Looking to install a VPN app on your Amazon Fire Stick?
Many different commercial VPNs provide their users with a native Fire TV app. ExpressVPN is one of them. And they’re an excellent choice for a Fire Stick VPN.
ExpressVPN is streaming-friendly and will help you bypass geo-restrictions and mitigate ISP throttling. And, importantly, ExpressVPN works with Netflix.
Read on to find out how to install ExpressVPN on your Amazon Fire Stick and to gain some insight into how the app works.
Does ExpressVPN Work on My Fire Stick?
The first thing to do is to determine which version of the Amazon Fire Stick you have.
The 2nd generation and the 4K Fire Sticks, are the only versions on which you can install ExpressVPN (or any VPN app). Once you’ve determined that it’s either a 2nd generation or 4K Fire Stick, then we can go ahead and install the ExpressVPN app.
Take a look at our Does NordVPN Work on an Amazon Fire Stick? article for more information on identifying your version of Fire Stick.
Signing-Up
Before you can use the ExpressVPN app on your TV Stick, you’ll need to create an account with ExpressVPN.
Simply go to ExpressVPN’s website and create your account. Their subscriptions all come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so no worries.
Downloading and Installing the App
Downloading the app is a simple process. One simply needs to search for it in the Amazon Appstore.
1. From the Fire Stick Home screen, navigate the top row of options, and select the magnifying glass.
The magnifying glass is at the top left of the screen. The search field is displayed.
2. Type ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN should appear at the top of the search results.
3. Select ExpressVPN.
You are taken to the App Details screen.
4. Select the Get button.
Your download starts. Once the download has finished, the Get button becomes an Open button.
5. Select the Open button.
The ExpressVPN app launches.
The ExpressVPN app appears in the Recent Apps listing on the Home screen. It can also be found in the My Apps listing on the Home screen.
Get ExpressVPN (35% off)Configuring the Amazon Fire Stick ExpressVPN App
When you launch the ExpressVPN app, it will initialize for a few seconds and you’ll be taken to the Sign-In screen and given the option of starting a free trial or signing in.
Enter your account credentials and click Sign In.
Once signed in, you’re taken to the app’s Home screen.
The app’s design is simple, showing no menus on the Home screen, aside from a server selection pane and a Connect button.
To access the app’s settings, select the three lines at the top left of the application. This opens the Settings screen.
Let’s take a look at the different settings and options.
Settings
This is where you can activate certain settings, such as:
- Auto-connect: If activated, the app will automatically connect upon launch.
- Network Protection: This is ExpressVPN’s Kill Switch.
- Split Tunneling: Split Tunneling enables you to only route certain traffic through the VPN. You can choose which apps go through the VPN and which ones go through your ISP connection. This feature can also give you LAN access when connected to the VPN.
- VPN Protocol: From here you can choose between the UDP and TCP protocols for your connection. This confirms that the app uses only OpenVPN.
You can also choose your language, enable shortcuts within the app, and choose to send diagnostic information back to ExpressVPN or not. This is disabled by default. Nice.
Account
This is where you can view your account status and expiration date.
You can also renew your subscription from here.
Help & Support
From this menu, you can access certain Support articles and contact ExpressVPN’s customer support department via email.
Privacy & Security Tools
This menu gives you access to tools that let you test the integrity of your connection.
So we get an IP address checker, a DNS leak test, a WebRTC leak test, as well as a secure password generator, for convenience.
Other Menus
The other menus you can access from the Settings pane are:
- Secure All Your Devices: Instructions on how to configure ExpressVPN on various devices.
- Get 30 Days Free: Refer a friend and get 30 days of ExpressVPN for free.
- Rate ExpressVPN: Self-explanatory. You can rate ExpressVPN, here.
Connecting to an ExpressVPN Server
Making a connection is extremely easy in the ExpressVPN app.
- From the Home screen, using the server selection pane under the big Connect button, select the VPN server to which you want to connect.
- Then click the big Connect button.
- Done.
Wrap Up
So, you now know how to download, install, and configure the ExpressVPN app on an Amazon Fire Stick. And you should be able to connect to the VPN server of your choice.
So stream-on. You’re more secure than you were and your TV Stick shouldn’t be bothered by geo-restrictions, throttling, or blocking. Sweet.
For more information on ExpressVPN, check our review of ExpressVPN. For information on using Netflix over ExpressVPN, have a look at our Does ExpressVPN Work With Netflix? article.
If you’re looking for information on how to install other VPN providers on your Fire Stick, we have guides for NordVPN, Private Internet Access, and Surfshark.
Get ExpressVPN (save 35%)How to Install ExpressVPN on an Amazon Fire Stick?
By Marc Dahan
Last updated: June 30, 2020