How to stop Fire tablet from updating OS?

haertig · 12-09-2021, 11:35 PM

Is there a way to stop a Fire tablet from updating the version of FireOS it is running?

I ask, because I have a newer fire that I mostly use, but I also have an older one that I do not want to update. Because newer versions of Android kill the one app that I mostly use that old Fire for (a WiFi signal strength and congestion scanner). Newer versions of Android limit the number of times an app can repetitively call for a WiFi scan.

The old Fire I do not want to update is an HD8 gen 7, running FireOS 5.6.9.0, bought new in July 2017. It is possible that this old device will never see any more OS updates from Amazon, and that would be perfect. But I'd like to additionally stop further updating on my end in case Amazon does push out something new to this tablet in the future. Turning WiFi off might stop updates, but that would also stop that scanner app that I am wanting to continue using, defeating the the entire reason I don't want the tablet to update.

LDB · 12-10-2021, 03:27 AM

Is there not a setting for automatic updates you could turn off so it will only update manually?

haertig · 12-10-2021, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDB

Is there not a setting for automatic updates you could turn off so it will only update manually?

Don't I wish. But Amazon wants nothing to do with that. They think they own the device, not you, and they can do with it whatever they want.

The only ways to stop OS updates that I have been able to find all start out with rooting the device. But those links I have turned about regarding that are several years old, so I was hoping that more recently someone has found a way to take device ownership away from Amazon and return ownership to the customer that purchased it.

tomsem · 12-10-2021, 03:19 PM

It looks to me that 7th generation Fires will remain on FireOS 5: only 8th and later are on FireOS 7. The only updates they’ll get are for security and updates to Amazon apps. I would not worry about it.

haertig · 12-10-2021, 04:03 PM

That's good to hear. All my other Android devices - except this one older Fire tablet (it's not THAT old!) - have already been updated to newer versions of Android. So I only have this single Fire tablet to run the WiFi scanning app I need.

12-09-2021, 11:35 PM	#1
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,739 Karma: 26006874 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	How to stop Fire tablet from updating OS? Is there a way to stop a Fire tablet from updating the version of FireOS it is running? I ask, because I have a newer fire that I mostly use, but I also have an older one that I do not want to update. Because newer versions of Android kill the one app that I mostly use that old Fire for (a WiFi signal strength and congestion scanner). Newer versions of Android limit the number of times an app can repetitively call for a WiFi scan. The old Fire I do not want to update is an HD8 gen 7, running FireOS 5.6.9.0, bought new in July 2017. It is possible that this old device will never see any more OS updates from Amazon, and that would be perfect. But I'd like to additionally stop further updating on my end in case Amazon does push out something new to this tablet in the future. Turning WiFi off might stop updates, but that would also stop that scanner app that I am wanting to continue using, defeating the the entire reason I don't want the tablet to update.

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12-10-2021, 03:27 AM	#2
LDB Baker Street Irregular Posts: 442 Karma: 9920853 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Houston suburb Device: Oasis 3, PaperWhite 5, Aura One, Glowlight Plus, Scribe, Sage	Is there not a setting for automatic updates you could turn off so it will only update manually?

12-10-2021, 03:19 PM	#4
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,480 Karma: 26425959 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	It looks to me that 7th generation Fires will remain on FireOS 5: only 8th and later are on FireOS 7. The only updates they’ll get are for security and updates to Amazon apps. I would not worry about it.

12-10-2021, 04:03 PM	#5
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,739 Karma: 26006874 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	That's good to hear. All my other Android devices - except this one older Fire tablet (it's not THAT old!) - have already been updated to newer versions of Android. So I only have this single Fire tablet to run the WiFi scanning app I need.

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