OFFICIAL APK & SETUP GUIDE
Install Sidekick Player
on Fire TV & Android TV.
Sidekick Player is standalone software for Fire TV and Android TV. Have your remote, Sidekick activation code and the details for a content source you are authorized to use ready. Sidekick does not supply the content.
Your Sidekick software license and your content-provider account are separate. New licenses allow up to five activated devices; your provider controls simultaneous streams. Choose a license from the software-license prices.
Download Sidekick 1.0.41 for TV ↗Download and install the TV app.
On a compatible Fire TV or Android TV, open Downloader by AFTVnews and enter Downloader code 7189869. You can also enter sidekickplayer.com/install in your TV’s download app or use the download button above.
If prompted, allow that download app to install apps, return to the downloaded file, and choose Install. Menu names vary by device. Open Sidekick when installation finishes.
This is Sidekick’s direct APK download. It is separate from an Amazon Appstore or Google Play listing. The Downloader code 7189869 downloads the app; your personal Sidekick activation code unlocks your software license.
Activate Sidekick and connect your provider.
Open Sidekick and enter the activation code from your Sidekick account. Select Activate this device, then Add your provider. In the Add playlist menu, choose:
- Xtream Codes: enter a playlist name, provider DNS/server address, username and password supplied by your provider, then select Connect.
- M3U URL: enter a playlist name and the full M3U playlist URL supplied by your provider, then connect.
Sidekick is now a standalone player: each customer activates a Sidekick license and adds their own authorized source. Your Sidekick account password is separate from your provider login. To add or change a source later, open Settings → Playlists. Your content account and its stream limits are supplied separately by its provider.
Make it yours.
Browse live streaming and your media library. Add favorites to My list and use Settings to set your start screen, household profiles and parental controls. In Settings → Appearance, choose from 12 backgrounds and 12 separate highlight colors. Each viewer profile remembers its own colors. Choose Sidekick Default to restore either color setting.
What’s new in TV version 1.0.41
- Movies and Shows open with All movies or All shows highlighted. Continue watching remains on Home and is removed from the Movies and Shows category menus.
- Recently watched now appears directly below Favorites in TV.
- Movies and Shows keep the highlighted category at the middle of the column while categories scroll above and below it.
- Selected saved TV programs and reminders stay centered in the list.
- Fire TV search opens the native keyboard. Use the on-screen or phone keyboard; the remote microphone may open Alexa’s Amazon search instead. Direct Alexa search inside Sidekick is not supported in this release.
The first library load, a new playlist or a refresh still needs to fetch information from your provider. Loading time and playback quality depend on your device, connection and source.
Android phone/tablet and Mac previews
These are separate preview downloads for customers who want to try Sidekick on another device. Use your existing Sidekick activation code within your license’s device allowance.
Android phone/tablet preview 0.3.4
Download Android phone/tablet preview ↗
Download the APK on your Android phone or tablet. When Android asks, allow installation from the browser or download app you used, then install and open Sidekick. Activate your device and add your own Xtream Codes account or M3U URL. To update an existing mobile preview, install over it to retain its saved settings.
Mac standalone preview 0.3.2
For Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14 or later. Quit your existing Mac preview, unzip the download, then move Sidekick Player Mac Preview.app to Applications. Open the new copy, enter your Sidekick activation code, and connect your own Xtream-compatible provider account. M3U import is not available in this Mac preview.
This Mac preview is locally signed and is not Apple-notarized. macOS may prevent it from opening. If you need help installing it, contact support. Keep your previous installer while testing the preview.
Start your free 72-hour software trial
Try Sidekick Player on up to five activated Fire TV or Android TV devices. No payment card is required, and the trial ends without an automatic charge. The 72-hour period starts when you select Start Free 72-Hour Trial; your account page displays the exact expiration time. Adding another device does not restart it.
This is a trial of the player software only. No media content, playlists, provider credentials or streaming subscription are included. Connect your own authorized source. After the trial, a paid license is a separate, optional purchase.
Create a Sidekick account, verify your email, then open App access and select Start Free 72-Hour Trial. Registration and downloading the app do not start the clock. Your account page displays your activation code and exact expiration time. One trial per eligible account owner. A trial is optional; you can choose a paid software license directly.
Create an account or sign in →
Update Sidekick Player without losing your settings
On Fire TV or Android TV, use Settings → App updates → Check for updates. You can also download the current version again with Downloader code 7189869 or sidekickplayer.com/install. Install the new version over your current app. Avoid uninstalling first: uninstalling can remove local settings, saved logins and watch progress. If your Fire TV home-screen logo still looks clipped after updating and restarting the device, contact support.
Your remote, at a glance
| Remote button | What happens |
|---|---|
| Down | Move to a higher channel number. |
| Up | Move to a lower channel number. |
| OK / Select | Show the on-screen controls. |
| Back | Close the open controls or panel first. |
Live streaming controls hide after 15 seconds without input. The TV guide, Settings and Multiview panels close after two minutes without input. When a channel is already playing in the main TV preview, the app returns to full-screen playback after two minutes of inactivity.
Watch multiple channels with Multiview
Open Multiview from Live streaming, choose a screen and press OK for options. Add screen opens the channel browser. Browse a category, then choose a channel. From a channel list, Back returns to Categories; Back again closes the panel and returns to Multiview. Selecting a playing screen switches its sound.
If a screen will not play, try fewer simultaneous channels or check your provider’s connection allowance.
If playback freezes or buffers
Update to the latest release first. Sidekick automatically retries temporary Live streaming interruptions, prolonged buffering and unexpected stream endings while you stay on the channel. Retries pause between attempts, and Multiview screens reconnect independently. The picture may pause until the source returns. If your provider recreates a channel with a new stream address, refresh your playlist and select that channel again.
- Try another channel to see whether the problem affects one source or several.
- Use one screen and stop other streams on the same provider account while checking its connection allowance.
- Check your TV’s connection. If possible, compare Wi-Fi with a wired connection.
- If it continues, note the channel, local time and any message, then contact support.
Back up household settings
Go to Settings → General → Back up data. Restore with Restore backup on the same device or by selecting your backup file. Keep exported files private: they contain household settings and saved items. Provider logins and your parental PIN are excluded.
The complete user guide
Detailed help for playback, profiles, recordings, backup and troubleshooting.
Open the user guide (PDF) →Need a hand? Contact Sidekick support.