Starting with software version 5.0.5.1, Amazon has started disabling FireStarter by name on the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. XDA member jkchr1s has done a great job figuring out the details of FireStarter’s removal and has released a clone app that currently works with the new software version. Here’s what you need to know about the new clone app, called FireStopper, and the proper way to cleanly switch to using it for the time being.

If your device is rooted…

If your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick is rooted, you can re-enable FireStarter by doing the following:

Connect to your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick via ADB. Enter ADB shell by running the command: adb shell Enter super user mode by running the command: su Enable FireStarter by running the command: pm enable de.belu.firestarter

If your device is not rooted…

FireStopper is the exact same app as FireStarter, just with a different package name so it bypasses the blacklist. jkchr1s, the creator of FireStopper, wants to make it clear that sphinx02, the creator of FireStarter, still gets all the credit and support for his great app. jkchr1s has no intention to continue developing FireStopper as a separate app. FireStopper is just being released to get FireStarter users back up and running while sphinx02 figures out what he wants to do with FireStarter.

Things to know about FireStopper

Amazon can easily ban this app too, without needing to push a new software update, so this may just be a temporary fix.

If the official FireStarter gets updated, FireStopper’s updater will install the new version of FireStarter alongside FireStopper, so you will then need to uninstall FireStopper.

HOME button double-press detection does not work. Double pressing the HOME button will open the Fire TV’s app section, which is a new feature added with software update 5.0.5.1.

HOME button single-press detection does work, but only through the ADB method. So you must force quit FireStopper, and toggle ADB debugging off and on, to make other ADB connections.

Your FireStarter settings will not be transferred over to FireStopper.

FireStopper only work on Fire OS 5.

How to switch from a disabled FireStarter to FireStopper

Uninstall the disabled FireStarter app by connecting to your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick via ADB and running the command adb uninstall de.belu.firestarter -or- uninstall FireStarter through ES File Explorer’s app section. Download FireStopper from here. Sideload FireStopper through any method you wish.

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