Turn off the screen saver in Fire Stick settings

The screen saver on your Fire Stick turns on automatically after 30 minutes of inactivity. To disable it, go to Settings on your Fire Stick home screen, then select Display & Sounds, then Screen Saver. You'll see options to turn it off entirely or change how long the device waits before it appears.

The exact menu path depends on your Fire Stick model and software version, but the settings are always in the Display & Sounds section. Once you're in Screen Saver settings, you can choose Off to disable it completely, or select a different timeout period if you want to keep it but change when it activates.

Key Takeaways

  • The screen saver activates after 30 minutes of no remote input by default, but you can turn it off in Settings > Display & Sounds > Screen Saver.
  • Disabling the screen saver will not harm your Fire Stick or increase power use noticeably, since the device is already on.
  • If you want to keep the screen saver but delay it, you can set it to set up after 1 hour, 2 hours, or 4 hours instead of 30 minutes.
  • The screen saver setting applies only to your Fire Stick and does not affect any other devices on your network.

Why your Fire Stick has a screen saver

The screen saver exists to prevent image burn-in on older television sets. Burn-in happens when the same image stays on a screen for many hours without changing, and it can leave a permanent ghost image on the display. Modern TVs are much less prone to this problem than older plasma or OLED models, but Amazon includes the screen saver as a safety feature for all Fire Stick users.

If you have a newer TV or you straightforward prefer to see your home screen at all times, turning off the screen saver is safe. Your TV will not be damaged by leaving the Fire Stick home screen visible, and the device will not use extra power.

Step-by-step: accessing screen saver settings

Start by pressing the Home button on your Fire Stick remote to go to the home screen. From there, navigate to the top of the screen where you'll see a menu bar with options like Search, Find, Your Apps, and Settings.

Select Settings (it looks like a gear icon). Once you're in Settings, scroll down and select Display & Sounds. In that menu, you'll see Screen Saver listed. Select it to open the screen saver options.

You'll see a list of choices: Off, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, and 4 hours. Highlight Off and press the center button on your remote to confirm. The screen saver is now disabled.

What to do if you can't find the screen saver setting

If the Screen Saver option doesn't appear in Display & Sounds, your Fire Stick software may be outdated. Go to Settings > My Fire Stick > About, then select Check for Updates. If an update is available, select Install and wait for the device to restart. Once the update is complete, the Screen Saver setting should appear in Display & Sounds.

If you've updated and the setting still doesn't show, try unplugging your Fire Stick from power for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. This soft reset often fixes menu display issues. After the device restarts, navigate back to Settings > Display & Sounds and look for Screen Saver again.

Turning the screen saver back on later

If you decide you want the screen saver again, the process is the same: go to Settings > Display & Sounds > Screen Saver and select the timeout period you prefer. You can switch between Off, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, and 4 hours at any time without restarting your device.

The setting takes effect when ready. If you choose 30 minutes, the screen saver will set up the next time your Fire Stick sits idle for that length of time.

Screen saver and sleep mode are different

The screen saver is not the same as sleep mode. When the screen saver is on, your Fire Stick is still running and ready to respond to remote commands. When you press any button on the remote, the screen saver disappears and you're back to the home screen or whatever you were watching.

Sleep mode, by contrast, puts your Fire Stick into a low-power state where it uses less electricity. You can set sleep mode separately in Settings > My Fire Stick > Sleep. Turning off the screen saver does not affect sleep mode, and vice versa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off the screen saver make my Fire Stick use more power?

No. Your Fire Stick is already on and displaying the home screen or an app. The screen saver straightforward changes what appears on your TV after a period of inactivity. Disabling it does not increase power consumption.

Will my TV get burn-in if I leave the home screen on all the time?

Modern TVs are designed to resist burn-in, especially LED and QLED models. Older plasma TVs were more vulnerable. If you have a newer TV, leaving the home screen on will not damage it. If you're concerned, you can set the screen saver to set up after 2 or 4 hours instead of turning it off completely.

Can I use a custom image as the screen saver?

The Fire Stick screen saver options are limited to the built-in designs that come with the device. You cannot upload your own image. However, you can choose which built-in screen saver design appears by selecting different options in the Screen Saver menu.

What happens if I unplug my Fire Stick while changing screen saver settings?

Your last saved setting will remain in place when the device restarts. If you were in the middle of changing the setting, the change may not have been saved. straightforward go back to Settings > Display & Sounds > Screen Saver and select your preferred option again.