How to Install NordVPN on Firestick
Today’s guide will walk you through how to install NordVPN on Firestick step by step. Spoiler alert: you don’t need to be a ninja hacker to get it done, just follow our walkthrough to enhance your Amazon Fire TV Stick with advanced VPN protection in a matter of minutes.
Since its launch in 2014, the Amazon Fire TV Stick, also known as the Firestick, has been making waves in the media streaming community. Where before users were forced to squint at their laptop screens or navigate the cumbersome UI of a set-top box or smart TV, the Firestick offered a more user-friendly experience overall. Its small form factor allows it to be used with any HDMI-compatible screen, while its OS allows users to download apps for just about any streaming service imaginable.
Kodi is by far the most popular of these applications, and is single-handedly responsible for a large part of the Firestick’s popularity. Thanks to its myriad third-party add-ons, Kodi users have access to an astonishing array of streaming content. Not all of this content is strictly legal, however. Both copyright holders and ISPs have taken a dim view of the service and its users, who may get hit with notices, fines and interrupted service reactively or even preemptively. A virtual private network, or VPN, is an effective tool to protect yourself against liability. Today we will show you how to install NordVPN onto Firestick, in a step-by-step guide that also covers this excellent VPN provider’s stand-out features.
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Why Use a VPN with Firestick?
The potential legal risks that come with streaming content on Kodi makes it clear why a VPN is a good idea for that player. The encryption and anonymity a VPN can provide both help users to stay completely hidden online and protect against these legal threats. But we are often asked why other Firestick users should bother with a VPN and whether they will slow your internet connection down. The fact is, with most top-of-the-range VPN providers, any impact on connection speeds is absolutely minimal. And there are a number of compelling reasons why using a VPN with a Firestick is a good idea:
- Security: Firesticks run on an operating system called Fire OS, which is based on the Android operating system. Android devices make up the overwhelming majority of market share which means they are a big target for hackers. But the Android VPN software itself is notoriously insecure in comparison to rival OS’s such as iOS. This means any Android device, including a Firestick, is potentially vulnerable to being hacked or put under surveillance. But a VPN offers protections from such threats by encrypting all of your online traffic and so helping to ensure that your Firestick and all the personal data it contains is safe.
- Safer Public Wi-Fi: The Firestick is small and easy to take around with you, but when connecting on the go, you are likely to have to use public Wi-Fi networks. But public Wi-Fi is incredibly insecure, and it is not recommended to expose any personal data when using it. With a VPN, all your data is encrypted, which means you can make use of public Wi-Fi with confidence, knowing your private data is protected.
- Accessing content abroad: The portability of a Firestick makes it the ideal device to travel with and, in theory, you should be able to watch your favourite movies and shows wherever you are. But the reality is, most streaming services are restricted to only be used in specific countries. But with a Firestick, it is possible to get around this geo-restriction and by connecting to a server in your home country (or anywhere else!) So, with a VPN, it is indeed possible to watch what you want, when you want, wherever you are!
Why Choose NordVPN to Install on Firestick?
- Unblocks US Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Prime and other streaming services
- Over 5,400 servers in 61 countries
- Connect up to 6 devices at once
- Extra-secure Double VPN for data encryption
- 24/7 Live Chat
- Some servers can be slow and unreliable
- Refund processing can take up to 30 days
NordVPN is, without a doubt, one of the top-performing VPN providers around right now. Their privacy settings are about as good as it gets, with a comprehensive zero-logging policy that covers everything from bandwidth to traffic, time stamps, and even IP addresses. Their 256-bit AES encryption is nigh unbreakable, and they also offer a number of extra security features including an automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection. NordVPN even offers special, dedicated servers for those who want to stream using P2P files.
In the past, their speeds have been criticised, but they have been working on this and now the large majority of their servers are ultra-fast. Their server network is perhaps their biggest feature, with more than 6,400 servers spread across 111 countries — a dramatic expansion from earlier years that makes finding a fast, nearby server much easier no matter where you are in the world.
For Firestick users specifically, the current Fire TV app brings a solid set of features to your TV screen, including auto-connect, Threat Protection, custom DNS, local network discovery, and split tunneling. Protocol selection is also available on supported devices, though some features may be temporarily limited on newer Vega OS models. For those who want to install NordVPN on Firestick and keep watching content around the world, NordVPN is a perfect fit — and their pricing makes them considerably more reasonable than many rivals too.
Read our full NordVPN review.
How to Install NordVPN on Firestick
Good news: NordVPN now has an official app in the Amazon Appstore, so you can install NordVPN on Firestick directly without any workarounds. This is the standard, recommended setup path, and if you want to compare setups with another provider, our Fire TV VPN install guide for IPVanish may also help. Here’s how to do it:
- From your Fire TV home screen, navigate to the Apps section or open the Appstore.
- Select the Search icon and type NordVPN.
- Select the NordVPN app from the search results.
- Click Get or Download to install the app. It will download and install automatically.
- Once installation is complete, click Open to launch NordVPN.
- On the welcome screen, choose Log In if you already have a NordVPN account, or Sign Up to create one. We recommend creating your account on NordVPN’s website first, as it’s much easier than entering details with a TV remote.
- NordVPN will display a QR code or a short validation code on screen. On your phone or computer, open Nord’s remote login page (the URL is shown on your TV screen), then scan the QR code or enter the code to complete sign-in — no need to type your password with the remote.
- Fire OS will show a standard VPN permission prompt. This is a normal system dialog and is completely safe to approve. Select OK or Allow to proceed.
- NordVPN is now installed and ready to use on your Firestick.
Note on sideloading: In the past, sideloading an APK via the Downloader app was the only way to get NordVPN onto a Firestick. That is no longer the case. Sideloading is now only relevant in unusual edge cases — for example, if the Appstore is unavailable in your region — and is not the recommended approach for most users.
Compatibility: Which Firestick Models Support NordVPN?
Before you commit to a NordVPN subscription, it’s worth checking which Fire device you’re using, because not all of them support the current NordVPN app. Knowing your device’s compatibility is an important step before you install NordVPN on Firestick.
Here’s the current state of compatibility:
- 1st-generation Fire TV Stick: Does not support VPN connections at all. You can download apps, but a VPN will not be able to connect on this hardware.
- 2nd-generation Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Basic Edition: These older models are no longer supported by the current NordVPN app. Even if you manage to install the app, it is unlikely to function correctly.
- Newer Fire TV Stick models, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, Fire TV Cube, and most Fire TVs: Fully supported. These are the devices NordVPN’s Fire TV app is designed for.
- Vega OS devices: Generally supported, though a small number of features may still be limited depending on your specific model and firmware version.
If you’re not sure which model you have, here’s how to check: go to Settings > My Fire TV (or Device on older interfaces) > About. This screen shows your device model name and the version of Fire OS it’s running, which is all you need to confirm compatibility before you begin.
If you find you’re on an unsupported older device, upgrading to a current Fire TV Stick is well worth it — you’ll get better performance, a wider range of supported apps, and full VPN compatibility.
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How to Install NordVPN on Firestick and Use the App
Once you’ve completed the steps to install NordVPN on Firestick and signed in, here’s what to expect from the app experience on your device.
Signing in: As noted in the installation steps above, NordVPN now uses a QR code or remote validation code to log you in. You scan the code (or visit the URL shown on screen) from your phone or computer, which avoids the frustration of typing a password character by character with your remote. Fire OS will also show a standard VPN permission dialog the first time NordVPN tries to establish a connection — this is a normal system prompt and is safe to approve.
Connecting to a server: The NordVPN Fire TV app gives you a few straightforward ways to get connected:
- Quick Connect: The fastest option. Tap the Quick Connect button and NordVPN will automatically pick the best available server for your location. This takes only a few seconds and is the best choice for most users who simply want protection without any fuss.
- Countries list: If you want to connect to a specific country — for example, to access content from your home region while travelling — browse the Countries list and select your preferred location. NordVPN will connect you to the best server in that country.
- Specialty servers: For more specific needs, NordVPN offers specialty server categories including P2P-optimised servers, Double VPN (your traffic is routed through two servers for extra privacy), and Onion Over VPN. These are accessible from the server selection menu within the app.
Verify that NordVPN is actually working on your Firestick
After you install NordVPN on Firestick and connect, it’s a good habit to confirm that your VPN is active and your real IP address is hidden. Here’s a quick way to check:
- Before connecting to NordVPN, open the Silk browser (or any other browser installed on your Firestick) and search for “what is my IP address.” Note the location shown.
- Go back to NordVPN, connect to a server, and then return to the browser.
- Refresh the page or search again. You should now see a different IP address and a location matching the country you connected to in NordVPN.
If the location has changed, your VPN is working correctly. If it still shows your real location, try disconnecting and reconnecting, or switch to a different server.
Additional Features
As well as conventional server connections, NordVPN also offers a selection of servers which have been individually tailored to optimise them for a specific purpose. These include:
- Anti-DDoS – Offer great protection from Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
- Dedicated IP Servers – Allow users to order a private IP address for an additional charge.
- Double VPN – Reroutes your traffic through two servers for extra privacy protection, but they will impact more on connection speeds.
- Onion over VPN – Links you via a VPN server and the TOR Network for extra security, but again with the compromise of slower connection speeds.
- P2P – Optimised for users who want to stream or download BitTorrent or other P2P file sharing methods.
There are also a few features in the Settings Menu which may be useful for Firestick users. Here you can set up NordVPN to Autoconnect to a specific server and also instruct it to open automatically when you start using your Firestick. You can also set up your kill switch to stop any applications (such as Kodi) automatically should your VPN connection fail. You can also check out or amend your account details and connect to customer support.
For most Firestick users, however, it is NordVPN’s simple and quick connections to a huge range of servers which will prove most useful. With the app now available directly from the Amazon Appstore, the process to install NordVPN on Firestick is easier than ever. Use this step-by-step guide to help you get up and running, and if you run into any Amazon Firestick not working issues during installation or streaming, you’ll find plenty of troubleshooting tips available. If you need more help, just reach out to us in the comments section below!
If you need a VPN for a short while when traveling for example, you can get our top ranked VPN free of charge. NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. You will need to pay for the subscription, that’s a fact, but it allows full access for 30 days and then you cancel for a full refund. Their no-questions-asked cancellation policy lives up to its name.
