Amazon has reinstated a popular feature for the Amazon Fire Stick after it was removed earlier this year due to security concerns. This free tool allows users to control their device similarly to the main remote, which was particularly useful for those who had lost their physical remote and didn’t want to buy a new one. A notable advantage of the tool was the ease of typing usernames and search terms using a virtual keyboard.
In April, Amazon withdrew this feature after security experts highlighted that it could potentially allow hackers to take control of someone else’s Fire TV. Unlike the unaffected app, this tool offered a web-based alternative that could be accessed via a QR code, enabling users to control their device from a web browser without installing additional apps on their phone.
However, this tool’s ability to function outside the same network as the Fire TV device raised concerns about security vulnerabilities, as hackers could exploit it to install malicious apps if they physically accessed the QR code.
After working on a solution, Amazon has relaunched the tool with enhanced security measures. The new setup process includes on-screen prompts that require users to verify connection attempts after scanning the QR code. This is done by using the traditional remote to manually click on a “Yes” button and entering a unique four-digit code displayed on both the TV screen and the mobile device.
While this improved security measure addresses the earlier concerns, it may pose a challenge for those who have lost their physical remote, as it is necessary to confirm the connection. However, users can still utilize the app-based remote control as an alternative.
To use the Amazon Fire TV web remote, users need to first use the physical remote to open the web-based remote, then open the keyboard and scan the QR code that appears and at last, visit keyboard.amazonfiretvapp.com to complete the setup.
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