Amazon has started rolling out its new 2026 Fire TV interface redesign to select Fire TV models and will be rolling it out to many more devices this spring. This is the first major UI update since 2020 and only the third time the Fire TV interface has been overhauled in its 12-year existence. Here is a massive overview of everything that has changed, for better or worse, and the things that have remained the same.
Disclosure
I normally purchase all of the devices I write about, but thatโs not the case this time. In the interest of full disclosure, Amazon provided me early access to the new Fire TV interface by sending me a 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max preconfigured with the updated interface. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max will be sent back to Amazon once any of my own Fire TVs receive the updated interface. Amazon had no editorial input into this article, nor did it see a preview prior to publication. Additionally, none of the images below were provided by Amazon, as they are all my own screenshots.
Powering on and getting to your apps
The home screen of the new 2026 Fire TV interface, with focus on the tab navigation menu.
If youโre like most people and you just want to get to your app list as quickly as possible, the number of button presses it takes to do that on the new interface will depend slightly on how you power on or wake up your Fire TV. If you press the home button on your remote to either go back home from within an app or for your Fire TV to wake up and use HDMI-CEC to power on your TV, then youโll start on the Fire TVโs new navigation menu at the top of the screen.
The main ad banner on the new 2026 Fire TV interface, before it has expanded.
One press down from the navigation menu will land you on the main large ad banner. This means you have to go through the ad to get to your apps. However, if you turn your TV on using the Power button rather than the Home button, it will open directly to the ad banner instead of the navigation menu.
The main ad…