Are you the proud owner of an Amazon Firestick or Fire TV? This popular streaming device offers access to a vast world of entertainment. But with so many apps available, the default home screen can quickly turn into a disorganized mess.
Customizing your home screen by adding your favorite apps makes for a much better experience. You‘ll be able to directly access the apps you use daily, like Netflix, Hulu, VPNs, and more!
In this detailed guide, I‘ll show you how to easily add apps to your Firestick or Fire TV home screen. With just your remote, you can organize your apps exactly how you want them.
Trust me, taking the time to set up a customized home screen will make your Firestick way more convenient to use. Let‘s get started!
Why Add Apps to Your Firestick‘s Home Screen?
Before jumping into the how-to, you may be wondering…why bother customizing my home screen in the first place?
Here are some excellent reasons to add apps directly to your home page:
Easy access to your essential apps – You can pin your most used apps like Disney+, ESPN, HBO Max, and others right on the home screen for instant access instead of digging through menus.
Dedicate rows or sections to app types – Organize together media players, streaming services, music apps, etc. This makes finding what you need faster.
Reduce clutter – Remove little used apps from the home screen like pre-installed Amazon apps you don‘t want. A cleaner home screen is easier to navigate.
Boost performance – Having too many apps on the home page can slow things down. Stick to your daily essentials and hide lesser used apps.
Customization – Tailor the layout and spacing to your preferences for optimal app selection with your remote.
According to Emarketer, the Fire TV had a 34% market share of streaming media players as of 2021. With so many Firestick users, optimizing the experience is key!
How To Add Apps on Firestick/Fire TV Home Screen
Without further ado, here is the incredibly simple process to add apps directly to your home screen:
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While on the Firestick home screen, press and hold the round home button in the center of your remote for 3 seconds. This will bring up a sidebar menu.
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Select the "Apps" option to open your full apps library. This shows you all installed apps on your device.
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Use the remote directional arrows to highlight the app you want to add to the home screen. I recommend selecting apps you use frequently for streaming, music, VPNs, etc.
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With your desired app highlighted, press the menu button on the remote, denoted by three horizontal lines.
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In the side menu that pops up, select the "Move" option.
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Using the remote directional arrows again, move the app to your preferred location on the home screen. I like to group similar apps together in rows, but organize however you like!
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To add more apps, simply repeat the process. Mix and match your favorite apps and streaming services. Add accessories like VPNs to the first row for security.
Pro Tip: You can remove home screen apps anytime as well. Just highlight the app you want gone, press the menu button, and select "Remove from home" to delete it.
Optimizing Your Firestick Home Screen Layout
When customizing your home screen, keep these tips in mind:
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Put your most used apps near the top for convenience.
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Group similar apps together – keep media players together, video streaming apps, music apps, etc.
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Only keep essential apps on the home page. Limit it to 6-8 apps max to avoid slowdowns.
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Delete pre-loaded apps you don‘t use to declutter, like Amazon Music.
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Allow enough space between app icons for easy selection with the remote.
Pay attention to how much you use certain apps and categories to make your customization really work for your needs!
Keeping only your most essential apps on the home page keeps things clean while giving you quick access to what you need. Hiding unused apps reduces clutter.
FAQ About Adding Apps on Firestick
Here are answers to some common questions about customizing your home screen:
How many apps should you pin to the home screen?
I recommend 6-8 max. Too many apps running in the background can slow things down. Keep lesser used apps in the full apps menu.
Does adding apps to the home screen affect performance?
It can if you add too many. More than 8 apps may cause lagging, buffering, and other issues. Stick to your daily essentials.
Where should you put key apps on the home screen?
Add key apps like VPNs and streaming services near the top for easy access. Group apps you use together like media players and games.
Can you rearrange home screen apps after adding them?
Absolutely! Use the steps above to move home screen apps around whenever needed. Organize them however best suits your usage.
How do you remove unwanted apps from the home screen?
Just highlight the app you want gone, press the menu button on your remote, and select "Remove from home" to delete it.
Enjoy Your Customized Firestick Home Screen!
And that‘s all it takes to arrange your Firestick or Fire TV home screen with your favorite apps for fast access!
Take a few minutes to add, organize and remove apps to perfectly fit your needs. Keep your daily essentials on the home page while hiding rarely used apps in the full apps menu.
Placing your most-used streaming, music and utility apps within easy reach makes enjoying your Firestick that much better. No more digging through menus to find what you want!
So give your Firestick home screen a personalized makeover today. Having customized quick access to the apps you love will make your Fire TV experience smooth, convenient and optimized.
