Offload Apps on FireStick & Save Storage: In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to offload apps on FireStick. The methods shared here are compatible with all Amazon Fire TV devices, including the FireStick Lite, 3rd Generation FireStick, FireStick 4K, FireStick 4K Max, All-New FireStick 4K, All-New FireStick 4K Max, and Fire TV Cube. Amazon Fire TV devices are fantastic for streaming a wide range of content such as movies, live TV, sports, music, and shows. They’re easy to set up and their compact design makes them perfect for users with limited space at home. One of the reasons these devices are so popular is their jailbreaking capability.
A jailbroken FireStick lets you install a variety of apps—from official to third-party options. Whether you’re into VOD, IPTV, sports, music, or utility apps, there’s no shortage of choices. Fire TV devices come with limited internal storage. The more apps you install, the less free space you have left. Most Fire Sticks offer 8 GB of storage, while the Fire TV Cube and the latest FireStick 4K Max provide 16 GB. Eventually, if you keep adding apps, you’ll receive low storage warnings. While uninstalling unused apps is always an option, there’s another way to free up space without losing your apps: offloading.
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What Does App Offloading Mean?
App offloading means removing the app itself from your device while keeping all your personal data and settings intact. This method is preferable to uninstalling because when you reinstall the app later, you won’t have to set it up again from scratch. Offloading helps you reclaim storage space on your device. If there are apps you’re not using right now but plan to use again later, offloading lets you clear up space without losing any app data. On FireStick devices, you can offload apps to free up storage. While the automatic offloading feature is turned on by default, you also have the option to offload apps manually.
How to Offload Apps on FireStick
There are two ways to offload apps on FireStick:
- Automatic offloading
- Manual offloading
Here’s a detailed look at both methods:
Method 1: Automatic Offloading
In 2023, Amazon introduced an automatic offloading feature on some Fire TV devices. This feature is enabled by default but can be turned off if you prefer to manage offloading manually. The automatic offloading system monitors how often you use your apps and will automatically offload any app you haven’t used for 60 days. However, this feature generally activates only when your device has less than 800MB of free storage space remaining. Not all Fire TV devices support automatic offloading. Devices that lack this feature include:
- Fire TV devices with a kid’s profile
- Amazon Fire TV (1st and 2nd generation)
- Fire TV Stick (Basic, 1st and 2nd generation)
When an app is offloaded, a cloud icon appears above its app tile — but this icon is only visible in the “All Apps” section or in the Manage Applications menu, not on the home screen. While convenient, the automatic offload feature isn’t perfect and may sometimes offload apps you still use if its tracking isn’t accurate.
If you want to disable automatic offloading, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings on your Fire TV home screen.
- Select Applications.
- Scroll to Auto Offload and toggle it OFF.
This will disable the automatic offload feature on your device.
Method 2: Manual Offloading
Disabling automatic offloading gives you full control over which apps to offload. If your storage is running low, you can manually offload apps you rarely use. FireStick lets you manually offload apps via two ways: through the Fire TV remote menu or the Manage Installed Applications menu. You can’t manually offload the following apps:
- Amazon system apps like Amazon Kids, Amazon Live Shopping, and Amazon Music
- Sideloaded apps
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Manual Offloading Using the Fire TV Remote Menu
- From your FireStick home screen, select All Apps to open your Apps & Channels list.
- Highlight the app you want to offload.
- Press the 3-line (menu) button on your Fire TV remote.
- In the pop-up menu, select Offload.
- Confirm by clicking Offload on the prompt.
- After the app is offloaded, you’ll see a cloud icon over its tile.
Manual Offloading Using Manage Installed Applications
- Navigate to Settings from the FireStick home screen.
- Choose Applications.
- Select Manage Installed Applications.
- Find and select the app you want to offload.
- Click Offload.
- Confirm by selecting Confirm.
- The offloading will start immediately. Once complete, a cloud icon will appear above the app’s icon.
How to Restore an App on FireStick After Offloading
When you offload an app on FireStick, there’s no direct “restore” button in the Manage Installed Apps section—you’ll only see the option to uninstall.
So, how do you reinstall an offloaded app? Here’s a simple workaround:
- Go to All Apps on your FireStick home screen.
- Find and select the offloaded app you want to restore.
- When you launch the app, FireStick will automatically download and reinstall it. If it doesn’t start downloading automatically, click Download to restore the app on your device.
Once the download finishes, the app will open and be ready to use. The best part about offloading is that your app login information, settings, and preferences stay saved. Unlike uninstalling and reinstalling, you won’t have to set everything up again after restoring the app.
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FAQs
Can I offload pre-installed apps on FireStick?
No, pre-installed system apps on FireStick cannot be offloaded. These apps are managed by the developer, and you have limited control over them.
Is it possible to offload third-party (sideloaded) apps on FireStick?
No, sideloaded apps cannot be offloaded either manually or automatically. Only apps installed from the Amazon App Store can be offloaded.
Why can’t I manually offload an app on FireStick?
There are a few reasons this might happen:
- Your FireStick model may be older or incompatible with the offload feature.
- Your device might have a kid’s profile enabled, which restricts offloading.
- The app you’re trying to offload is either a system app or a sideloaded third-party app.
Wrapping Up
This guide covered how to disable automatic offloading, manually offload apps, and restore offloaded apps on FireStick. Offloading is a smart way to free up space while keeping your app data intact if you plan to use the app later. What do you think about FireStick’s auto-offload feature? Would you leave it enabled or turn it off to manage your apps manually?
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