How to Reset Your Fire TV Stick or Fire TV
There are three different fixes depending on what's actually wrong — a simple restart for slowness, a remote button combo for a frozen screen, and a full factory reset for selling the device or fixing a persistent problem nothing else solves. Here's which one you need, and exactly how to do each.
- ✔ Unplug for 30 seconds, plug back in
- ✔ Fixes most slowdowns and glitches
- ✔ Keeps everything — apps, logins, settings
- ✖ Erases all apps, app data, and sign-ins
- ✖ Your Amazon account itself is unaffected
- ✖ Only use if a restart doesn't fix it
🖥️ Frozen Screen? Use the Remote Button Combo
If the interface is fully unresponsive and you can't navigate to Settings, this forces a restart without erasing anything:
- Press and hold the Back button and the right side of the navigation circle together.
- Hold for about 10 seconds — the screen should go black and the device will restart.
- If nothing happens, unplug the device from power for 30 seconds, then plug it back in.
🗑️ How to Factory Reset From Settings
Use this before selling or giving away the device, or if a simple restart hasn't fixed a persistent problem.
- From the home screen, go to Settings in the top menu.
- Select My Fire TV (labeled Device and Software on some Fire TV Smart TV models).
- Select Reset to Factory Defaults and confirm.
- The device wipes itself and restarts at the initial setup screen — exactly like new.
This erases every installed app and all sign-in information, but doesn't affect your Amazon account itself — you'll just sign back in and reinstall whatever apps you want after setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset a Fire TV Stick if the screen is frozen?
Press and hold the Back button and the right side of the navigation circle on the remote together for about 10 seconds. This forces a restart even if the interface isn't responding, and doesn't erase anything.
Will a factory reset delete my apps and logins?
Yes — a full factory reset erases all installed apps, app data, and account sign-ins, returning the device to out-of-box condition. Your Amazon account itself isn't affected; you'll just need to sign back in and reinstall apps.
Should I reset my Fire TV if it's just running slow?
Try a simple restart first (unplug for 30 seconds and plug back in) — this fixes most slowdowns without erasing anything. Only do a full factory reset if the problem persists after a restart and clearing individual app caches.
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