Amazon has unveiled a major redesign of the Fire TV interface – the first significant overhaul since 2020 – promising faster performance, better organisation, and a cleaner look throughout.
There’s just one catch: it’s launching in February in the United States first, with UK users having to wait until “later this spring” to see the changes on their devices.
It’s the first major shake-up of the Fire TV experience since 2020, when Amazon last promised that the “biggest interface update ever” would transform how we navigate our streaming sticks.
This time around, Amazon is focusing on speed and simplification.
The company claims the new interface delivers 20-30% performance improvements in some areas, with a cleaner design that’s meant to help you spend less time searching and more time watching.
The Menu Bar Has Moved – Again
Here’s something that might sound familiar if you’ve been using streaming platforms for a while: Amazon has moved the main navigation menu from the side of the screen to the top.
Sound like déjà vu? That’s because it is.
The Fire TV originally launched in 2014 with the menu along the top. Then in 2020, Amazon moved it to the left side as part of that “biggest interface update ever.” Now in 2026, it’s moving back to the top again.
This is one of those universal streaming platform rituals. Every few years, someone at a major company decides the menu needs to move. Top to side. Side to top. Repeat.
Netflix did exactly the same thing recently, shifting their navigation back to the top after years of having it on the left. Before that, it was on top. The circle of streaming life continues.
Even the content of Amazon’s navigation has come full circle. The 2026 update brings back some interface elements from the original 2016 design that were changed or removed in 2020. We’ve literally gone round in circles.
What’s Actually New
Amazon says the redesigned interface is “cleaner, faster, and better organised.” The updated design includes rounded corners, new colour gradients, updated typography, and better spacing throughout.
More importantly, Amazon has rebuilt the underlying code to make everything run faster. They’ve reworked how the system operates rather than just giving it a fresh coat of paint.
The new interface organises content into dedicated sections for different types of media.
When you browse movies, for example, you’ll see films from all your subscribed services in one place rather than having to jump between apps. The same goes for TV shows, sports, news, and live content.
You can now pin up to 20 apps to your home screen, up from the previous limit of six.
There’s also a new shortcut panel you can access by long-pressing the Home button on your remote, giving quick access to audio settings, display controls, Ring cameras, and smart home devices.
The Find section (formerly known as Search) has been expanded to include content discovery by genre and category, alongside the usual voice and keyboard search options.
Amazon Photos integration has been improved as well, making it easier to display your personal photos on the TV. Pressing the Menu button now gives quick access to Games, Art & Photos, and the Ambient Experience features.
It Looks Rather Familiar
If you’ve used a recent Google TV device, the new Fire TV interface might look somewhat familiar.
Several people have already pointed out that Amazon’s 2026 redesign bears more than a passing resemblance to Google TV’s current interface.
The horizontal content rows, the overall layout structure, the way content is organised – there are definitely similarities.
To be fair, there are only so many ways you can design a TV interface that works well with a remote control. And all the major platforms – Fire TV, Google TV, Apple TV – have been gradually converging on similar design patterns over the years (except for Roku, which pretty much remains… Roku).
But yes, the new Fire TV does look quite a bit like Google TV.
The Redesigned Mobile App
Amazon is also launching a completely redesigned Fire TV mobile app to match the new interface.
The app has always worked as a backup remote control, but now it can do significantly more. You’ll be able to browse content, manage your watchlist, and actually play titles on your TV – all from your phone (which is something Roku did with its app a few years ago).
The new app matches the look and feel of the redesigned Fire TV interface, so you can use your phone as a second screen to discover what to watch next or add recommendations to your watchlist when you’re away from home.
The mobile app will launch alongside the new interface in February for US users, with the UK getting it “later this spring.”
When Will UK Users Get It?
Here’s where things get frustrating for UK Fire TV owners: not anytime soon.
The new interface launches in February 2026 in the United States only, and only on specific devices: the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (that’s the new name of the Fire TV 4K stick), Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation), and Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series (but not the newest Fire TV 4K Select, for now).
UK users will have to wait until “later this spring” – which could mean anywhere from March through May, knowing how Amazon defines “spring.”
After the initial US launch, Amazon says it will “expand the new UI design to more countries and more devices” throughout spring.
That includes the UK, along with more Fire TV hardware like the Fire TV 2-Series, 4-Series, and Omni QLED Series, plus Fire TVs made by partners including Hisense, Insignia, Panasonic, and TCL.
This staggered rollout isn’t unusual for Fire TV updates. When the 2020 interface redesign launched, UK users also had to wait several months before seeing it on their devices.
Even then, it came to newer Fire TV Sticks first before gradually expanding to older models throughout 2021.
The good news is that it will be a free software update when it eventually arrives. You won’t need to buy new hardware to get the new interface – assuming your Fire TV device is still supported by Amazon.
Amazon’s Broader 2026 Announcements
The Fire TV interface redesign was announced alongside several other products, including Amazon’s first-ever “lifestyle TV” called the Amazon Ember Artline.
It’s a 4K QLED television with a matte screen designed to display art and photos when you’re not watching content. Think Samsung’s The Frame, but from Amazon.
It starts at £949 for the 55-inch model and will launch in the UK – yes, you guessed it – “later this spring”, but customers can register their interest via this link.
Amazon has also renamed its entire smart TV lineup. What were previously just called “Amazon Fire TVs” are now branded as “Amazon Ember” TVs. The Artline is the first product under this new name.
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Not a lot there to shout about. Just makes people think they are getting something new.
They are not.
Marketing. Pure and simple.
What about the fire tv cube (latest version) I have 3 of them, I’m not going to buy new firestick’s just for an update.
Is this not just another way to weed out sideloaded apps? I’ve got my stick locked down so no OTA updates can be performed.
But will the new sticks work with Wi-fi 7?
This is about a new interface, there are no new sticks (for now).