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How to Set Up the Amazon Fire HD, Fire HDX & Fire HDX 8.9

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This guide will show you hoe to set up your new Amazon Fire HD, Amazon Fire HDX and Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 tablets. We’ll walk you through the steps to get your new Amazon Fire tablet up and running and the best things to do after you get through the regular setup that appears when you turn the Fire tablet on for the first time.

This guide works for the newer Fire HD 6, Fire HD 7 and the Amazon Fire HDX and Amazon Fire HDX 8.9. If you chose an option with 4G LTE connectivity, you will see some other options, but this will help you get your Amazon Fire set up the right way.

If you are giving the Amazon Fire tablet as a gift, you may want to spend time getting this set up and then wrap the present so that they don’t need to spend time installing updates or linking accounts right out of the box.

Amazon Fire HD & Fire HDX Setup Guide

When you get the Amazon Fire tablet out of the box you can press the power button to turn it on and start the setup. You don’t need to charge it before doing this, but if the battery symbol shows that it is below half you may want to plug it in so that you can start using it as soon as you are done setting the Fire tablet up.

After you turn the Amazon Fire HD or Fire HDX on, slide the screen right to left to open the settings screen.

Choose the language to use and tap Continue.

Connect to a WiFi network. You’ll need the WiFi password to make this work. If you don’t have it, you can Complete the setup later, but it is easiest to do this all now.

Set up your Amazon Fire tablet.

Set up your Amazon Fire tablet.

Register the Fire HD or Fire HD with your Amazon account. You need the Amazon account and password. If this is the first time you are using Amazon, you can tap on Start here to get up and running.

Confirm your time zone.

Confirm your time zone.

Confirm the time zone and tap Continue.

Enable Location Services so you can use maps and apps that rely on your current location.

Enable Location Services so you can use maps and apps that rely on your current location.

Tap Enable to turn on location services. This will allow your Fire tablet to use the location from WiFi or LTE. This is essential for maps and for other apps or services that can deliver better service to you by knowing where you are, such as location based reminders.

Automatically backup your settings, data and photos.

Automatically backup your settings, data and photos.

We highly recommend turning on Backup & Auto-Save. This will keep your photos and videos backed up and keep your settings and other details backed up so that if you move to a new Fire Tablet or need to restore if something goes wrong you won’t lose anything.

On this next page you can set up your social networks including Facebook and Twitter. This will make it easier to share information to your favorite social platforms and can also help you sign into apps that use Facebook as a login. You can also connect to Goodreads here. This is a social network for books. Tap on the arrow at the edge of the screen to enter usernames and passwords.

Connect your social networks.

Connect your social networks.

Choose if you want to try a free 30 day membership in Audible, an audio book company owned by Amazon. You can check this out later under the Audio Books tab.

You are almost completely set up and ready to use the Amazon Fire HD or Fire HDX. You can follow through a tutorial or skip right to the main screen. It is a good idea to tap Start to walk through how to use the Fire HD or Fire HDX if this is your first Fire Tablet. This will walk you through recent items, favorites and your quick settings.

This is the end of the main Amazon Fire setup process. You can now access six months of the Washington Post and use the new Family Library to share books between family members. There are still several other steps you need to do to complete the set up.

Set a Fire HD Passcode

Set a passcode for the Fire HD or Fire HDX.

Set a passcode for the Fire HD or Fire HDX.

We recommend setting a lock screen password. Go to Settings -> Security & Privacy -> Lock Screen Password -> On.  Enter a four digit pin and confirm this to complete the setup. You can also turn on Lock Screen Notifications.

Set Do Not Disturb for your Fire HD & Fire HDX

Control when you see and hear notifications with Quiet Time, a Do Not Disturb for Amazon Fire tablets.

Control when you see and hear notifications with Quiet Time, a Do Not Disturb for Amazon Fire tablets.

You can prevent the Fire HD or Fire HDX from notifying you when you are trying to sleep or while you are performing certain activities. Go to Settings -> Notifications & Quiet Time -> Quiet Time -> Choose a schedule and specific activities to enable Do Not Disturb. 

Set Up a Child Account

Set up profiles for FreeTime.

Set up profiles for FreeTime.

The Amazon Fire is great for using with multiple family members. Go to Settings -> Profiles & Family Library -> Add Child. This will let you add children to the Amazon Fire HD or Fire HDX as a limited account. Once this is set up you can then use FreeTime to limit when and how children can use the tablet.

Set up Amazon FreeTime or choose a more open Teen profile, depending on what you want your child to access.

Use MayDay for Support

MayDay offers live support on the Fire HDX and Fire HDX 8.9.

MayDay offers live support on the Fire HDX and Fire HDX 8.9.

On the Amazon Fire HDX and Fire HDX 8.9 you have access to MayDay a live on demand support service that will help you learn what else you can do with your Fire tablet and how to use certain features. Pull down from the top of the screen to see your quick settings and then tap on MayDay to page support. You’ll tap on Connect and soon you will get live video help. The help cannot see you, but they can see your screen.

Set up Email on the Fire HD & Fire HDX

Now add your email accounts to the Fire HD or Fire HDX.

Now add your email accounts to the Fire HD or Fire HDX.

You’ll want to add your personal or work email account to the Fire HD so that you can check your email on this device. Tap on the Mail icon and enter the email address you want to set up. If it is a popular mail account or type you will only need your password and the Fire tablet will handle the hard part of the set up.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Jacqueline Hargraves

    04/29/2015 at 5:38 pm

    Thankyou for the tips because I’m having a ha do time

  2. Beryl anne Southall

    09/29/2015 at 5:49 am

    I entered my security code which is 26 letters and numbers. but will not accept this. I am with orange. and live in france. but want the information in English. can you advise

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