have Fire TV Stick 4K.
5. Quickly click your FireStick 7 times you the following notification appears at the bottom of the screen: No need, you are already a developer.
6. Go back to Settings > My Fire TV. The Developer Options has been reinstated.
7. When you click the Developer Options, the two settings appear: ADB debugging and Install unknown apps (some devices may show Apps from Unknown Sources instead).
This is how you unhide or reveal the Developer Options.
Wrap Up
This post showed you how to unhide the Developer Options in the FireStick Settings. With Developer Options back on, you can sideload your favorite third-party apps. You may also enable ADB debugging. Did this method work for you? Let us know through the comments section below.
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