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The ultimate guide for installing the Google Play Store on Amazon Fire tablets

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Amazon’s Fire tablets are incredibly popular, mostly because they’re incredibly cheap. However, none of them come with access to the Google Play Store, which is how most Android devices download and install applications. Instead, Fire tablets come bundled with the Amazon Appstore, which has a much smaller library and lacks any Google-made apps and services. No YouTube, no Chrome, and so on.

The good news is that it’s not incredibly difficult to install the Play Store on a Fire tablet, and the whole process can take as little time as 10 minutes. This complete guide for installing the Play Store on Fire tablets has detailed instructions for every model produced since 2014, with added troubleshooting steps if you run into issues.

IMPORTANT INFO

  1. Remove your tablet’s microSD card if you have one installed. If you don’t, the Play Store and its required may be automatically installed to the microSD card, which can cause issues. You can put the card back in once you’re done.
  2. There is no way to manage a Fire tablet through Google Family Link, even after the Play Store is installed.
  3. Apps installed through the Play Store might not work with Amazon FreeTime app management. I haven’t personally tested this, but that’s what many people have reported in the comment section.
  4. Some apps hide themselves from the Play Store on Fire tablets, because Fire tablets are not SafetyNet-certified by Google (more info here). Netflix is one app that does this. For those applications, you can try finding them on the Amazon Appstore or downloading them on APKMirror.

Enable installation from unknown sources

The first step in this process is to enable apps to be installed from outside the Amazon Appstore. This allows you to open and install applications from downloaded APK files, which is how we’ll get the Play Store running.

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First, go to the main ‘Home’ page on your home screen and open the Settings app. If you just got your tablet, it’s probably near the bottom of the list. Then tap the ‘Security & Privacy category (older models might just say ‘Security’), find the switch for ‘Apps from Unknown Sources,’ and turn it on.

This process is slightly different on newer Fire tablets. If tapping ‘Apps from Unknown Sources’ brings up a list of apps, find the Documents app on the list and slide the switch to ON for ‘Allow from this source’.

Now you’re ready to download and install the APKs needed to get the Google Play Store running.

Install the Play Store

The next step is to download the proper APK files for the Play Store. You technically have to install four different applications Google Account Manager, Google Services Framework, Google Play Services, and finally the Google Play Store. The first three apps handle basic account services and add APIs, while the last app is the store itself.

Because different Fire tablets run different versions of Android with varying hardware, the exact APKs you have to install depend on what Fire tablet you have. If you’re not sure which model you have, open the Settings app again, tap on ‘Device Options & System’ (it might also just be called ‘Device Options’), and look at what is listed under ‘Device Model.

If you’re not already reading this on your Fire tablet, open the Silk web browser and type andp.lc/firetabletplay into the address bar to jump straight to this post.

For the Google Account Manager and Google Services Framework applications, find the appropriate links for your device from the table below, and tap the main ‘Download APK’ button on the linked page. Don’t open the downloaded files yet, we’ll do that later.

For these last two applications, click the link for your device, then select the version closest to the top of the list which doesn’t have “beta” in the name. Again, don’t open the files yet, just download them.

Now it’s time to install the apps. Find the Documents app on your tablet (it might also be called ‘Docs’) and open it. Then, find your device’s Downloads folder. For example, on the Fire HD 8, downloaded files can be found by tapping ‘Download’ in the side menu, or by selecting the ‘Local Storage’ tab and tapping the Download folder.

Finding downloaded APKs on a Fire HD 8

You should see all four APK files ⁠— if not, go back and see which one you missed (or just download all of them for good measure). Open the apps in the below order, and when the installation is complete, press ‘Done’ and not ‘Open’. Installing the apps out of order will cause the Play Store to not work. Also, if you have an SD card, make sure to take it out during these installations.

  1. com.google.gsf.login
  2. com.google.android.gsf
  3. com.google.android.gms
  4. com.android.vending

Once you have installed all four apps, hold down the power button, and tap ‘Restart’ to restart your tablet. Older tablets might only have the option to power off — if so, let the tablet shut down, then hold down on the power button to turn it back on.

Restart (or power off, and back on again) after you finish installing the Play Store.

After your Fire tablet has booted back up, open the new Play Store app from the home screen. From there, the Play Store should ask you to login with your Google account, and then finally allow you to download and install apps.

Fixes for common problems

If the Play Store or other Google apps aren’t working correctly, here are some fixes for common issues.

“This account already exists on your device”

If you get the error “This account already exists on your device” when signing into Chrome or another Google app, or if the app won’t detect your Google account at all, follow these steps:

  1. Completely close the app you’re having issues with (e.g. swipe it away in the Recents/multi-tasking screen).
  2. Open the Settings app, tap Apps & Permissions, then select ‘Manage all applications.’ These options might have different names, depending on your version of Fire OS.
  3. Find the app you’re having issues with in the list, tap on it, and select ‘Permissions’.
  4. Switch all available permissions to ‘On’. Enabling the Contacts permission alone did the trick in my testing, but you might as well enable everything for good measure.
  5. Open the app again.

In Chrome’s case, you also have to open the browser, tap on the Settings menu, and tap the ‘Continue as…’ blue button at the top of the screen.

Troubleshooting

If you’re having a different issue than the ones listed above, here are some generic troubleshooting tips.

Reboot your tablet

This might be obvious, but it’s a good step to take. Hold down the power button, tap the ‘Power Off’ option, and turn your tablet back on by holding down the power button again. Once it has booted back up, open the Play Store from the home screen and see if it works.

Clear app data

When I initially wrote this guide, I wasn’t able to sign into the Play Store until I cleared the app’s local data. This will essentially reset the Play Store app to its original state, and should fix most problems you might encounter.

Open the Settings app, select the ‘Apps & Notifications’ section (or whatever else has ‘Apps’ or ‘Applications’ in the name), and tap ‘Manage All Applications.’ Find the Play Store in the list of apps and tap it.

You have to perform two steps on this info screen. First, press the ‘Force Stop’ button to stop the Play Store from running. Then press the ‘Storage’ menu option and tap ‘Clear Data’. Now return to the Play Store app and see if it works.

If that didn’t help, follow the above steps again, but restart your tablet before trying to open the Play Store. If that didn’t work either, try force-stopping and clearing data for Google Play Services in addition to the Play Store.

Reset the tablet

If you still can’t get the Play Store to work, your best option is probably to factory-reset your tablet and try again. Make sure you don’t restore from a backup when you’re setting up the tablet again, unless the backup was made before you tried to install the Play Store.

Stuff to do afterwards

Congrats, your Fire tablet now has the Google Play Store! Pat yourself on the back. Now that the hard part is over, here are some things you should do or keep in mind.

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Apple announces Worldwide Developers Conference dates, in-person event – CityNews Toronto

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Apple has announced their annual developers conference will take place June 10 through June 14.

The big summer event will be live-streamed, but some select developers have been invited to attend in-person events at Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California, on June 10.

The company typically showcases their latest software and product updates — including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AppleTV and Vision Pro headset — during a keynote address on the first day.

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Contributing to a drop in Apple’s stock price this year is concern it lags behind Microsoft and Google in the push to develop products powered by artificial intelligence technology. While Apple tends to keep its product development close to the vest, CEO Tim Cook signaled at the company’s annual shareholder meeting in February that it has been making big investments in generative AI and plans to disclose more later this year.

The week-long conference will have opportunities for developers to connect with Apple designers and engineers to gain insight into new tools, frameworks and features, according to the company’s announcement.

The Associated Press

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iPhone 16 Rumors Point to Action Button and New, Vertical Camera Layout – CNET

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The upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are still months away from their expected launch this fall, but a new set of images published online may give us a better sense of their potential features. Among the revelations, the iPhone 16 may include an action button, similar to the one on last year’s iPhone 15 Pro, and it may have redesigned cameras in a vertical stack.

AppleInsider published a series of photos it says show dummy 3D prints of the upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro from an unnamed leaker. Aside from the action button and reworked cameras on the iPhone 16, AppleInsider also said its source found the iPhone 16 Pro to be “slightly larger” than its predecessor. Analysts had earlier said they expect the Pro model screens will grow somewhat.

Read more: iPhone 16: All the Major Rumors on Apple’s Next iPhone

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The new details suggest that a series of expected hardware updates are likely for this year’s new iPhones. Apple typically announces new iPhones around September, and the company tends to offer incremental upgrades to each new phone, introducing, over the period of several years, better cameras, screens and battery life, features that end up seeming like major upgrades when people get around to buying a new phone

Last year, Apple added a new titanium frame, action button and USB-C charging to its iPhone 15 Pro, which starts at $999. For its entry-level iPhone, Apple followed its well-worn strategy of trickling pro features down to the mainstream, adding the iPhone 14 Pro’s well-received Dynamic Island to the $799 iPhone 15, along with USB-C charging.

AppleInsider didn’t indicate whether its leaker had divined a reason for the iPhone 16’s shifted camera placements, but the two lenses will now reportedly be stacked one on top of the other, instead of diagonally. Apple has previously said it uses stacked lenses on the iPhone 15 Pro for spatial video capture, a key new technology the company highlighted as part of its $3,499 Apple Vision Pro headset, released in February.

Though AppleInsider’s leaks appear to confirm many previous rumors, not all renders and 3D prints are accurate, something the rumor blog notes itself in its report. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the veracity of the leaks.

Watch this: What Google Gemini AI on the iPhone Could Look Like

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I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

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Leaked iPhone 16 dummy units hint at larger sizes and new buttons

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The iPhone 15 Pro Max, with a 6.7-inch screen
(Image credit: Future)

We’re already counting down to the arrival of the iPhone 16 series – most probably sometime in September – and a leak showing dummy units of the upcoming phones has revealed a few of the changes we can expect to see later this year.

These dummy units are usually based on supply chain information, and have various business uses – like helping case manufacturers get their wares ready for new phones before they’re launched, for example. In this case, the images were posted to Chinese social network Weibo, as spotted by MacRumors.

Perhaps the most interesting reveal from these blocks of plastic and metal is that they show the previously rumored increase in size for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max displays – up to 6.3 inches (from 6.1 inches) and 6.9 inches (from 6.7 inches) respectively.

That’s not a huge jump of course, but it does mean more screen space for apps and media. The bezels are apparently shrinking down to accommodate the larger screens, which means the increase in the physical size of these handsets is only a slight one.

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On the button

iPhone 16 dummy units leak

The next iPhones might look a bit like this, but less blue (Image credit: Weibo)

Further reveals from this leak match up with what we’ve heard before: that all four models are going to get the Action button that replaced the Ring/Silent switch on the 2023 Pro models, as well as a brand-new Capture button for getting more creative with photos.

Also of note is the redesigned rear camera module that we think is coming to the back of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. The new vertical, pill-shaped look has been leaked already, but this is more evidence that it’s on the way – taking us back to a design that’s more reminiscent of the iPhone 12, which came out in 2020.

As always with such rumors, be somewhat cautious about reading too much into the look of these dummy units. That said, as more and more similar leaks pile up, it becomes more likely that they’re based on accurate information.

The next big Apple date for your calendar is WWDC 2024 – its Worldwide Developers Conference starts on June 10, at which time we should hear much more about what’s coming this year with iOS 18 and Apple’s other software platforms.

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Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

Leaked iPhone 16 dummy units hint at larger sizes and new buttons

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