Fire TV · Android TV · Google TV Guide
What this guide does: Walks you through installing any app from the Simturax App Center on your Firestick using the Downloader app — from enabling sideloading to finding your new app on the home screen. Total time: about 4 minutes the first time, 30 seconds after that.
1 Prepare your Firestick for sideloading (one time only)
Before downloading any third-party app, Fire OS needs your permission to install files from outside the Amazon Appstore.
- Open Settings (the gear icon on the far right of the home screen).
- Select My Fire TV.
- Click Developer Options.
- Turn ON both ADB Debugging and Apps from Unknown Sources. On newer Fire OS versions, this reads as Install Unknown Apps and needs to be enabled specifically for the Downloader app (we install it in the next step).
💡 Don’t see Developer Options? Go to About → Fire TV Stick, then click the select button on your remote 7 times in a row until the message “You are now a developer” appears. Go back one screen — Developer Options is now visible.
2 Install the Downloader app (one time only)
Downloader is the tool that lets you type a short code instead of a long URL with a remote. It is available free in the Amazon Appstore.
- Return to the Firestick home screen.
- Click the Find / Search icon (the magnifying glass).
- Type Downloader and select the orange Downloader icon from the results.
- Click Download or Get, then wait for it to install.
- Open Downloader. When prompted, click Allow to grant storage access, and click OK to dismiss the quick-start guide.
3 Open the Simturax App Center
Downloader uses short numeric codes from the AFTVnews URL Shortener to open websites without typing long addresses. Enter the Simturax code once and it will land you on the App Center.
1 – Click into the main URL box in the middle of the Downloader screen.
2 – Type 9651857 and click Go.
3 – Wait 5 seconds for the built-in redirect to open the Simturax App Center page.
💜 Save this code. Write it down or bookmark this page. You will use it every time you want to install a new app from the App Center — no need to repeat steps 1 and 2.
4 Find your app in the App Center (use search — don’t scroll)
The App Center hosts hundreds of apps across multiple categories. Scrolling through every card with a D-pad is slow — use the search bar instead. It filters the entire catalog in real time as you type.
🔍 Search first — the fastest way to find any app
At the top of the App Center page, there is a large search bar. Click into it and type the first few letters of the app you want — for example, type stre for Stremio, or tiv for TiviMate. The app list filters instantly, leaving only matching cards on screen.
You do not need to type the full name. Three or four letters is usually enough to narrow hundreds of apps down to two or three results.
Other ways to narrow the list quickly:
- Tap a category tab — the App Center has filter pills along the top for Streaming Apps, IPTV Players, Utilities, VPN, and other categories. Tapping one hides everything outside that category.
- Use the 4-digit code shortcut — if you already know the short code for a specific app (shown on the card or in a tutorial), type it into the small code box at the very top of the App Center and press GO. It jumps straight to that app’s download page.
- Sort by recently updated — the sort dropdown near the search bar lets you order the list by newest version first, which is useful when you want the latest release of a popular app.
⚠️ Before you download any APK, check the security badge on the card. A green “Scanned” badge means the file has been verified on VirusTotal. Skip any app that has no scan badge or shows a red warning.
5 Download and install the APK
1 – On the app card, click the blue Download APK button.
Wait for the APK file to download to your Firestick. The progress bar appears in the Downloader app.
When the download finishes, the Firestick installer opens automatically. Click Install at the bottom right.
After the installation completes, click Done.
Downloader will ask if you want to delete the installation file. Click Delete, then Delete again — this frees up storage on your Firestick.
6 Locate your new app on the home screen
Newly installed apps do not appear automatically on your Firestick home bar. You have to find them once and then move them forward.
- Hold down the Home button on your Firestick remote for 3 seconds.
- Select Apps.
- Scroll to the very bottom of the list — your new app appears at the end.
- Optional: Press the Options button (three horizontal lines) on your remote and select Move to front. Your app will now appear on the main dashboard for quick access.
⭐ Pro tips that save time and storage
- Use the search bar every time. Even if you know exactly where an app lives in the categories, typing 3–4 letters is faster than scrolling. This is the single biggest time-saver in the App Center.
- Save the App Center code
9651857. Write it on a sticky note or bookmark this page. You will need it every time you want to install a new app — the code does not change. - Always delete the APK after installing. Downloader keeps the installation file on your device by default. Deleting it after install typically saves 20–80 MB per app on a device that often has less than 5 GB free.
- Check the security badge. Every app in the App Center is scanned on VirusTotal. If you ever install an app from another source, scan the file yourself before opening it.
- Re-verify older codes. If you have an old short code from a blog post or a YouTube video, verify it first — the app may have moved, been renamed, or been discontinued. Codes become stale within weeks.
- Free up space before installing large apps. Kodi with a heavy build, Plex, and Stremio with Debrid can each consume 1–2 GB. Run the Storage & Performance Diagnostic first if you are close to the limit.
Troubleshooting common issues
Downloader says “URL not found” or “connection error” after I click Download
This usually means the app’s direct download link has been retired by its developer, or the CDN has moved the file. Go back to the App Center and pick an alternative app in the same category. If the same app keeps failing across multiple devices, report it through the app card’s Details panel so it can be re-verified.
Firestick says “App not installed” or the installation fails silently
Three possible causes: (1) you are out of storage — delete unused apps or clear caches, then retry; (2) the APK targets a newer Android version than your Fire OS supports — check the Compatibility section on the app’s detail page; (3) a previous version of the same app is already installed with a different signing key. Uninstall the old version first, then reinstall.
I can’t find Developer Options in Settings
Fire OS hides Developer Options until you unlock it. Go to Settings → My Fire TV → About → Fire TV Stick and click the select button on your remote 7 times. A message appears saying “You are now a developer.” Back out one screen and Developer Options will be visible.
The App Center page loads but the search bar doesn’t work
The search bar requires JavaScript, which Downloader’s built-in browser supports. If the search field appears unresponsive, close Downloader completely (from the Firestick home screen, use Settings → Applications → Manage Installed Applications → Downloader → Force Stop) and reopen the App Center code.
My new app doesn’t show up on the home screen
Fire OS hides newly installed apps at the bottom of the Apps list on purpose. From the Firestick home screen, hold down the Home button for 3 seconds → select Apps → scroll to the bottom of the list. Your app is there. Use Move to front to pin it to the main dashboard.
Is it safe to install apps from the Simturax App Center?
Every app in the App Center is scanned on VirusTotal and shows a green “Scanned” badge on its card. The APK SHA-256 checksum is displayed in the app’s detail view, so advanced users can verify the file independently. As a general rule, only download apps from this App Center or from the developer’s official website — never from random Telegram groups or unverified YouTube links.