In this article, we will learn to install the official YouTube and Youtube TV app on FireStick. The installation method works on all Fire TV lines of devices, including FireStick 4K, Fire TV Cube, and FireStick Lite.
YouTube FireStick app had to be removed from the Amazon Store due to the falling out between Google and Amazon earlier in 2018. However, the two digital giants have finally come to terms, and YouTube is now officially available via the Amazon Store. There is no denying that YouTube is an amazing media portal and seeing it back on FireStick makes me happy.
What makes me even happier is that the YouTube TV FireStick app is also officially available in the Amazon App Store. You can install and use the YouTube TV app on FireStick anywhere in the United States.
Even though you can jailbreak your FireStick to access unlimited free content with the help of Kodi Addons, YouTube is still one of the best and must-have apps for Fire Stick. So, let’s check out how to get it back.
Attention, FireStick Users!
Governments and ISPs constantly monitor your online activity, and accessing copyrighted content on your Fire TV Stick could lead to serious trouble. Currently, your IP is visible to everyone. I strongly recommend getting the best FireStick VPN to mask your IP address and securely stream your favorites.
I personally use ExpressVPN, the fastest and most secure VPN available. Not only is it easy to install on any device, it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, if you're not 100% satisfied, you can always get a refund. ExpressVPN is currently also offering a whopping 3 extra months free on their annual plan!
Read: How to Install and Use Best VPN for FireStick
How to Install Official YouTube on Amazon FireStick
IMPORTANT!!! If you have any unofficial, third-party version of YouTube on FireStick, make sure you UNINSTALL it first before installing this official version.
Pro Tip: Get a VPN for Fire Stick to bypass online surveillance, ISP throttling, and geo-blocking content on Netflix / YouTube.
As I said, the YouTube app is now official on FireStick, and you can install it quickly from the Amazon Store. Here are the steps:
1. Power up your FireStick and wait for the home window to load up
On the home window, select Search > Find in the middle menu bar
Or, if you have the old FireStick interface on the home window, go to the upper left corner and select the search option (the lens icon)
2. Now, type the name of the YouTube app
When the app appears in the search results, click it
3. Click the YouTube app from the list of the apps that appear on the following window
4. Click Get if this is the first time you are installing the app
If you have installed the app before, click Download
5. Wait while the app is downloaded and installed on your device. It may take a minute or a bit more
6. Click Open to run YouTube. You may run it later from Your Apps & Channels
Getting YouTube Fire Stick App Ready
Now that you have the app installed, you would like to start using it right away. Well, there are a few things we need to do to get the app ready to get you the YouTube videos on FireStick. It won’t take too long.
Bring the YouTube App Icon to the FireStick Homescreen
Go back to the FireStick home screen. You may not see the YouTube listed in your ‘Apps & Channels’ section (the second row). That’s alright! We can always access it from the Apps list.
You can also move the YouTube icon on the home screen. This is totally optional. But, having the app you frequently use on the home screen makes things a tad easier.
Here are steps to move the icon:
1. Hold down the Home button on your remote and select ‘Apps’ from the menu.
2. You must now see the list of all your installed apps
3. Newly installed apps are usually towards the bottom of the list. So, navigate to the bottom and select the YouTube app
4. Click the ‘Options’ button on your remote and select ‘Move’ from the popup that appears on the bottom right of the screen
5. Now, you can move the YouTube app icon wherever you want to. Move it anywhere in the top row so that it appears on your FireStick home screen
Press the ‘Select’ button to drop the icon and place it in the desired spot
Go back to the FireStick home screen, and you will see the YouTube app right there
Start Using YouTube!
When you run the app for the first time, the following SIGN IN window appears. Even though signing in is optional, I would still recommend you do it. It will unblock all the restricted content and let you see all your existing subscriptions, playlists, and history associated with your Google ID with which you are using YouTube.
You may also click Use YouTube signed out. You will still be able to watch plenty of content. If you decide to sign in later, you may go to the Accounts section in the left menu and follow the onscreen instructions to sign in.
Here is what you need to do should you choose to SIGN IN:
1. Go to the left menu on the YouTube home screen and click Sign In. Now, click Sign In on the right
2. On your computer or phone, go to youtube.com/activate
3. Enter the Sign in code. Sign in with your Google ID if you are not signed in already
How to Install YouTube TV on FireStick
YouTube TV is the Live TV segment of YouTube. It offers access to a range of satellite channels, including ESPN, Fox, CBS, and many more. The official arrival of YouTube TV on FireStick had been long-awaited. Finally, the wait is over, and YouTube TV is now an official app on the Amazon Store.
I will take you through the steps to install the official YouTube TV app on FireStick from the Amazon Store (Method 1 below). At the same time, I have also provided alternative methods to get this app (Method 2 and Method 3).
If you can install the YouTube TV FireStick app from the Amazon Store, there is no need to follow the alternative methods.
- Method 1 (Primary): Install official YouTube TV FireStick app via Amazon Store
- Method 2: Install a third-party Live YouTube TV app on FireStick
- Method 3: Access YouTube TV through a FireStick browser
Method 1 (Primary): Install YouTube TV on FireStick officially from Amazon Store
YouTube TV is now officially available on FireStick, and you can download it from the Amazon Store if you live in the United States. Live TV streaming through the YouTube TV app is not supported outside the US.
If you want to access YouTube TV outside the US, refer to the next section (Method 2)
Here are the steps to download YouTube TV on Fire TV from Amazon Store:
1. From the home screen of the FireStick/Fire TV, open the Search > Find option
If you are still using the old FireStick interface, navigate to the top-left corner and select the lens icon
2. Look up YouTube TV by typing in the name of the app. Click YouTube TV when it is displayed in the search results
3. Select the YouTube TV icon on the next window
4. Now, click Get if this is the first time you are downloading YouTube TV on your FireStick
If you have downloaded and installed the app before, click the Download option (which you will see in place of getting)
5. Wait while the YouTube TV app is downloaded
6. Click Open and run the app
You may also access the YouTube TV FireStick app later from the Your Apps & Channels section.
This is how you install YouTube TV on FireStick from the Amazon Store.
Highly recommended if streaming with free or low-cost services 👇
How to Stream on FireStick Anonymously
As soon as you install the right apps, your FireStick is all ready to stream your favorite content. However, before you start, I would like to warn you that everything you stream online is visible to your ISP and Government. This means, streaming free movies, TV shows, Sports might get you into legal trouble.
Thankfully, there is a foolproof way to keep all your streaming activities hidden from your ISP and the Government. All you need is a good VPN for Fire Stick. A VPN will mask your original IP which is and will help you bypass Online Surveillance, ISP throttling, and content geo-restrictions.
I personally use and recommend ExpressVPN, which is the fastest and most secure VPN. It is compatible with all kinds of streaming apps and is very easy to install on Fire TV / Stick.
We do not encourage the violation of copyright laws. But, what if you end up streaming content from an illegitimate source unintentionally? It is not always easy to tell the difference between a legit and illegal source.
So, before you start streaming on your Fire Stick / Fire TV, let’s see how to use ExpressVPN to keep your streaming activities hidden from prying eyes.
Step 1: Subscribe to ExpressVPN HERE. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Meaning, you can use it free for the first 30-days and if you are not satisfied with the performance (which is highly unlikely), you can ask for a full refund.
Step 2: Power ON your Fire TV Stick and go to Find followed by Search option.
Step 3: Now type “Expressvpn” (without quotes) in the search bar and select ExpressVPN when it shows up in the search results.
Step 4: Click Download to install the ExpressVPN app on Fire TV / Stick.
Step 5: Open the app and enter the login credentials that you created while buying the ExpressVPN subscription. Click Sign in.
Step 6: Click the Power icon to connect to a VPN server. That’s all. Your connection is now secure with the fastest and best VPN for FireStick.
You can also read more detailed info on using ExpressVPN with Fire TV / Stick.
Method 2: Install third-party Live YouTube TV app on FireStick
Note: This is a third-party app. It worked just as well as the original YouTube TV app when we tested it. However, we cannot guarantee that it will continue working. If you experience any troubles, let us know through the comments section below.
Note: You may skip this section if you have already installed YouTube TV on Amazon FireStick using the first method
If you want to download YouTube TV FireStick app outside the US, you can get this third-party APK. If you already have a YouTube TV subscription, you can use this app outside the US with a VPN. To subscribe to YouTube TV services, you will still need a US-issued Credit/Debit card or a Paypal account with a US profile.
The first thing you need is the Downloader app. With the Downloader app, you can easily sideload YouTube TV on FireStick. For detailed information, refer to our guide on how to install third-party apps on FireStick with Downloader.
Select Search > Find on the FireStick home screen (or the lens icon in the top-left corner on the old FireStick interface). Type in Downloader and install it on your device:
Once you have installed the Downloader app, follow the steps below to install and use YouTube TV on FireStick:
1. Access the FireStick Settings from the home screen
2. Now, select and open the option My Fire TV on the following screen
3. When you see this window, click Developer Options
4. Click Install Unknown Apps
On the old interface of FireStick, click and turn on Apps from Unknown Sources
5. Downloader should say ON
6. Open the Downloader app you just installed
If any prompts are displayed, get rid of them
7. Click the URL box
8. Enter the following URL when this popup onscreen keypad is displayed: https://www.firesticktricks.com/ytv
OR, in fact, you can also use the shorter version of the URL firesticktricks.com/ytv.
Note: The APK file is not hosted or distributed by FireStickTricks.com. The above URL redirects to mediafire.com, where the file is hosted.
9. Click GO
10. Wait for the YouTube TV APK to download
11. Click Install when this prompt is displayed after the YouTube TV APK has downloaded
12. When the YouTube TV app is installed, you could click OPEN and get started
I say we click DONE right now and delete the YouTube TV APK file. We will access the app later
13. If you clicked DONE above, click Delete on this prompt
14. Click the Delete option one more time
15. Now, exit the Downloader app and go back to the home screen of your FireStick
Hold down the Home button on your remote for about 5 seconds. Click Apps when the following window appears.
16. Navigate to the last row on this list of apps
Click YouTube TV app (displays ‘Live’ in the logo)
17. If you will rather have the app moved to the home screen of FireStick for quick and easy access, press the menu button on your Amazon Fire TV remote (the button that has 3 lines). Click Move in the popup window on your TV (bottom-right corner). Move and place the app in the first row on the top
18. Choose the desired resolution on the following screen
I am going with the default 1080p
19. Click Allow when this prompt is displayed
20. Click Sign In
Click TRY IT FREE if you don’t have an account and want to test the YouTube TV service.
21. On the following window, you will see an activation code
As per the instructions on your TV screen, go to tv.youtube.com/start on your computer or mobile
Sign in to your Google Account on which you have the YouTube TV subscription
Enter the code on the FireStick screen in your browser
Method 3: Access YouTube TV via a FireSick browser
You could also use the Silk Browser to access YouTube TV on FireStick. This browser comes preinstalled with FireStick. In case you uninstalled it, here is how you download the browser and tune in to YouTube TV:
1. From the FireStick home-screen select Search (lens icon) on the top-left corner
2. Type in ‘Silk Browser’ (without quotes)
3. Click ‘Silk Browser’ in the search results
4. Click the ‘Silk Browser’ icon on the next window
5. Click the ‘Download’ button to download and install the app
6. Open the Silk Browser and access https://tv.youtube.com/
Wrapping Up
So, this is how you get the official YouTube on Fire TV and FireStick devices. This app pairs directly with your YouTube account and brings all the YouTube videos you would care to watch, including all your subscriptions, playlists, and even browsing history. With the official app, you don’t need to install any third-party YouTube app alternatives anymore. Furthermore, you can now also install YouTube TV on FireStick from the Amazon Store.
Related:
- How to Install YouTube Kodi Addon
- How to Watch IPTV on Kodi
- SmartTubeNext- How to Install Ad-Free Youtube on FireStick
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