How to use a VPN on a Fire TV Stick

Streaming devices are important for pretty much everybody these days. Streaming is either where you get all of your TV from or just a lot of the best TV because of all that is offered in streaming services. You can’t watch hit shows like Severance, Stranger Things, The Bear, Reacher, and others without a streaming device or some sort.

If you have a smart TV, the software to stream may already be built into the television. This is true for Roku TVs with Roku OS, Samsung TVs with Tizen OS, LG TVs with LG WebOS, and Amazon Fire TVs with Fire OS. If you don’t have a smart TV and you use a device to turn it into a smart TV, there is a different set of circumstances. For one, you need to purchase that device, which can be a Google Chromecast, Apple TV 4K, Roku Streaming Stick, or Amazon Fire TV Stick.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick offers a ton to users with its easy-to-navigate operating system and simple integration with Prime Video. But if you want to take your security to the next level, you shouldn’t just be hooking your Fire TV Stick to your normal home Wi-Fi. Take the extra step and use a virtual private network (VPN) on your Fire TV Stick. Here’s how.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K can stream in 4K resolution. It offers millions of titles on a variety of streaming services. 

Why you should use a VPN on your Fire TV Stick

It’s all about privacy and unlocking content

If you haven’t used a VPN before, it offers a few perks when it comes to streaming. First off, it allows you to restrict access to your internet traffic by hiding your IP address when you’re using it. This will make it difficult for hackers to access your information, no matter where you’re searching the Internet from. It also hides your activity from your provider and encrypts your connection.

When it comes to streaming though, VPNs are used mostly to unlock content that may only be available in certain regions. For example, there are shows that only air in certain countries or movies that aren’t available in certain areas of the world yet. By using a VPN, you can circumvent these regulations and access content that may not be available to you where you currently are. Want to check out a show from Netflix Spain but you live in the US? Add a VPN with a Spanish server and you can do this.

Related

My smart TV wasn’t actually smart until I did this

Keep nosy third-party affiliates at bay by maximizing your TV’s privacy.

How to install a VPN on a Fire TV Stick

It’s important to find the right one

Pocket-lint / Amazon

Not all Fire TV Sticks work with VPNs. Some older versions may not be equipped to run the software needed. But many of the newer versions do, which is a big help for anyone looking to use one. Popular options include NordVPN, CyberGhost, Surfshark, IPVanish, ExpressVPN, Windscribe, and more.

Related

Picking the Fire TV Stick over Roku is easy, and not just because it’s cheaper

Both of these streaming devices get you the shows you want, but which one has the edge?

Once you’ve decided on a VPN for your Fire TV Stick and have created an account and signed up for a subscription to it, you need to set it up on your Fire TV Stick.

1. Turn on your TV and go to the Fire TV Stick.
2. On the Fire TV Stick, go to the Search bar.
3. Type in the VPN of your choice.
4. Download the app for that VPN.
5. Log into the VPN.
6. Connect to it.

This will set up your connection through the VPN, rather than through your router. This will keep your connection encrypted and your geographic location changed, based on where the VPN is set up. This will allow you access to the content that you may be looking for as well as protecting what you’re viewing on the Fire TV Stick. All it takes is choosing the right VPN for the content that you want to watch and making sure it has an app that’s available to download through the Fire TV Stick.