We love Amazon tablets. Speaking of hardware, it must be said that they comply with the rule of the three ‘B’s (good, pretty and cheap). Certainly, it is the best that can be bought and for this reason they lead the entry-level segment in sales. But when we add software to the equation, users can be in for a nasty surprise.
And it is that Amazon electronic tablets pre-install their own operating system. It’s called Fire OS and although it’s based on Android it goes way beyond the usual top layer of user interface that manufacturers usually add. And it can be a problem for many users when they see that they can’t access their favorite services, apps and gamessince Amazon blocks access to Google services and the Play Store by default.
Fortunately, unlocking Amazon tablets has been possible for years and in this article we offered you a complete guide to install all Google services, apps, games and even launchers that completely change the interface and operation of the tablet. Now we propose a method that does not require “hacks”, “roots”.
It should be noted that this method is not as complete as installing a custom ROM (which we recommend) and there are some applications that will still not work, such as those that depend on GPS data; those that require Google SafetyNet certificates or others related to the versions of the tablet for children, “Kids”. The good thing is that with this method you can have both, Amazon services and the main ones from Google.
Google Play Store on an Amazon Fire
Two previous questions before starting. If you have a microSD card installed you must remove it because it can be erased when installing the necessary files. You should also check that the tablet is of the seventh generation or higher. Something you can see in Settings> Device options> Device model.
Also write down the version of FireOS that you have installed because you will need it later and if you want to enable the developer options, you can do it by clicking seven times on the serial number. With this activated you will see the options for developers that are not necessary for the method that we are going to use, but if you want to use ADB and debug via USB.
file download
To start Google Play you must install a series of APK files and therefore you must enable the installation of “Apps of unknown origin” whose option is found in Settings> Security and privacy.
Once done, you have to install four applications in the correct order and with the appropriate version for the specific generation of your tablet. Namely: Google Account Manager, Google Services Framework, Google Play Service and finally Google Play Store. All the files will be downloaded from APKMirror.com, an unofficial but safe site to download. At the moment download the files, but don’t run them.
Google account manager:
Google Services:
PlayServices:
Google Play Store:
Install the apps
Once the previous files have been downloaded, you must install them in the correct order, namely:
- com.google.gsf.login
- com.google.android.gsf
- com.google.android.gms
- com.android.vending
Once installed, restart the device to complete the process.
Sign in with your Google account
Once your Fire tablet has restarted you should be able to open the Google Play Store, sign in with your Google account and start installing apps and games. Let’s remember that this method is not as radical as installing a custom ROM and that not everything works, but it is a great improvement over the Amazon store, very limited compared to the official Google for Android.
To complete the process and if you don’t like the FireOS interface, you can go a step further and install an alternative launcher. Something that you can do once you have installed the Play Store on the tablet. We have a weakness for Nova Launcher, but you can use the one you prefer.
