We’ve come up with a list of FileLinked alternatives that are working in 2024.
As you know, August was a sad month for IPTV service and jailbroken Firestick users in 2021. The popular filesharing app FileLinked went offline, and there seems to be no chance of it coming back anytime soon.Â
Anti-piracy laws have become stricter over the years, which means that more and more filesharing apps are being found liable for the exchange of copyrighted digital material on their platform. Because of this, it’s always important to have alternative platforms available in case one ends up on the “naughty list” of regulators for illicit activity.Â
But, never fear, while FileLinked may be in the filesharing graveyard, there are plenty of alternatives available that will allow you to download your favorite Firestick apps without going through data-munching marketplaces like the Google Play Store or App Store.
FileLinked went offline unexpectedly in August 2021, with many users suspecting anti-piracy advocates had suspended the site. On August 24, 2021, these suspicions were confirmed when the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) put out a press release confirming that they had succeeded in taking down the popular app transfer site. The reason for the shutdown was the discovery of unlicensed copyrighted digital material found in the app’s marketplace.
FileLinked may be gone, but the filesharing community is still alive and well, with many new Filelinked alternatives popping up alongside old standbys. We’ve rounded up what we believe are the ten best apps like FileLinked that will allow you to download your favorite apps straight to your Android-powered devices.
AppLinked is a fairly new app that can be downloaded directly to your Fire TV stick or other Android-powered devices. It allows you to download and install APK files directly to your device without any additional file transfers. This makes it great for downloading IPTV services and other apps that you can’t find in the Google Play Store.Â
As of now, it seems like this may be the strongest contender to directly replace FileLinked. It doesn’t currently have a ton of offerings in its store, but expect that to change quickly over the coming months.
Downloader is already a relatively popular app amongst Fire TV Stick users who have jailbroken their devices and want to sideload them with apps. It functions similar to a web browser, allowing you to search for APK files by name or directly paste URLs to known download locations. Again, this makes it great for downloading and installing APKs for IPTV providers and other similar apps.Â
Aptoid TV has been around for quite some time and has amassed a library containing millions of apps, many of which have been blocked by traditional app stores like Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. In fact, its library actually surpasses both of these in size. For anyone who wants access to both popular and more “hidden” apps without handing over their data to Google or Apple, Aptoid TV is a fantastic alternative.
UnLinked has taken private file and app downloads to the next level of security by offering AES-256 encryption on all files. This makes the store contents effectively “invisible,” and you can only gain access to files via a direct link code. If you want to share files completely anonymously, you can upload files to UnLinked and only share the code with a small group of people for maximum security.
APKTime is another app that can be downloaded directly to your Android-powered device and used to directly download APK files to that device. What makes APKTime stand out is its organized UI, which sorts available APK files into different categories. This makes it easy to find an app for whatever you want to download, whether it be sports, entertainment, VPNs, and so on.Â
One thing to note is that several users have encountered some bugs when it comes to surfing this app using the Fire TV Stick remote. This doesn’t prevent usability completely, but it does present a bit of an annoying challenge from time to time.
FileSynced looks and works a lot like FileLinked. It has a built-in store full of APKs and can be downloaded directly to any Android device like the other applications we’ve mentioned. It sports a relatively aesthetically pleasing UI that includes a logo of each app available for download as well as a simple green download button, making downloads feel as simple as they did when using a traditional app store.
APKPure is an app that we can only describe as “bigger on the inside.” This app is seriously slimmed down, requiring only 13.7 MB of space on your device. This smaller download size makes it perfect for compact devices like the Fire TV Stick that don’t have much app storage space available. Functionally, it operates almost identically to FileLinked, allowing direct access to APK files from users across the globe.
APK Archive is a marketplace site that lists thousands of APK files available for download. This is best used in tandem with an app like Downloader to locate APK files for your Android-powered devices and then download them to your device. It’s pretty simple to use and allows you access to tons of popular apps.Â
F-Droid is a marketplace similar to APK Archive, allowing you to browse, search, and download all sorts of APK files to your Android devices. It also has chat features that allow you to converse with other users and share files directly. It’s not quite as robust as some of the other marketplaces, but it’s good to have in your back pocket in a pinch.Â
The Aurora Store platform is probably the most elegantly designed APK marketplace currently available. Designed to look and function just like the Google Play Store, this impressive marketplace is perfect for anyone who wants to replicate that clean, easy shopping experience of traditional app stores, but with the added benefits of an open-source marketplace. Seriously, this thing looks way better than it has any business to.
The process of filesharing itself is not illegal. However, it is illegal to share or download copyrighted material without the proper permission. Since you may not be able to tell whether or not the content you’re downloading from a filesharing service is copyrighted, it is best to protect yourself by using a virtual private network (VPN) while using these services.Â
VPNs conceal your IP address, making it much more difficult for other people to trace your online activity back to you. This is important when using filesharing sites that may be monitored by regulators.Â
ExpressVPN is an excellent VPN to use alongside your filesharing service. To use ExpressVPN to protect you during file transfers, follow these four simple steps:
Note: If you plan on downloading content on multiple devices, you’ll either need to install ExpressVPN onto each device OR install ExpressVPN directly onto your router. Installing ExpressVPN onto your router will provide VPN coverage to all devices connected to that network, not just devices with the ExpressVPN app installed. This can ensure that no matter which device you happen to pick up, you’re always protected (as is anyone else who connects to your network).Â
For most purposes, connecting to a server-based in the United States will do just fine; however, if you want to access content or apps that are only available in certain countries, you can set your VPN to that specific country to gain access. Â
In our example, we connected to a Canadian server to gain access to Canadian-exclusive content. You can use this trick to unlock additional content on both verified and unverified IPTV providers, such as Hulu and Netflix.Â
Using a VPN is a simple, straightforward process that hides your personal identifying information (such as your IP address) from any prying online eyes. You can use it to stream, download, and surf online securely.Â
FileLinked is not the first filesharing platform to be struck down by anti-piracy laws, and it certainly won’t be the last. With any filesharing platform, you run the risk of encountering copyrighted material that can put you at risk for violating copyright laws, which is why we heavily emphasize using a VPN anytime you access one of these services.Â
It’s also important to remember that these apps can be struck down at any time for a host of reasons, so it’s important to keep a list of alternatives handy in case that happens to your favorite.Â
