How to install Apollo Group TV on Firestick
Installing Apollo Group TV on a Fire TV Stick takes about 5 minutes. You'll use the free Downloader app to sideload the Apollo APK, then sign in with the credentials we email you after checkout. Here's the exact process — works on every Firestick model from the original Stick to the Fire TV Cube and 4K Max.
What you’ll need
- A Fire TV Stick (any model: Lite, 4K, 4K Max, or the Fire TV Cube)
- An active Apollo Group TV subscription — after checkout we email you a username, password, and a 6-digit Downloader code
- About 5 minutes
- A wifi connection of 10+ Mbps for HD, 25+ Mbps for 4K
Step 1 — Turn on developer mode
From the Fire TV home screen, open Settings → My Fire TV → About. Highlight “Fire TV Stick” (or whichever model you have) and click the select button seven times. You’ll see a small toast: “You are now a developer.”
Now back out one screen to My Fire TV → Developer Options and turn on “Install unknown apps”(older firmware calls it “Apps from Unknown Sources”). This is what lets the Downloader app sideload Apollo — without this step, the next ones will fail.
Step 2 — Install the Downloader app
From the home screen, press the microphone button on your remote and say “Downloader,” or use the search to find it. Install it — it’s free, made by AFTVnews, and lives in the official Amazon Appstore.
When you open Downloader for the first time, it asks for permission to access files and to install apps. Accept both. Without those permissions it can’t install the Apollo APK.
Step 3 — Enter your Apollo Group TV downloader code
In Downloader, you’ll see a URL bar at the top. Type the 6-digit code from your Apollo welcome email and press “Go.” The Apollo APK (roughly 50 MB) starts downloading. Not sure what the code is? See our quick downloader code explainer.
Lost your code? Log in at apollogrouptvs.com/ClientPortal and grab it from your account page — or message support and they’ll resend the email.
Step 4 — Install the APK
When the download finishes, an installer prompt pops up showing “Apollo Group TV” and an “Install” button at the bottom right. Click it. The install takes 10–15 seconds.
After install completes, Downloader asks if you want to delete the APK file. Click Delete— keeping it just wastes Firestick storage and you won’t need it again unless you reinstall.
Step 5 — Open Apollo Group TV and sign in
Apollo Group TV won’t auto-appear on your home row yet — it sits under Your Apps & Channels → See All, usually toward the bottom. Open it.
Enter the username and password from your welcome email. The EPG (channel guide) takes 5–10 minutes to populate on first launch, so don’t worry if some sections look empty — it’s loading.
That’s it. You’re in. While you’re here, long-press Apollo’s icon and pin it to your home row so you don’t have to dig through Your Apps every time.
Troubleshooting
“Code not found” in Downloader
The most common cause: your subscription isn’t active yet. Lightning settles in under a minute, MoonPay (card) takes 5–10 minutes, on-chain Bitcoin can take 10–30 minutes. Try the code again after the appropriate window. If it still fails, double-check the digits against the email (it’s easy to confuse 0 and O, or 1 and I).
“Parse error” or “App not installed”
The APK download got corrupted, usually because the Firestick ran out of storage mid-download. Go to Settings → Applications → Manage Installed Applicationsand uninstall anything you don’t use. Then open Downloader, clear its data, and enter the code again.
Status code 403 when you try to sign in
Your subscription has likely expired, or the credentials are wrong. Log in at the Client Portal to check both. If you just renewed and still see 403, it can take up to 30 minutes for the new credentials to propagate to the streaming servers.
App opens then freezes or crashes
Restart the Firestick: Settings → My Fire TV → Restart. This fixes about 95% of first-launch issues — usually it’s a stale process from the install. If it still crashes after a restart, uninstall Apollo, re-download via Downloader, and reinstall.
Channels load but the guide is empty
The EPG takes up to 30 minutes to fully populate on a new install. Channels still play normally during this window — you just have to know what you want to watch by name instead of browsing the grid. Check back in 30 minutes and the guide will be there.
Buffering or freezing during playback
This is almost always a network issue, not the app. Run a speed test on the Firestick (download the “Internet Speed Test” app from the Amazon Appstore). If you’re below 10 Mbps, you’ll buffer on HD; below 25 Mbps you can’t do 4K reliably. The fix is to plug your Firestick into a wired Ethernet adapter — Amazon sells one for $15 and it’s the single biggest stability upgrade you can make.
Firestick tips after install
- Pin Apollo to the home row. Long-press the app icon → Move → drop it in the front row. Saves about 4 clicks every time you open it.
- Power the Firestick from the wall, not your TV’s USB. The TV’s USB port under-powers the stick and causes random reboots, especially the 4K Max.
- Use a wired connection if you can. The Amazon Ethernet Adapter ($15) plugs into the Firestick’s micro-USB and cuts buffering to near-zero. Worth it for 4K.
- Restart the Firestick once a week. Settings → My Fire TV → Restart. The Firestick’s 1–2 GB of RAM fills up with cache and processes that slow streaming over time. Quick restart clears them.
Frequently asked questions
Is sideloading apps onto a Firestick safe?
Yes. Sideloading is a supported feature of Fire OS — it’s how Amazon lets developers and users install apps that aren’t in the Appstore. It doesn’t void your warranty and doesn’t modify the Firestick’s system. The Apollo Group TV APK is signed and verified.
Why isn’t Apollo Group TV on the Amazon Appstore?
Amazon’s Appstore rules restrict apps that aggregate channels from many sources. This is standard for IPTV services — every reputable IPTV provider distributes via APK rather than the Appstore.
Will this slow down my Firestick?
No. The Apollo Group TV app is around 100 MB installed and uses about 200 MB of RAM while streaming. A Firestick 4K has 1.5–2 GB of RAM, so there’s plenty of headroom.
Can I install Apollo Group TV on more than one Firestick?
Yes. Your subscription supports up to 5 simultaneous connections, so the same login works on every Firestick in your house. Just repeat the process above on each one.
What if I have a Fire TV (built into the TV) instead of a Fire TV Stick?
The process is identical. Toshiba, Insignia, and other Fire TV Edition televisions run the same Fire OS and support sideloading via Downloader. Follow the same five steps.
Related guides
- Android TV install guide — direct APK on Google TV, Shield, Mi Box
- Roku setup — using a Roku instead? Screen mirroring workaround
- What is the downloader code?
- Payment guides hub — buy with Cash App, Venmo, MoonPay, crypto
- Apollo Group TV FAQ
- Pricing & plans
Stuck on something not covered here? Email [email protected] or open a ticket from your Client Portal — our team replies within an hour, 24/7.