Amazon Fire Toolbox helps install Google apps, change launchers, and more on Amazon Fire tablets

Amazon’s Fire tablets might not give you a true Android experience, but they are enough to satisfy users with basic needs, especially kids. Their dirt-cheap pricing comes at the cost of locked bootloaders, no Google Play certification, and a heavily customized skin (Amazon’s Fire OS) that is often based on older Android versions. Fortunately, the aftermarket development community has managed to overcome most of these limitations. There are a lot of guides out there on the XDA Forums to teach you how to sideload Google apps, replace the stock launcher, and debloat Fire OS. Now, thanks to XDA Senior Member Datastream33, owners of Amazon Fire/Fire HD tablets can more easily sideload Google Play Store, replace the stock launcher, and remove all Amazon bloatware apps with an easy-to-use application.

Amazon Fire XDA Forums ||| Amazon Fire HD 8/HD 10 XDA Forums

Dubbed as Amazon Fire Toolbox, the app is compatible with a myriad of Fire tablet variants, starting from the latest iteration of the Fire HD 8 to every other variant since 2014’s Fire HD 6. It communicates with your Fire tablet using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which means you have to enable USB Debugging beforehand. As soon as you install the required drivers, the app can recognize your device and show a menu like the following.

The options are rather self-explanatory, e.g. clicking on “Google Assistant” will help you to replace Alexa with Google Assistant. Expand the list below to see the complete feature set of the toolbox.

Features supported by Amazon Fire Toolbox

• Manage Everything Amazon – Disables/hides every app installed by Amazon from the tablet.
• Remove Lockscreen Ads – Installs Automate, and Amazon Lockscreen Ads Blocker 4.5 automatically.
• Install Google Services – Installs the Google Framework, and the Play Store.
• Power Options – Allows you to force the tablet to power off, reboot, boot into Recovery, and boot into Download Mode.
• Install YouTube Vanced – Installs the modified version of YouTube that includes Background playback, Adblocking, resolution force, etc.
• Install Smart Youtube TV – Installs the Youtube client found on Smart TVs, and gaming consoles. It supports 4K video, doesn’t require Google Services, ads are blocked, and it is designed with big screens in mind.
• Built-in-Updater – An updater that checks for the latest versions of the Toolbox and installs them.
• WallChanger – Change lockscreen wallpaper to a custom image.
• Lockscreen Wallpaper – Sets the lockscreen wallpaper to a custom wallpaper (Gens 8+ only).
• ADB Shell – Starts a ADB shell.
• Restore Everything Amazon – enables/unhides ALL Amazon apps back onto the tablet.
• Sideload Apps – Sideload any app streight onto your tablet.
• Parental Control Hide – Hides all dialogs produced by Parental controls.
• Install Google Assistant – Replaces Alexa with Google Assistant.
• Driver Detector – Detects and installs Fire tablet drivers if needed.
• Density Modifier – Changes the Pixel Density (DPI) to custom values.
• Manual Restore/Remove – Allows the user to manually select apps to restore/remove.
• System Backup/Restore – Creates system backups, and can even restore them!
• Screen Recorder – Records the tablet’s screen without using third party tools (sound or mic isn’t recorded).
• Screen Capture – Takes a screenshot of everything on the tablet’s screen.
• Custom Launcher – Allows the installation of custom launchers.
• TBShell – Toolbox Shell that allows the use of modifications without changing settings from within the Toolbox itself.
• Hybrid Apps – Allows the user to install Netflix and Disney+ without the use of the Amazon Store.
• Modify System Settings – Change the status of the Navigation bar, disable automatic system/app updates, and turn off Over The Air Updates
• User Management – Adds and removes user profiles.
• Push and Pull – Copy files to tablet, and copy files from tablet to PC.

This Windows-only app is coded using Visual Basic, and Linux support is in the pipeline. The developer is also planning to include a stock firmware flasher and a built-in rooting module in the toolbox, although there’s no timeline for when any of these changes will roll out.

Amazon Fire Toolbox — XDA Download and Discussion Thread

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