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Amazon Fire Tablet Setup Guide

Turn your Amazon Fire Tablet into a family organization display in under 15 minutes. Fire Tablets are the most affordable BYOD option, starting at just $80.

What You'll Need​

  • Hardware: Amazon Fire Tablet (see compatibility below)
  • Time: 15-20 minutes for initial setup
  • Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
  • Accessories: Power adapter (included with tablet), optional countertop stand

Compatibility Check​

Supported Models​

FamilyCast supports the following Fire Tablet models:

  • ✅ Fire HD 8 (2018 or newer)
  • ✅ Fire HD 10 (2017 or newer)
  • ✅ Fire 7 (2019 or newer)
  • ✅ Fire Max 11 (all models)

OS Requirements​

  • Fire OS 7.0 or newer required

How to Check Your Model​

  1. Go to Settings → Device Options → About Fire Tablet
  2. Look for Model and Fire OS Version
  3. Compare to the list above

Not Sure? Email us a photo of your tablet's About screen at [email protected] and we'll confirm compatibility.

Step 1: Initial Tablet Setup​

For Brand New Tablets​

  1. Power on your Fire Tablet
  2. Connect to WiFi - Select your network and enter password
  3. Sign in with Amazon account - Or choose "Skip" if you prefer

Amazon shows ads on the lock screen by default. You can disable these:

Option A: Pay Amazon $15 (one-time)

  1. Go to Settings → Apps & Notifications → Amazon Application Settings → Ads
  2. Tap Special Offers and follow prompts to pay $15

Option B: Contact Amazon Support (sometimes free)

  1. Chat with Amazon customer service
  2. Ask to remove "Special Offers" from your Fire Tablet
  3. They may remove it for free

Option C: Keep the ads - They won't interfere with FamilyCast in kiosk mode

Step 2: Download FamilyCast App​

Download the APK​

  1. Open Silk Browser on your Fire Tablet
  2. Navigate to: https://help.familycast.app/downloads
  3. Tap Download FamilyCast APK for Fire Tablets
  4. Wait for download to complete

Enable Installation from Unknown Apps​

Before you can install the FamilyCast app:

  1. Go to Settings → Security & Privacy
  2. Tap Install Unknown Apps
  3. Find Silk Browser in the list
  4. Toggle Allow from this source to ON

Why? Amazon doesn't allow third-party apps in their App Store, so we distribute via direct download.

Install the APK​

  1. Open Settings → Storage
  2. Tap Downloads folder
  3. Find FamilyCast.apk and tap it
  4. Tap Install
  5. Wait for installation to complete
  6. Tap Done (don't open yet)

Step 3: Configure Kiosk Mode​

Kiosk mode locks your Fire Tablet to the FamilyCast app, preventing accidental exits during normal use.

Enable Required Permissions​

  1. Go to Settings → Apps & Notifications → Manage All Applications
  2. Find FamilyCast in the list
  3. Tap Permissions
  4. Enable the following:
    • ✅ Display over other apps (REQUIRED)
    • ✅ Storage (REQUIRED)
    • ✅ Notifications (Optional)

Set FamilyCast as Default Launcher (Fire OS 7+)​

  1. Go to Settings → Apps & Notifications → Default Apps
  2. Tap Home app
  3. Select FamilyCast from the list

Troubleshooting: If you don't see this option, your Fire OS version may not support it. That's okay - the app will still work, you'll just need to launch it manually after reboots.

Disable Sleep Mode​

To keep your display always-on:

  1. Go to Settings → Display
  2. Tap Display Sleep
  3. Select Never

Power Tip: Keep your Fire Tablet plugged in 24/7 when using as a family display. The battery is designed to handle this.

Step 4: Launch FamilyCast​

First-Time Setup​

  1. Open the FamilyCast app from your app drawer (or it will auto-launch if you set it as default launcher)
  2. Sign in with your FamilyCast account email and password
  3. Select your display from the list (or create a new one)
  4. Allow permissions when prompted

Verify Kiosk Mode​

After signing in:

  1. Try pressing the Home button - You should stay in the FamilyCast app
  2. Try swiping down from the top - Notifications should be blocked
  3. Try pressing the Back button - You should stay in the FamilyCast app

If kiosk mode isn't working: Go back to Step 3 and verify all permissions are enabled.

Step 5: Optional Configuration​

Adjust Brightness​

  1. Swipe down from top to access Quick Settings (before enabling full kiosk mode)
  2. Adjust brightness slider to your preference
  3. Tip: For battery life, keep brightness at 50% or lower

Enable Auto-Start on Boot​

The FamilyCast app should auto-start when you power on your tablet if you set it as the default launcher. If not:

  1. Go to Settings → Apps & Notifications → Manage All Applications → FamilyCast
  2. Look for Auto-start or Autostart apps option
  3. Enable it

Note: This option location varies by Fire OS version.

Rotate Display​

If you're mounting your tablet vertically:

  1. Open FamilyCast app
  2. Go to Settings → Display Settings
  3. Select Portrait or Landscape
  4. Lock rotation

Troubleshooting​

App Won't Stay Open / Keeps Closing​

Solution:

  1. Verify "Display over other apps" permission is enabled
  2. Set FamilyCast as default launcher (Settings → Default Apps → Home app)
  3. Restart your tablet

Screen Keeps Sleeping​

Solution:

  1. Go to Settings → Display → Display Sleep
  2. Change to "Never"
  3. Make sure tablet is plugged in

Content Doesn't Load / Blank Screen​

Solution:

  1. Check WiFi connection (swipe down from top, tap WiFi icon)
  2. Verify your display is assigned content in the FamilyCast admin portal
  3. Restart the tablet
  4. If still blank, email [email protected] with your display ID

Can't Exit Kiosk Mode​

Solution:

  1. Press and hold the Power button for 10 seconds
  2. Tablet will force-restart
  3. When it boots up, go to Settings → Default Apps → Home app
  4. Change from FamilyCast to "Fire Launcher" (default)
  5. Make changes needed, then switch back to FamilyCast

Factory Reset (Last Resort)​

If you need to completely start over:

  1. Go to Settings → Device Options → Reset to Factory Defaults
  2. Confirm reset
  3. Tablet will erase all data and restart
  4. Start from Step 1 of this guide

Mounting Your Fire Tablet​

Countertop Stands:

  • Tablet stand with adjustable angle ($10-20 on Amazon)
  • Weighted base for stability
  • Perfect for kitchen counters and entryways

Wall Mounts:

  • VESA-compatible tablet wall mount ($15-30)
  • Adhesive wall mount (damage-free, $10-15)

Search for: "Fire HD [your model] wall mount" or "Fire HD [your model] stand" on Amazon

Mounting Tips​

  • ✅ Mount near a power outlet (Fire tablets need constant power for 24/7 use)
  • ✅ Use cable management clips to hide power cord
  • ✅ Consider viewing height (kitchen counter height works well)
  • ✅ Avoid direct sunlight (can overheat and damage screen)

Next Steps​

✅ Tablet is set up! Now configure your content:

  1. Upload Content - Add family photos, calendars, and more
  2. Create Layouts - Design how content appears
  3. Assign to Display - Push content to your Fire Tablet

Still Stuck?​

Get help:

Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm ET

Setup time: ~15 minutes | Difficulty: ⭐ Easy | Cost: $80-150 (tablet) + $10-50 (mount)