We love Amazon tablets. Speaking of hardware, it must be said that they meet the rule of three “B” (good, nice and cheap). It’s definitely the best one can buy and that’s why they lead the entry segment in sales. However, when we add software to the equation, users can be in for a nasty surprise.

And it is because 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 to see it they can’t access their favorite services, apps and gamesbecause 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 have offered you a complete guide to installing all Google services, apps, games and even launchers that completely change the interface and control of the tablet. We now propose a method which 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 apps that will still not work, such as those that depend on GPS data; those that require Google SafetyNet or other certificates related to versions of the tablet for children, “Kids”. The good thing is that with this method you can have both Amazon services and Google’s main ones.

Google Play Store on Amazon Fire

Two previous questions before we begin. If you have a microSD card installed, you must remove it, as it can be erased while installing the necessary files. You should also check if the tablet is seventh generation or higher. Something you can see in Settings > Device Options > Device Model.

Also write down the version of FireOS you have installed as you will need it later and if you want to enable developer options you can do that by clicking on the serial number seven times. Once activated, you will see developer options, which are not necessary for the method we will be using, but if you want to use ADB and debug via USB.

file download

To run Google Play, you must install a number of APK files and therefore you need to allow the installation of “Apps of unknown origin”, the option of which is located in Settings> Security and privacy.

Once done, you need to install the four apps 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 files will be downloaded from APKMirror.com, an unofficial but safe download site. At this point, download the files but don’t run them.

Google Account Manager:

• Fire Tablet 8th generation or higher: Google Account Manager v7.1.2
• Fire Tablet 7th Generation: Google Account Manager 5.1

Google services:

• FireOS 7 or higher: Google Services Framework v9-4832352
• FireOS 6: Google Services Framework v7.1.2

PlayServices:

• Fire HD 10 9th Gen or higher or Fire HD 8 10th Gen: Google Play Services (64-bit ARM, nodpi, Android 9.0+)
• Older Fire: Google Play Services (64-bit ARM, nodpi, Android 6.0+)

Google Play Store:

• All Amazon Fire tablets: Google Play Store (universal, nodpi)

Install the apps

After downloading the previous files, you need to install them in the correct order, namely:

• com.google.gsf.login
• com.google.android.gsf
• com.google.android.gms
• com.android.vending

After installation, reboot your 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. Remember that this method is not as radical as installing a custom ROM and that not everything works, but it is a big 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 you can do once you install the Play Store on your tablet. We have a soft spot for Nova Launcher, but you can use whichever one you prefer.