How to Install and Use NordVPN on Your Firestick in 2020
If you want to access geoblocked movies and TV shows on your Firestick, NordVPN is a great option. In this guide, learn how to install and use the VPN on your Firestick.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick — often referred to as a “Firestick” — isn’t unique in how it tracks users and geoblocks content. However, VPNs are available to help you get around this. In this article, we’ll go through how you can install NordVPN on Firestick devices and use it to avoid restrictions.
With decent speeds, great security and a reasonable price of $4.92 per month for a one-year plan, NordVPN is well worth checking out. It’s even one of the best VPNs for streaming services due to its great implementation on devices like the Firestick, working on all versions other than the first generation, which lacks VPN support.
Install NordVPN on Amazon Fire TV Stick
If you want to install NordVPN on Firestick devices, you should use the Amazon app store to get the official application. If that doesn’t work, you can still download the Android app from an APK, although you will have to contend with a lack of support for the Firestick remote.
How to Install the NordVPN App on Firestick
NordVPN for Firestick comes with some changes from other platforms — mainly removing the map from the UI and focusing on the more remote-friendly list of countries. However, it still comes with many of the options that keep your data secure, like the “double VPN” and P2P servers.
- Open up the search bar.
To enter the search bar, go to the Fire TV homepage and click on the magnifying glass icon.
The search bar for the Fire TV Stick. - Search for “NordVPN.”
In the search bar, type “NordVPN” and click on the NordVPN application, which should be first.
The NordVPN Firestick app. - Start the download.
Click the “download” button and wait for it to finish installing.
Downloading NordVPN. - After installation, click “open.”
The option to open the app will appear where the “download” button was, or you can find it in “your apps & games” on the Fire TV home page.
Opening NordVPN.
How to Install NordVPN APK on Firestick
Before the app store had an official version, you had to get the mobile app by sideloading the APK. This method is mostly obsolete because it’s more complicated, it doesn’t support the official remote and it won’t appear under “your apps & games.” However, you can still use it to install NordVPN on Firestick devices and hide your location.
That being said, you can use these steps to get any Android program onto an Amazon Fire TV Stick. Additionally, this is a fairly reliable solution if you have access to the APK, although just because you can install it on the device doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to work.
1. Go into the “developer options.”
- To get into the “developer options,” you need to open settings, then select “device” and scroll down until you find it.
2. Turn on “apps from unknown sources” and “ADB debugging.”
- In the “developer options,” you should turn on “apps from unknown sources” and “ADB debugging.” This will let you download and install the APK.
3. Find and install the “downloader” app.
- Now go back to the Fire TV home screen, search for “downloader” and select “download” to get the app.
4. Give “downloader” access to your files.
- After the installation, click “open.” When prompted, allow “downloader” to access your photos, media and files.
5. Open and install the NordVPN APK within “downloader.”
- You can now enter the URL of the NordVPN APK location. This will open a browser where you can select “download .apk” and click “install.”
6. Go into “manage installed applications.”
- “Manage installed applications” can be found in the “settings” page under the “applications” tab.
7. Find and select NordVPN to launch it.
- Scroll down to the NordVPN app, select it and choose to launch the application.
8. Set up a Bluetooth mouse or virtual remote to use the app.
- When you open the application, you will find that you can’t control it with the Amazon Fire TV Stick remote. To use it, you’ll need to set up either a Bluetooth mouse or a virtual remote on your mobile device with programs like CetusPlay or Remote for Fire TV.
How to Use NordVPN on Firestick
Using NordVPN on Firestick is different from using it on other devices, as you’ll need to navigate a list of countries rather than a map. Although you can get this map back by downloading the APK, the app store version is easy to use and compatible with the Amazon Fire TV Stick remote.
1. Log in or create an account.
- When you first open the app, you’ll have two options. You should click “sign up” to get a seven-day free trial or “log in” if you already have an account.
2. Change your security settings.
- Before you connect to the VPN, check the security options in the last two rows. You can either connect with specialty servers or change settings such as the anonymous data collection and auto-connect feature.
3. Connect to the VPN.
- Now you can start the connection, either with the automatic “connect now” button at the top or by going down one row and selecting a country from the list.
4. Accept the connection request.
- A window will appear asking you if you want your connection to go through NordVPN, and you’ll need to accept this to use the VPN.
What’s the Best VPN for a Fire TV Stick?
NordVPN gets you reliable access to Amazon Prime Video without the geoblocks, and it doesn’t put your data at risk. However, the Amazon Fire TV Stick does support other options, and using one of these may be a better choice for you.
Benefits of NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs available and really shines if you need to torrent anything. This is because it comes with P2P servers — for high-speed direct connections — and “double hop” servers — which go through two servers for extra protection.
Although it isn’t the cheapest option available, the longer annual plan comes at a reasonable price of $4.92 per month. There are also regular special offers to further decrease this, and all plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee so there’s no risk with your initial purchase.
As we mention in our NordVPN review, its speeds can be a bit inconsistent, especially with ones that are further from your physical location. However, NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers in 59 countries, and switching to one of these other servers often solves any speed issues.
Pros:
- Great security
- Over 5,000 servers
- P2P & double VPN servers
Cons:
- Unreliable speeds
- Limited country selection
Troubleshooting: NordVPN Keeps Disconnecting on Firestick
Like other VPN providers, you may find that NordVPN is not connecting to your Firestick. Although there are some good fixes, if nothing seems to work, it may be a problem with your Fire TV device; for example, the first generation Firestick lacks VPN support. If this happens, use a VPN router to hide all of your traffic, including your streaming.
VPN Alternatives
If NordVPN isn’t for you, there are other services that work on Prime Video. The best alternatives — ExpressVPN and CyberGhost — will give you access to more countries and extra tools, such as split tunneling. They also both come with a money-back guarantee, so you can try them out on your Fire TV Stick risk-free.
Although ExpressVPN and NordVPN come very close in many categories, the more reliable speeds and access to 94 countries make ExpressVPN a better option if you just want to get around the geoblocks and don’t mind paying $8.32 per month for a 12-month plan. If this sounds like the better option for you, see our guide on how to install ExpressVPN on Firestick.
However, if you’re looking for a cheaper service, then CyberGhost beats NordVPN, costing only $2.75 per month for an 18-month plan. It also does this while retaining excellent security and running over 6,300 servers worldwide, if you’re willing to put up with slower speeds and more buffering outside of the dedicated “streaming” servers.
See our guide on how to install CyberGhost on Firestick, too.
How to Uninstall NordVPN From Your Firestick
If you decide you don’t want to use NordVPN anymore, you should uninstall it to save space on your Fire TV Stick. You should also make sure you cancel your account so you’re not charged for a month you aren’t going to use.
The best way to uninstall NordVPN from Firestick devices is to go through the settings menu. This is a simple process and will work for both the official app and the APK.
1. Open “manage installed applications.”
- First, you need to open the settings menu, enter the “applications” tab and find the “manage installed applications” page.
2. Find and select NordVPN.
- On the “manage installed applications” page, scroll down until you find NordVPN.
3. Select “uninstall” and confirm it.
- After you click “uninstall,” confirm that you want to remove it.
Final Thoughts
There’s no reason not to use NordVPN on your Firestick. Installation is easy, the VPN will protect your privacy, you’ll get access to more shows and there’s no risk for the first 30 days. For these reasons, NordVPN is one of the best VPNs, and its performance on the Fire TV Stick reflects this.
However, if NordVPN isn’t right for you, there are plenty of other providers that are available in the Amazon app store. Our favorite alternatives are ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, which are both strong, easy-to-use VPNs that work well on the Firestick.
Have you used NordVPN on an Amazon Fire TV Stick? What did you think of our step-by-step instructions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading.
FAQ
How Do I Know if NordVPN Is Working on My Firestick?
The best way to ensure your traffic is hidden by a VPN is to open up a web browser and go to whatismyip.com to find your IP. The location should match the VPN server you chose, and your IP will change if you check it before and after turning NordVPN on.
Does NordVPN Work on Amazon Firestick?
NordVPN works well with all Fire TV devices except for the first generation Firestick, which lacks any VPN support. Although you can use the APK to download the VPN on any device, if the Amazon app store version doesn’t work, you should try a VPN router first.
With a handful of A-levels completed, Robin followed his passions for learning and informing others, finding a place among the CommQueR.com team. Between writing about software and creating fantasy worlds, he’s either losing games of Civilisation or darting about the UK in search of inspiring views and learning about each area’s history.