Amazon Fire TV Update Removes The Ability To Hide Apps From Homescreen

A new update is now rolling out to Amazon Fire TV devices which removes a useful homescreen feature that would allow users to hide apps.

Just about every streaming device today ships with at least some apps pre-installed that, in the end, some users will never actually want to open up. That’s why the option to hide apps from the homescreen on Fire TV has been so useful.

As spotted by AFTVNews, the latest Fire TV update removes the ability to hide apps on the homescreen entirely. This not only means that pre-installed apps cannot be hidden, but also apps from all user profiles are now forced to be shown on every other user profile. The feature was added in the first half of 2021.

For users who have already hidden apps, those apps will now be showing on the homescreen after the latest update is installed. For new users, the option simply doesn’t exist. So far, this update has rolled out to the 1st-gen Fire TV Stick 4K and the current 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick Max, but is expected to roll out broadly to other models over time.

Notably, Google TV lacks this option as well, but most pre-installed apps can be disabled if the user truly does not wish to use or see them. Previously, the main homescreen had a “drawer” for all apps and would allow the user to only show the ones they actively used on the apps row of the homescreen, but that was changed with a minor redesign last year.