How to Install IPTV on Firestick

The Amazon Firestick is the most popular device our UK customers use, mostly because it plugs into any TV with an HDMI port and costs very little. Amazon does not carry most IPTV players in its official store, so the app has to be side-loaded. That sounds technical, but it is really just three screens of settings and one download. The whole thing takes about ten minutes.

This guide covers every Firestick model still in use – the basic Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K, the 4K Max and the Fire TV Cube. The steps are identical on all of them; only the speed of the menus differs.

What you need before you start

• A Firestick already set up and connected to your Wi-Fi.
• Your subscription details. When you order from B1G IPTV we send you three things on WhatsApp: a username, a password and a server URL. Some people call this an Xtream Codes login.
• A stable internet connection. For HD you want at least 15 Mbps; for 4K channels aim for 25 Mbps or more.

Step 1 – Allow apps from unknown sources

Fire OS blocks anything that did not come from Amazon's own store until you tell it otherwise. This setting is per-app, so turning it on only affects the app you choose.

1. From the Fire TV home screen, move to the top row and open Settings (the gear icon).
2. Scroll right to My Fire TV and open it. On some older models this is called Device.
3. Select Developer Options.
4. Turn on Apps from Unknown Sources and confirm with Turn On.

If you cannot see Developer Options at all, go back to My Fire TV → About, highlight Fire TV Stick and press the select button seven times. A message saying "You are now a developer" appears and the menu unlocks.

Step 2 – Install the Downloader app

Downloader is a free, officially listed Amazon app. It exists so you can fetch files that are not in the store.

1. Go back to the home screen and select the search (magnifying glass) icon.
2. Type Downloader and choose it from the results – the icon is an orange circle with a white arrow.
3. Select Get or Download and wait for it to install.
4. Open Downloader once and accept the permission prompt asking for access to files.

Now return to Settings → My Fire TV → Developer Options → Apps from Unknown Sources and make sure Downloader is switched on in the list. On newer Fire OS versions this permission is granted per-app rather than globally, and missing it is the single most common reason the next step fails.

Step 3 – Install IPTV Smarters Pro

IPTV Smarters Pro is the player we recommend for Firestick. It handles live TV, catch-up, movies and series in one interface, and it supports the Xtream Codes login we issue.

1. Open Downloader. The cursor sits in a URL box.
2. Type the download address we send with your subscription. It is short – usually something like iptvsmarters.com/smarters.apk. Message us on WhatsApp if you no longer have it.
3. Press Go. The APK downloads – it is around 30 MB.
4. When the installer screen appears, select Install, then Done.
5. Downloader will offer to delete the APK file. Choose Delete twice – the app is already installed and the file just wastes space on a device that has very little.

Step 4 – Log in with your details

1. Open IPTV Smarters Pro from your apps list. Hold the home button and pick it from the recent apps row if you cannot find it.
2. Accept the terms screen.
3. Choose Login with Xtream Codes API.
4. Fill in the three fields:

   Field	What to enter
   Any name	Anything you like, e.g. "Living room" – it is only a label
   Username	The username we sent you
   Password	The password we sent you
   Server URL	The full address including http:// and the port number

5. Select Add User.

The app now pulls down the channel list and the programme guide. On a first login this takes one to three minutes and the screen may look frozen – leave it alone until it finishes. After that, opening the app takes a couple of seconds.

Using an M3U link instead

If you were given a single long web address ending in .m3u or .m3u8 rather than a username and password, choose Load Your Playlist or File/URL on the login screen instead, give it a name and paste the link.

Xtream Codes login is the better option when you have the choice. It loads the EPG properly, keeps your favourites and remembers where you were in a film or series. An M3U playlist is a flat list with none of that.

Common Firestick problems and fixes

"App not installed" when the APK finishes downloading

Almost always the per-app unknown-sources permission. Go to Settings → My Fire TV → Developer Options → Apps from Unknown Sources and confirm Downloader is on. If an old copy of the same player is already installed, uninstall it first – Fire OS refuses to overwrite an app signed with a different key.

Login fails or says "Invalid credentials"

Check the server URL carefully. It must include http:// at the front and the port number at the end, with no trailing slash and no spaces. The remote's on-screen keyboard adds a capital letter at the start of a field by default, and usernames are case sensitive.

Picture stutters on 4K channels but HD is fine

The Firestick is decoding more than it can handle over your connection. In IPTV Smarters go to Settings → Player Selection and switch to the hardware decoder, then test again. If it persists, use the HD version of the channel – on a 1080p television there is nothing to gain from the 4K feed.

Everything worked, then stopped after a few weeks

The basic Firestick has only 8 GB of storage and fills up with cached data. Go to Settings → Applications → Manage Installed Applications, pick your player and choose Clear Cache. Do not choose Clear Data unless you are happy to log in again.

Remote will not type the server address

Install the free Fire TV remote app on your phone and use the phone keyboard instead. It is far quicker and you make fewer mistakes with long URLs.

Firestick IPTV questions

Do I need a VPN?

Our service does not require one and works fine without. Some UK customers use a VPN because their internet provider throttles video traffic in the evening. If you do use one, pick a server in the UK – a distant server adds delay and can make channels slow to switch.

Will this slow down my Firestick?

A player app uses very little when it is not open. What does slow a Firestick down is having six of them installed at once. Pick one player, remove the rest.

Can I use the same subscription on my TV and my phone?

A standard connection allows one stream at a time. You can install the app on as many devices as you like, but only one can watch at any moment. If two people need to watch different channels, ask us about a multi-connection line.

Does it work on a Fire TV Cube?

Yes, and it is the best of the family for this – more memory, faster processor and wired Ethernet, which removes Wi-Fi from the equation entirely.