UK channels on a Firestick
- Freeview app on Fire TV
- No: Freeview lists phones and tablets, computers and Freeview Play TVs
- Freely on Fire TV sticks
- No: Everyone TV says portable Fire TV devices aren’t included
- What works
- BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, 5 and U, each free in the Amazon Appstore
- You need
- A UK internet connection, an account for each app, and a TV Licence for live TV and BBC iPlayer
From Freeview, Everyone TV, and the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and U help pages, checked 1 October 2026.
Why there’s no Freeview app
Freeview is aerial television. Its internet features come in two forms, and neither runs on a Firestick:
- Freeview Play is built into TVs and recorders, which still take their live channels from an aerial. See Freeview Play explained.
- Freeview’s mobile app is for phones and tablets. It lets you browse programmes and then plays them through each broadcaster’s own app.
Freely, which streams the same channels over broadband, is built into Fire TV smart TVs. When Everyone TV announced the Amazon deal, it said this doesn’t include portable Fire TV devices, so sticks don’t get it.
The apps that replace it
| App | What you get | Fire TV support |
|---|---|---|
| BBC iPlayer | BBC channels live, and BBC programmes on demand | The BBC lists certified Fire TV devices, including the Fire TV Stick (2020), Fire TV Cube (2nd gen) and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2021) |
| ITVX | ITV1, ITV2, ITVBe, ITV3 and ITV4 live, plus on demand; optional Premium tier | ITV lists Amazon Fire tablets, Cube, Stick and TVs |
| Channel 4 | Channel 4’s streaming service | Channel 4 lists Amazon Fire among its platforms |
| 5 | 5’s streaming service; a free 5 account | Channel 5 lists Amazon Fire TV among streaming devices |
| U | UKTV’s programmes on demand | U says its app is on all Fire TV boxes and sticks |
Install the apps
From the Fire TV home screen, choose Find (the magnifying glass) and search for the app’s name. Install the ones made by the broadcasters themselves: check the developer name on the app page.
Sign in or register
The apps ask you to sign in to a free account with that broadcaster. BBC iPlayer needs a BBC account, and 5 offers a free 5 account.
Watch live or on demand
Choose a programme to watch on demand, or a live channel in the apps that stream them. ITV says that where its TV app can show live TV, you’ll see a Live icon in the menu.
For the Fire TV basics, such as moving apps to the top row, see IPTV on a Firestick.
Two things to know before you start
- A TV Licence. You need one to watch or record live TV in any of these apps, and to use BBC iPlayer at all, live or on demand. Catch-up on ITVX, Channel 4, 5 and U doesn’t need one. See do you need a TV Licence for IPTV.
- A UK connection. The apps only stream inside the UK. The BBC says it won’t play programmes when it detects a VPN or proxy.
Picture quality on a Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The BBC notes that UHD is no longer available on BBC iPlayer on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2021), because of playback issues after a firmware update.
Avoid “Freeview” APKs and loaded sticks
Searching for “Freeview on Firestick” turns up apps from outside the Amazon Appstore that claim to carry the UK channels. They aren’t from the broadcasters, so you have no way to know what else they do on your device. The official apps cost nothing, so there’s no reason to take the risk. See the risks of dodgy Firesticks.