The Micro-USB port on an Amazon Fire TV Stick is primarily designed to power the device. But with the right adapter, it can do a lot more. Here are some of the most useful things you can connect to your Fire Stick.
Expand It With a USB Dongle
To add most devices to the Fire TV Stick’s USB port, you will first need to attach an adapter. What you need is a Micro-USB Host OTG splitter that connects to the Fire Stick and has Micro-USB and USB-A ports on the other end. This enables you to plug your device into the power and have access to a spare USB-A port for your peripherals and other gadgets.
I use this cheap Rii cable. It’s good enough for me and has worked perfectly well. If you want to go crazy and add lots of devices, you could try a USB hub instead. Just make sure it’s got a Micro-USB port as one of its options.
- Operating System
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FireOS
- Resolution
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4K
A step up from the Fire Stick TV Lite is the Fire Stick TV 4K. It offers a Dolby Vision upgrade and TV controls on the Alexa remote.
Get External Storage With a Flash Drive
I’ve been using my Fire TV Stick with an external USB flash drive connected for a long time, and it has completely changed how I use the device.
I use it in conjunction with the NOVA Video Player app, which not only allows me to play my own local video files but also offers a full library management system similar to an offline version of the Plex Media Server. I’ve written a guide on how to use external storage with your Fire Stick to help you get started.
Although I use mine exclusively for videos, you can use it for apps instead. Not all apps and versions of the Fire software support this feature, but many do. If you use a lot of apps on your Fire Stick, it’s worth investigating.
Use an Ethernet Adapter for Faster Speeds
If the Wi-Fi coverage in your home isn’t too great, or if you’ve got very fast internet access and aren’t getting the performance you’d expect on your Fire TV Stick, you can try using an Ethernet adapter instead. They plug directly into the Micro-USB port without needing an adapter.
Amazon offers its own Ethernet adapter for the Fire Stick, but there are lots of third-party options that come with more features, like longer cables or extra ports. The Amazon adapter is pegged to 100Mbps, and the others promise faster speeds. However, you won’t get the full speed of your internet connection because the USB itself is a limiting factor. It might still be quicker and more stable than what you get over Wi-Fi, though.
Connect a Game Controller, Mouse, and Keyboard
The Fire TV Stick supports a wide range of low-power peripherals. This includes game controllers, mice, and keyboards. If you enjoy playing games, you can plug in a controller. Most wired brands should work without any problems. You can add a mouse for easier navigation in certain apps, or a keyboard if you use the device for any kind of typing. There’s no setup required; plug them in, and they should be automatically detected. They can be handy if you sideload apps to your Fire Stick.
You can use Bluetooth versions of these accessories, too.
Other Low Power Accessories
There are limitations on what you can use the USB port on your Fire TV Stick for. It doesn’t output a lot of power, and it doesn’t support things like audio over USB. But for simple peripherals, it is perfect. For instance, you can add a small USB fan. Plug it into the Stick, set it under your TV, and it can pump cool air into your room during the height of summer. It’s perfect if you’re in a room with limited space.
Charge Your Devices
Your TV has likely got a spare USB port that you can use to charge things, but if you need another one, you can connect a device to the dongle connected to your Fire TV Stick. It doesn’t put out a huge amount of power, so it’s better for smaller things like wireless earbuds. Which is not to say that you can’t plug your phone into it if you want to, but don’t expect it to charge quickly.
Power It Through Your TV
Finally, you can plug your Fire Stick directly into your TV to power it. It should be noted that this isn’t recommended, as TVs might not output enough power to keep the device running reliably. It can cause problems. The Stick can reboot unexpectedly, and if that happens while the software is updating, it can potentially brick the system. It’s an enticing option, though, to minimize the wires and clutter behind your TV.
There’s a good chance you’ve never thought about adding extra peripherals to your Fire TV Stick. Yet connecting a flash drive is genuinely useful, adding an Ethernet adapter can fix any streaming problems you’re encountering, and using a game controller could be a game-changer. If you want to get the most out of Amazon’s streamer, a USB dongle is a cheap way to do it.
