Amazon Silk Browser – Best Web Browser for Firestick/Fire TV?

by
Frederik Lipfert
Dr. Frederik Lipfert Founder, vpncheck
Updated on 5 Nov 2022

Intro: Amazon Silk Browser

Amazon Silk is undoubtedly the best browser for your Firestick. It’s the official browser for all Amazon devices, can be used with the Fire TV Stick remote, and lets you access websites as you would on your mobile.

Before Amazon Silk, Firestick users had to sideload browsers through the Downloader app. This entailed a somewhat complicated installation procedure, deterring many users from using a browser on their Firestick.

The release of Amazon Silk changed all that. Its availability on the Amazon App Store means this browser is as easy to download as any app you may already have downloaded or could download from the app store.

How to Download Amazon Silk on your Firestick?

Amazon Silk is the best browser for your Firestick. It offers you direct links to stream your favorite pieces of content, saving you from the hassle of downloading/installing streaming apps and services.

Follow these steps to download and install Amazon Silk on your Firestick:

Step 1: Head over to the Firestick home screen. 

Select “Find” and then “Search.”Amazon Firestick Find menu with Search highlighted

Step 2: Search for “Silk Browser“.

Select Silk Browser from the list of options on your screenFirestick Search menu showing Silk Browser in the search results

Step 3: Navigate to the Apps & Games section. Click on Silk Browser.

Choose the option “Download/Get.”The Silk Browser app - indicated by the word ‘internet’ and Amazon’s curved arrow below the word - to be selected from the search tile menu under the Apps & Games category

Step 4: Once the download is complete, click on Open to launch the app.

Step 5: Hold the Home button on your Amazon remote. 

This will take you to a screen wherein you’ll find shortcut options. 

Click on the Apps option. Select Apps

Step 6: From among the apps, look and select the Silk Browser icon.Firestick Apps and Games screen internet icon highlighted

Press the Options button on your Amazon remote (the one with 3 horizontal lines). 

Step 7: The Options section will now appear on the right side of the screen. 

Scroll down and select Move. Select Move to front from device menu, to move Silk Bowser to the top of list

This is an optional step if you want to move the browser icon. 

Click OK once you’re done with moving the icon. 

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed Amazon Silk Browser on your device!

How to Use Silk Browser?

As stated above, Silk Browser lets you stream your favorite content directly. You don’t have to download streaming apps or services. Almost all popular streaming sites such as SolarMovie, FlixTor, and 9Anime work great with it.

What’s more, like Google Chrome or any other browser on your smartphone, Silk Browser also lets users save and bookmark their favorite websites. Here’s how you could bookmark websites on Silk Browser:

  1. Visit the website of your choice.
  2. Select the Add Bookmark icon (a star). It will be in the top row within the menu bar.
  3. To access previously saved bookmarks, click on the Menu option.

Silk Browser Menu option highlightedIf you want to delete and/or manage already saved bookmarks, head to Your Bookmarks setting. 

Silk Browser Your Bookmarks highlighted

Want to access more advanced settings?

Head to Manage >> Settings.Silk Browser setting

Want to make Google your Firestick’s default search engine?

Follow this path: Silk Settings >> Advanced Settings. The latter option will be close to the bottom of your screen. Silk Browser Advance setting

Now, click on the Search engine. A mini window with a list of browsers on your Firestick will open up.

After selecting the search engine of your choice (we have opted for Google), click OK to proceed.Silk Browser Search deafult engine option

Silk Browser Search engines list pop-up

How to Protect Yourself with a VPN Service?

One of the main reasons many users turn to Silk Browser is to browse free streaming websites. While most of these websites will let you stream your favorite content for free, they might also have a dark side you may not be aware of.

Almost all of these websites fetch streaming links from servers that aren’t fully secure. Also, most of the content on these websites is without proper licenses. In simple words, these websites are offering illegal content. 

That’s why it’s recommended to use a reliable VPN while streaming your favorite shows and movies on Silk Browser. A VPN masks your real IP address, shielding your online activity from tracking, speed-throttling, and geo-blocking. 

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs out there. Despite offering all the features mentioned above, it won’t take up much space on your Firestick. That means you won’t have to uninstall any apps to make space for it. 

Before installing ExpressVPN on your Firestick, sign-up for one of its subscription plans. There are three of them, including monthly, six-monthly, and annual. All come with a 30-day return warranty. 

Here’s how you can install and use ExpressVPN on your Firestick

  • Open your Firestick’s search bar.Amazon Firestick Find menu with Search highlighted 
  • Type ExpressVPN and press enter. vpncheck-spectrum-searching-expressvpn-on-amazon-firestick
  • Select the ExpressVPN icon from the search results. Click on DownloadExpressVPN installation option on Firestick
  • Once the download is complete, click on the Open button.
  • Sign in to ExpressVPN by entering your login details (email and password).Sign In option on ExpressVPN
  • On the home screen of the VPN, click on the power button to activate the VPN.ExpressVPN home screen with Connect button highlighted

 

Amazon Silk Browser Alternatives

Some Firestick or Fire TV users don’t prefer Silk as their main browser. To help them browse their favorite websites, we’ve put together this list of the Amazon Silk Browser alternatives. 

If you’re an Android TV Box user, Google Chrome might be an excellent option for you. Mainly because Silk Browser isn’t available on the Google Play Store, forcing you to sideload it on Android devices. 

Here are the best Amazon Silk Browser alternatives:

Puffin TV

Puffin TV Start PagePuffin TV is quickly becoming one of the most popular browsers out there. It offers a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate interface. You also get a video playback feature, one that is optimized to run seamlessly on the Android OS. 

Since Puffin TV works on a super-fast JavaScript engine, it offers an impressive rendering speed. You won’t have to wait for more than a few seconds for Puffin to load your favorite websites.

Aside from that, it supports Adobe Flash by default and is completely free to use. Whether it’s for watching movies, listening to music, or simply surfing the internet, Puffin TV won’t disappoint you.

Firefox

Firefox homepageUnless you’ve been living under a rock, there’s no way you haven’t already heard of Firefox. It is one of the best and most popular browsers currently in use.

Like the Amazon Silk browser, Firefox is available for download on the Amazon App Store and can be a great option for those who don’t prefer using Silk. It features a simple yet effective interface that is easy to navigate and understand. 

Like the Silk browser, it has plenty of customizability and setting options that you can tweak according to your preference. And guess what, its installation procedure is quite similar to that of Silk. What more can you ask for!

TV Bro

TV Bro HomepageTV Bro has multiple things going in its favor. It comes with a built-in download manager, letting you download your favorite movies, TV shows and much more. It also offers voice search support and lets you bookmark your favorite websites.

This browser’s rendering speed is also second to none, letting you enjoy buffering-free video playback. And the best thing about TV Bro? This browser is compatible with both Android as well as Firestick devices.  

Popular Streaming Websites

We’ve created a list of uber-popular streaming/torrent websites that users can access on Silk or any other browser for that matter. All these websites will let you watch your favorite movies, drama series, TV shows, and more.

Torrent Sites

Here are the best torrent websites out there:

The Pirate Bay

Pirate Bay needs no introduction. It is one of the oldest and most popular BitTorrent websites of all time. Much of its popularity comes from the variety of content Pirate Bay makes available for download. 

Some of the added advantages of Pirate Bay include an easy-to-use interface and options with which you can quickly identify the safety of the files and whether or not they can be downloaded. 

Best The Pirate Bay Alternatives

Zooqle

ZooqleZooqle is another reliable option in the torrent landscape. It attracts millions of unique visitors every month. Even though Zooqle hasn’t been around for as long as some of its competitors.

What factors are behind its popularity? Zooqle offers a wide variety of content, including movies, TV shows, documentaries, and much more. Plus, its library receives regular updates to provide you with the latest releases.

Anime Streaming Sites

Here are the best anime streaming websites out there:

Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll Homepage

Are you an anime fan? Then your search for the best anime streaming website should end with Crunchyroll. At the time of writing, Crunchyroll is offering over 1,000 titles and 30,000+ episodes for anime. 

That isn’t all. The website also offers the latest news, reviews and features on your favorite anime shows. And while Crunchyroll is free with ads, you can also upgrade to one of its three ad-free membership tiers.

Funimation

Funimation is a Sony-owned entertainment service company. Based in the United States, it specializes in the distribution of various anime series. Funimation has a deep catalog of over 100 anime titles and 10,000+ episodes. 

It lets you choose from various categories, including romance, live-action, fantasy, horror, and many more. While Funimation is available in 40 countries, you can use a VPN to access this website if it isn’t available where you live.

Sports Streaming Sites

Following is a list of the best sports streaming websites:

SportSurge

Sportsurge home page

SportSurge is by far the most popular sports streaming website around. It lets you watch football, baseball, cricket, snooker, golf, racing, boxing and many other sports absolutely free. 

This website is compatible with PCs, tablets, smartphones, laptops and other streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV Stick. And while the original SportSurge domain was shut down years ago, various proxies are still working.

StreamEast

StreamEast Homepage

StreamEast is one of the best streaming websites out there. It boasts a user-friendly interface, lets you live stream hundreds of sports categories, and has a relatively tolerable ad-annoyance. 

StreamEast is VPN-friendly as well – it works seamlessly with ExpressVPN. Budget-minded users might love to note that this website is free. And it lets you stream both local as well as international sporting events.

Stream2Watch

Stream2Watch home page

If you’re a sports lover and have been streaming content for years now, chances are you must have already heard of Stream2Watch. This website has been a mainstay of the streaming website industry for quite some time now, having built a reputation for being one of the best in its category.

One thing that doesn’t go in this website’s favor is ad-annoyance. Visitors to Stream2Watch are bombarded with annoying advertisements and pop-ups. That’s why it’s recommended to use an ad-blocker while visiting Stream2Watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Amazon Silk Browser?

As the name suggests, Amazon Silk is a web browser along the lines of other popular browsers such Chrome, Firefox, Mozilla Firefox, etc. It lets you visit your favorite websites, download apps and services, and do much more. You can also bookmark your favorite web pages on Amazon Silk.

Is the Amazon Silk Browser legal?

The Amazon Silk browser is 100% legal. Had that not been the case, it wouldn’t have been available for download on the Amazon App Store.

Is the Amazon Silk Browser safe?

As said before, the browser is completely safe and secure. It contains no viruses and doesn’t bombard you with annoying ads and pop-ups. As long as you stream safe websites on the Amazon Silk Browser, you won’t have to worry about any malware invading your device.

What devices can Amazon Silk Browser be installed on?

The Amazon Silk browser is compatible with all Amazon devices, including Firestick, Fire TV, Fire Cubes and Echo Show devices.

Conclusion

If you’re an Amazon Firestick user, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try using the Silk Browser. In case you’re still unsure about the Silk Browser, we’ve listed some of the best alternatives to it. Remember, though, that none of the alternatives is available on the Amazon App Store. You’d thus have to sideload them.