Amazon has enabled VPN support on the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, more than a month after the device launched without it. For the unversed, the 4K Select model launched as the first Fire TV device with Vega OS, a Linux-based system that replaced Android-based Fire OS. This shift had notably excluded VPN support. Well, Amazon updated Vega OS over the weekend to allow VPN functionality, but the rollout is limited. Here are the details.
Amazon has added two VPN apps for now, addressing one of the main limitations of the new Vega OS. These apps are NordVPN and IPVanish. Developers of these apps have built custom versions that are compatible with Vega OS. Other providers are expected to follow, although a timeline has not been established yet.
So, the update brings the Fire TV Stick 4K Select closer to feature parity with older Fire TV models. But until more VPN developers ship Vega OS-compatible apps, users will have limited choices.
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VPN support on the Vega OS-based Fire TV Stick 4K Select matters for a few practical reasons that directly affect how people use their streaming device:
Restoring VPN support means users do not lose a feature they may have relied on.
Step 1: On the Fire TV homescreen, tap the magnifying glass icon to open the search menu
Step 2: Search for the VPN name, like NordVPN or IPVanish.
Step 3: Download the app by tapping the Get option.
Step 4: Go to Apps on your Fire TV and launch the VPN you just installed.
Step 5: Sign in by entering your login credentials. You may have to register and pay for the VPN subscription if you haven’t already.
Step 6: Connect to a server by choosing the country or city you want to connect to. For instance, A US server is useful for US-only services like Hulu. A UK server is required for BBC iPlayer. Once connected, your Fire TV traffic will be routed through the VPN.
Return to your streaming apps. Your Fire TV will now behave as if it is located in the region of the VPN server you selected.
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