Certain Android applications are meant for touch devices and do not function properly on your remote-controlled Fire TV Stick device. This deprives the FireStick users of some good apps. The primary reason why you can’t use such applications is because they are not compatible with your Amazon FireStick remote. However, if there was a way you could use a mouse with FireStick, you could make some of these apps work.
You could get mouse pointer on your FireStick interface without connecting a physical mouse to it. All you need is the Mouse Toggle app. In this guide, we will learn to install the Mouse Toggle on FireStick. You can maneuver the mouse pointer using the navigation buttons on your remote. To click an object, just hover the pointer over it and press the Select button on the remote.
Mouse Toggle App for Fire TV Stick: Installation Guide
Let’s first set up our FireStick device so that it allows you to install the third-party apps. The Mouse Toggle app we are going to install is also a third-party app. Follow the steps below:
Step 1: Power on your FireStick device and open Settings from the home-screen (the Settings option is on the menu bar on the top of the screen)
Step 2: Navigate to Device and open it on the next screen
Step 3: Now open Developer Options
Step 4: See whether Apps from Unknown Sources is OFF or ON. If it is OFF, click it to turn it ON.
Step 5: A warning message pops up informing you about the risks of enabling Apps from Unknown Sources. Ignore this message. You are going to install Mouse Toggle app, which I have personally used. It is a safe app.
Click Turn on
Your FireStick will now install any third-party app. Let’s get started with Mouse Toggle.
Step 6: The very first thing you need is a side-loader app. FireStick does not permit direct browser download of the files. I recommend Downloader app. It is a very effective side-loading tool for FireStick. Install Downloader on FireStick and launch it. You can easily get this app from the Amazon Store
Step 7: The main-screen of Downloader looks like this. As you can see, the Home option on the left is already clicked. On the right, there is a field where you can enter the source URL from where Mouse Toggle will be downloaded.
Click this URL field
Step 8: Enter the following URL (as per your device) when you see the on-screen keyboard (look at the image below):
For Fire Stick Gen 1, Fire Stick Gen 2, Fire TV 1, Fire TV 2, Fire TV Cube – https://www.firesticktricks.com/mouse
For Fire TV 3 and Fire TV Edition – http://bit.ly/mousefire
Hit GO after entering the URL
Step 9: Allow the Downloader app to download the Mouse Toggle APK file. It may take a couple of minutes.
Step 10: The good thing about Downloader is that you don’t need to execute the downloaded APK manually. It runs the file and starts the installation automatically. You should now see the following prompt.
Click Install
Step 11: Now wait for the Mouse Toggle APK to install on the device
Step 12: You will get the confirmation of installation with the App Installed prompt that shows.
When you click Open here, you launch the Mouse Toggle app right away. But, we will run and use the app later.
First, click Done and return to the Downloader app. I will show you how to delete the Mouse Toggle APK you just downloaded. The APK files are not required after the installation. Let’s free up some space.
Step 13: Click Delete
Step 14: Click Delete one more time
You have successfully removed the APK file from FireStick.
How to Access and Use Mouse Toggle on FireStick
All the apps you install on FireStick can be accessed from the Your Apps & Channels section. Here is how you can get there:
- Press and hold the Home button on your FireStick remote for about 5 seconds
- When the menu screen appears, click Apps
- There you are in Your Apps & Channels
Now scroll down to the bottom using your remote where you will find the Mouse Toggle app. Remember that when you install an app its icon appears on the bottom in Your Apps & Channels. The other thing to note is that the recently installed apps do not appear on your FireStick home-screen.
To move any app to home-screen, select its icon in the Your Apps & Channels section and press the menu key on the remote. Now click Move and move the icon to one of the top rows.
Now I will show you how to use the Mouse Toggle.
First, in order for the Mouse Toggle app to work, ADB Debugging must be ON. Here is how you can turn it ON: FireStick Home screen > Settings > Device > Developer Options > ADB Debugging
Open the app from the Your Apps & Channels section. This is how the app looks like. There is only one screen.
Make sure Enable the mouse service option is on. If you would like the mouse service to run on the FireStick start-up, keep the second option turned on. I recommend keeping it on. Mouse Toggle is just a 2 MB app and keeping it on all the time does not affect the device performance.
When the mouse service is enabled, the Status at the bottom left of the screen should say started.
If the Status is stuck on starting then you may need to turn ADB Debugging OFF and back ON. You may click the ADB SETTINGS button within the application to turn it off and on.
That’s pretty much it about the interface. Let me now show you how to use mouse pointer with any application.
I will use Showbox HD as an example as this app cannot be navigated with the FireStick remote. Here is the Showbox HD home-screen:
As you see, there is the menu on the top-left corner. I can’t get to it without the mouse toggle. But, there is no mouse pointer on my TV screen yet. So, how do I bring it about?
To display the mouse pointer, all you need to do is quickly press the Play/Pause button on your Amazon FireStick remote twice.
I did that and manoeuvred the mouse pointer over the menu. Now I just need to press the Select button on the remote to click the menu.
The following menu appears. Now, I can use the mouse pointer to hover over and click any item I want on the menu.
I clicked Movies and I was redirected to the screen containing the list of the movies. Again, I can use the mouse pointer to open any movie I like.
Please also note that the mouse pointer disappears after a few seconds when left idle. Just press the Play/Pause button on the remote twice to bring it back.
How to Scroll Pages with the Mouse Toggle?
The first thing you need to do is bring up the Mouse Toggle cursor on the screen by pressing Play/Pause button on the remote twice.
Now, quickly press the following buttons on your remote one after the other in the same order:
- Play/Pause
- Down Navigation
The cursor will get bigger and faster and it will let you scroll pages.
Wrapping Up
Mouse Toggle allows you to use apps like Showbox on FireStick, which are otherwise incompatible. When the mouse pointer appears on the screen, you can move it around using the navigation button on the remote. You can reach out to the items within an incompatible app that the regular remote function cannot. Mouse Toggle is a lightweight app and I believe every FireStick user must have it.
Related:
How to Jailbreak FireStick
How to Reset Kodi on FireStick
How to install TeaTV on FireStick
How to install Morpheus TV on FireStick
How to install OneBox HD on FireStick
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Hi there..I have installed the mouse app…followed all the instructions…but when it comes to scrolling it doesn’t work …any ideas?
Hi Kevin, which FireStick version are you using Mouse Toggle app on?
Hi, no on a older firestick with Voice Control. Is the suggested app any good for that?
Hi Martyn, on the contrary, it works fine on older FireSticks with voice control like mine. Try to uninstall and reinstall the app and also switch ADB debugging off and on one more time. Let me know if this helps.
Is there a setting to increase the speed of the pointer?
Hi Jason, I so wish there was, but there isn’t that I know of. If I find something, I will certainly update the guide with the info.
No matter how many times I press Play/Pause the cursor will not appear. I have uninstalled and reinstalled, turned ADB Debugging off, on, off, on but nothing. I have 1.08 version working on another Firestick but the latest version just will not work. Is there any way of instaling an older version?
Hi Martyn, are you using it on the latest FireStick 4K? I have heard of some troubles with Mouse Toggle app on it. You will need to install an additional (paid) app on your Android or iOS mobile in order to start the mouse toggle on your FireStick 4K. Here are the links –
Android – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fluxii.android.mousetoggleforfiretv
iOS – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mouse-toggle-for-fire-tv/id1038810310
#We are not affiliated with any of these apps.
Stuck on starting and no amount of toggling is helping
The mouse works great for me, but I’m having trouble typing in words while to mouse is enabled. Is the ability to use the keyboard taken away with the mouse enabled?
Hi Deryl, yes the normal remote functions are suspended when you use Mouse Toggle. You can press the Play + Down keys on the remote to disable mouse and return to normal remote functions.
does this disable using the usb port?
Hi, FireStick doesn’t have a USB port. So, I am not sure if I understand your question correctly.
I have a 4k firestick, to add to my previuos comment.
Thanks for the app. I am stuck in starting mode. I have turned ADB debugging off and on many times. If I go to help website it says version. 1.1 is available but I am not getting an update needed on my app. Also, I used to be able to click on the ABD settings and go to it but I restarted my fire stick and now that buttom doesn’t work. Any help is welcome.
Hi, please try to uninstall and reinstall the mouse toggle app on your FireStick 4K.
You could go to ADB Settings from Settings > My Fire TV > Developer Options. Are you suggesting that you are not able to follow this path? Please let me know.
Yeah that’s what I did…it’s working now.
I have to use my phone Firestick app for another tv….and play/pause doesn’t work for that.
What’s plan B when Play/Pause 2wce method does nothing?
Hi, I just tested and it worked for me. Try to uninstall and reinstall the Mouse Toggle app. Also, go to FireStick Settings > Developer Options and turn on ADB Debugging. If it is already on, switch it off and turn it back on.
Thanks Patrick I already find it ?
Great 🙂
I just Installed it with those instructions and it’s working fine the only problem, does not do the scroll of pages, before I tried everything also the 1.12 that it’s the last, but does not works. I have a Firestick 4K….just bought it from Amazon.
Hi MacVille, there is a trick you can use that lets Mouse Toggle scroll the pages. Press the Play/Pause button on the remote twice to display the usual mouse cursor. Now, quickly press the Play/Pause button once followed by the down navigation button. You will see the cursor has grown bigger and also allows you to scroll the pages up and down.
To go back to the usual, smaller cursor, again press Play/Pause twice.
Does not matter from how many sources you try it still doesn’t work! Works on fire TV but can’t get it to work on fire stick 4k! It sucks!
There is still no reliable way to get it working on fire stick 4k
I totally agree with the statement “Mouse Toggle is a lightweight app and I believe every FireStick user must have it.” If you are using browser (Silk Browser) to access tv.youtube.com (YouTube TV) the Mouse Toggle app described must be used to access all of the thumbnails. Without the app you can only access the rows of thumbnails that are displayed on the first screen using the Fire Stick/ Fire TV remote control joystick.
With the Mouse Toggle app the “Fast Forward Button” on the Fire Stick/ Fire TV remote control is used to scroll down the page just like you do with a regular mouse scroll wheel. The “menu button” on the Fire Stick/ Fire TV remote control is used to scroll up the page.
The only drawback so far is the version V1.06 is not completely compatible with Fire Stick 4K (Fall 2018). The Mouse Toggle screen (see above for an example) stays in the “starting” mode despite turning ADB Debugging On and OFF as suggested.
I still am able to get the scroll up/down functionality which is really what I was after. You must toggle mouse modes by double clicking the Fire Stick/ Fire TV remote control PLAY button to access the other mouse cursor.
Thanks so much for this app!