How to install Redbox TV on FireStick (Easy Guide in 2026)

Last Updated on September 20, 2026 by Walter

Redbox TV is a free live TV app for FireStick, and this guide walks you through the install in about five minutes.

Exemption from responsibility The following statement is true: We do not support copyright violations. Stream only content that is from the open domain. This article is intended for educational purposes only.

What is Redbox TV?

Redbox TV is a third-party app that pulls together free live TV channels from dozens of countries into one simple grid. It shows sports, news, kids' programming, music and general entertainment, and it splits everything into tabs by genre and by country so you can jump straight to what you want. The name causes confusion, because this app has nothing to do with the red DVD kiosks you see outside grocery stores in the United States. It's a completely separate streaming app, and you won't find it in the Amazon App Store.

The app used to be called HDMovies, and plenty of people still search for it that way. It's one of the most installed FireStick apps for live TV because it's small, it's free and it works on almost any Android-based device. If buffering is your main problem, our guide on how to stop buffering on FireStick covers the fixes.

Is Redbox TV safe and legal to use?

Redbox TV itself is a neutral player that doesn't host video, and antivirus scans of the APK have not flagged malicious code. The risk comes from what you stream on it. Plenty of the channels it links to carry copyright content, and watching that without permission may be illegal where you live. Check your local laws and the service's Terms of Service before you use it, and stick to channels and shows that are in the public domain where you can.

The other real risk here is your privacy. A free app that streams over an unencrypted connection exposes your viewing habits, your IP address and your general location to your internet provider. A VPN solves that by routing your traffic through an encrypted tunnel, so your ISP sees a single scrambled stream instead of the channels you open. That is the honest reason to run one alongside Redbox TV, and it is not a claim that a VPN makes copyright infringement disappear.

Before you start streaming, protect your connection. Your internet provider can log every channel you open, and free streaming apps are loud about what you watch. A good FireStick VPN hides that traffic. We use NordVPN for FireStick because it stays fast on 4K streams, and the full breakdown of its speed and logging policy sits in our NordVPN review.

Set it up before you install the app, because the two-minute job below saves you a rebuild later:

1. Create a NordVPN account and claim the current discount.
2. Install the NordVPN app on FireStick from the Amazon App Store and sign in.
3. Pick a nearby server, connect, then open Redbox TV and stream as normal.

How to install Redbox TV APK on FireStick

Redbox TV installs through the Downloader app, because the Amazon App Store doesn't carry it. Follow the steps below in order.

1. Go to the FireStick home screen and select Find, then Search.

2. Type Downloader into the search bar and select the Downloader app from the results.

3. Choose the Downloader icon, then click Get or Download to install it.

4. Open Downloader once it installs and click Allow when it asks for file access. Click OK to dismiss the Quick Start guide.

5. Now you need to enable sideloading. Return to the home screen, click the Gear icon, then go to My Fire TV.

6. Select Developer Options. If you don't see it, open About, highlight the first item and press the select button seven times until it says you're already a developer.

7. Choose Install Unknown Apps and turn Downloader ON.

8. Hold the Home button on the remote for about five seconds, select Apps, then open Downloader.

9. In the Downloader address bar, type redboxtv.to and click Go. You can also use the Downloader code 73494.

Tip: typing a long URL with a remote is painful. Install the Amazon Fire TV app on your phone and use the keyboard there instead.

10. On the Redbox TV page, scroll down and click Download for Android.

11. When the APK finishes downloading, click Install, then Done.

12. Click Delete to remove the installer file and free up space, then open Redbox TV from the Apps row.

How to use Redbox TV on FireStick

Open the app from the home screen. On the first launch it may ask whether you want to keep ads or share idle resources with a third-party network in exchange for fewer ads. Pick whichever you prefer, then click Start using the app.

The home screen lists channels by genre. You'll see Sports, Science, Kids, USA, UK, Indian, Punjabi, Arabic, Turkish, French, German and more, and you switch between them with the tabs at the top. Pick a category, then pick a channel, and the app asks which player you want to use. MX Player is the smoothest option for Redbox TV, and selecting Always stops the prompt from appearing every time.

The hamburger menu on the left opens All Channels, Favorites, Settings and the privacy policy. The Settings tab holds four useful controls: Lock Settings adds a password so other people can't change the app, Hide Categories removes genres you never watch, Video Player sets your default player, and Ad Deactivated toggles the ad-sharing option again.

You might also find this article useful: How to Install FilmPlus APK on Firestick and Android.

Main features of Redbox TV

• Live channels from more than 20 countries, sorted by genre and region.
• Support for external players including MX Player, VLC and WebVideoCast.
• A Favorites tab for quick access to the channels you watch most.
• Password protection through Lock Settings.
• A small install size that runs comfortably on a FireStick Lite.

Redbox TV doesn't let you download shows for offline viewing, so it's a live-channel app only. That's worth knowing before you install it in place of something like Kodi.

Redbox TV not working on FireStick? Try this

Most Redbox TV problems come down to three things. If channels buffer constantly, switch to a lower-bitrate channel or connect through a VPN with a nearby server, because throttling from your ISP is a common cause. If the app won't open, clear its cache from Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Redbox TV > Clear Cache and relaunch it. If a channel shows a blank screen, it's usually the source feed rather than your device, so try a different channel from the same category.

When the app stops working entirely, uninstall it and repeat the install steps with a fresh APK, since the developers push updates that older sideloaded versions can't always pull. If nothing works, safe alternatives on FireStick include our guide to the SO Player on FireStick setup.

Frequently asked questions about Redbox TV

What is Redbox TV APK?

Redbox TV APK is a third-party app that streams free live TV channels from around the world on FireStick, Android TV and Android phones.

Is Redbox TV legal?

The app is a player, but the channels it links to can carry copyrighted content, so watching them may be illegal in your country. Check your local laws and stick to public-domain content.

Is Redbox TV the same as the Redbox DVD kiosks?

No, the two are unrelated. The kiosk brand rents DVDs, while Redbox TV is a free streaming app with no connection to that company.

Which devices does Redbox TV work on?

It runs on FireStick, Fire TV, Android TV boxes, Mi Box, Nvidia Shield, Android phones and Android smart TVs.

Can I download movies with Redbox TV?

No. Redbox TV streams live channels only, and it has no download feature.

Do I need a VPN for Redbox TV?

You don't need one to install the app, but a VPN keeps your streaming traffic private from your ISP and stops most buffering caused by throttling.

Wrapping up

Redbox TV is a quick, free way to add live channels to a FireStick, and the whole install takes a few minutes once Downloader is ready. Install NordVPN first if privacy matters to you, keep the app updated, and you'll have a steady live-TV setup without touching the Amazon App Store.