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The Amazon Fire TV has disabled the option to "Install from Unknown Sources" -- so is there another way to turn it on? You can still sideload apps using ADB but this setting needs to be enabled to install apps directly from the device (for instance if you want to install a dev build via HockeyApp)

Any ideas?

Wooble
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bkurzius
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  • You can access this through the settings key Settings.Global.INSTALL_NON_MARKET_APPS for API 17+ but I'm pretty sure you cannot write to this unless you have root or are a system app. – dymmeh Apr 05 '14 at 02:16
  • Using the solution in this link: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17776976/android-get-install-non-market-apps-boolean -- I tried: startActivity(new Intent(android.provider.Settings.ACTION_SECURITY_SETTINGS)); but got a "No activity to handle Intent" error – bkurzius Apr 05 '14 at 02:51

3 Answers3

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Amazon just released a testing service for Android apps called "Live App Testing". It solves the problem I posed this question for since it allows you to distribute apps to testers without them having to use ADB to install apks manually:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/13/amazon-launches-a-live-app-testing-service-for-android-and-kindle-fire-developers/

bkurzius
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I am assuming that you already tried this but just in case you haven't here are the amazon provided instructions for enabling installation from unknown srouces:

"To access the Unknown Sources setting directly, open the Menu, tap Settings, select Applications or Security (depending on your device), and then select Unknown Sources."

reference: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201431620

TaylorB
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  • I should be getting my amazon tv in the next few days and I will take a look to see what I can figure out. – TaylorB Apr 07 '14 at 18:04
  • Unfortunately the only option is to allow ADB debugging - there is no option for installing from unknown sources. – bkurzius Apr 08 '14 at 18:32
  • You can't "tap" on a Fire TV, they only have a remote control to interact with them without using ADB, and as far as I know, there's no way to change the setting over ADB. There's nothing in the native Fire TV settings that allows this option, either. – alanaktion May 01 '14 at 02:36
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Newer versions of the FireTV OS require going to Settings, My Fire TV, About, Click on the name - Fire TV Stick 4K Max for example - 7 times to enable Developer Options.

Bucky2003
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