5 things you can do with Fire TV without ads.

Most people never think of Fire TV beyond simply viewing it as a basic streaming device . But that's not the whole story. Fire TV is far more versatile, and with the right apps and settings, it can become a smart display, a wireless screen mirroring device, a game console, and even a mini-PC for light web browsing.

The best part is, all of these features are built-in, so you don't need any complicated solutions or additional equipment. Once you find them, you'll start seeing your Fire TV in a completely different light.

Install an app that is not available on the Amazon Appstore.

Discover more apps beyond the built-in app store.

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Many people don't know this, but Fire TV devices are built on the Android operating system. This means you get all the flexibility of Android TV , including the ability to install apps from unofficial sources.

Although the Amazon App Store includes most popular apps like Netflix , YouTube , and Prime Video, it lacks many powerful and specialized options. With sideloading, you can bring those media players, browsers, tools, and custom launchers to your Fire TV.

Mirror your phone screen to the TV.

Hold your phone or laptop up to a large screen.

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To do this, you need to connect your Fire TV and your phone or computer to the same Wi-Fi network. Then, go to Settings > Display & Sounds and turn on Display mirroring .

Once complete, open the quick settings panel on your Android phone and select Screencast or Smart View . On Windows, look for the Connect to a wireless display option . If you have an iPhone, you'll need to use a third-party app like AirScreen to wirelessly project your screen.

Using Fire TV as a game console

Play games without buying new hardware.

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To begin, download the Xbox app to your Fire TV. Then, go to your TV's settings and turn on Game Mode . If possible, it's best to use a wired connection to avoid lag.

Once set up, you can play games directly on your TV anytime. You don't even need to download any games, so you can switch between popular titles without waiting.

Note that Xbox Cloud Gaming is only available on certain Fire TV models. If your Fire TV doesn't support it, you can still use Amazon Luna to play games in the cloud.

Turn your TV into a smart display.

Make TV useful even when you're not streaming.

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TVs are one of the devices that are often turned off more often than on. If you want to make your Fire TV useful even when you're not streaming or gaming, you can enable Ambient Experience . Essentially, it's a screen saver mode that displays beautiful images and your own photos from Amazon Photos.

However, what makes this mode useful is its widget support. You can add weather forecasts, calendars, news headlines, and even music widgets to this screen. Essentially, this turns your TV into a giant smart display. To add them, press the Menu button on your Fire TV remote and go to Ambient Preferences > Widgets at Start > Show .

Connect Bluetooth headphones, keyboards, and controllers.

Control Fire TV your way.

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The Fire TV's remote control is simple and convenient, but not ideal for browsing the web, entering account information, or even playing games. Fortunately, the Fire TV supports Bluetooth , meaning you can connect keyboards, mice, and even game controllers and use them to control your TV.

To add a Bluetooth device, go to Settings > Controllers & Bluetooth Devices > Other Bluetooth Devices > Add Bluetooth Device . Then, put your accessory into pairing mode and select it from the list.