Fire TV Channel Guide Feature: How to Use [2023]

written by

Doug Stevenson

updated March 01, 2023

Finding your favorite channels among the sea of curated and local TV streams is in many ways like finding a needle on a haystack.

But Amazon's very own Channel Guide lets you choose your favorite channels and view the various chartered programs with relative ease.

Even with such a variegated selection of regional and international channels, the Fire TV Channel Guide offers a cumulative assortment of channels in various categories like Live TV, OTA, streaming apps, etc.

Fire TV Channel Guide has become even more accessible with the recent addition of customizable channel lists on the Live Now or otherwise channel lists. With a channel list exceeding the Hundred mark and several OTA streaming services available at the reach of your fingers, you need not worry about entertainment anytime soon.

Adding Favorites and hiding undesirable channels are some of the quirky features of the Amazon Fire TV Channel Guide.

Here is a quick word on the recent developments from Amazon concerning the recent additions to the channel guide, followed by the list of the various channels and programs available on Fire TV.

Amazon Enables Easy Customization Feature to its Fire TV Channel Guide

Amazon's always experimenting with ways to better its ingenious inventions. And one such invention susceptible to such innovations is the Fire TV.

And sure enough, ever since its launch in the fall of 2014, Amazon has perfected the service with UI improvisations, the introduction of various channels and OTA services, newer generations with better specs, etc.

Hence, when Amazon announced in one of their blog posts a few months back that Fire TVs now have the support for customizable channels list on their integrated Channel list/Guide, there was much less surprise and ado.

After all, Fire TV customers have become acclimated to Amazon's swaggy fashion of showy improvements that they rarely raise a voice in support or otherwise.

With this much-appreciated addition, users can now add their favorite channels to the On Now tab and watch with much less commotion.

Before this addition, users were pretty much left only with the pre-curated list of channels. And there was limited to no customization available for the 'On Now' tab.

You can also add other regular channels to this list, essentially making the integrated channel list a robust, compact little package for all your entertainment needs.

To avail the new Add Channel option, follow these steps on the Fire TV.

1. In the Fire TV's Home tab, navigate to the 'On Now' tab. You could also tap the Guide/Channels button on the Alexa Voice Remote.

2. Next, click on the Menu button on the remote to bring up the Add Channel option on-screen.

3. Click on the Add Channel option to bring up the channel list.

4. Toggle on your desired channels and exit the menu.

Now you have all your desired channels available at the click of a button.

Some of the channels compatible with the integrated channel list and available for you to customize are:

SLING, Youtube TV, Philo, MLB. TV, PBS Masterpiece, NBA League Pass, etc.

Channel Guide: Best Channels on Fire TV

Amazon has endowed its Fire TV lineup with an unwieldy number of channels, ranging from local big-shots to international broadcast giants.

But mentioning them one by one can prove to be an arduous task.

But there are a few notable ones that are worth mentioning.

In addition to hosting a considerable amount of channels, Amazon Fire TV also supports streaming service apps.

In effect, with certain streaming apps, you may get the same or not-so-same channels that you already get with the Fire TV.

Not to mention Prime Video Channels.

Prime Video Channels are the many channels that Amazon that come bundled with a Prime Video subscription.

In addition to all these paid services, you also get a lot of free channels with the Fire TV.

To sum it up, the Fire TV Channel guide consists of channels from streaming service Apps, Prime Video Channels, Live TV channels, and to top it off, free channels.

Here is the distinguished list of channels currently available on Fire TV. (Channels are divided into lists based on the type of service it comes in)

Pre-installed Channels on Fire TV

Apart from the paid and the service exclusive channels, Fire TV also does come with some pre-installed channels. They also come free of cost.

Channel	Guide Notations
Amazon Live Shopping	Live Only
IMDb TV	47
News by Fire TV	12

Preinstalled Channels

Prime Video Channels

These channels come bundled with Amazon Prime Video membership. Some may have an additional cost carried with them.

Channel	Guide notations	Price(per month)
AMC+	5	$8.99
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball	Live Only	Free
Cinemax	9	$9.99
Discovery+	11	$6.99
Epix	4	$5.99
MLB.TV	Live Only	$24.99
NBA League Pass	Live Only	$17.99
NBA TV	Live Only	$6.99
NFL Thursday Night Football	Live Only	$Free
PGA Tour Live	Live Only	$9.99
Pixl	1	$1.99
Showtime	9	$10.99
Starz	8	$8.99

Channels available with Prime Video Membership

App and Streaming Service Exclusive Channels

These channels exist either as apps or as a part of a streaming service. Even if they are part of a service, some channels may require an independent subscription to work.

Channel	Guide Notations	Price(per month)
ESPN	Live Only	Vary with Subscription Plan
FOX	8	Vary with Subscription Plan
Haystack News	35	Free
Hulu+ Live TV	75+	$65
Philo	60+	$25
Plex	49	Free
PlutoTV	52	Free
Redbull TV	11	Free
Sling TV	30+	$30
Tubi	28	Free
Twitch	Live Only	Free
KUMO	49	Free
Youtube TV	85+	$65

App and Subscription channels

Instead of accessing the channels through the guide or scrolling through the On Now tab, you could avail the services of the Alexa voice control remote of your Fire TV.

Some of the commands that could help you are:

"Alexa, show me Live TV Live TV on the bedroom Fire TV".
"Alexa, tune to ESPN".
"Alexa, find Hulu+ Live TV".

How to Get Channels/Apps on Fire TV

Apart from the pre-installed ones on your new Fire TV, you won't get any of your favorite channels on your Fire TV at the beginning.

You will have to download and install them so as to access them.

Fortunately, the process is quite simple.

Amazon has a vast library of channels and apps made available through the Fire TV store/App store.

Once you download and install them, you can find them already stored in the Fire TV guide.

Follow these steps to download and install channels/streaming apps on your Fire TV.

1. In the Home tab, scroll and open the Search icon on the top half of the interface.

2. Type in the name of your desired channel/app. Click the Select button on your remote to start the search.

3. Once the search results arrive, click and open the channel/app tab.

4. Click on Download.

5. Open the app after installing the channel/app.

You can now find the channel/app on your Fire TV guide.

Most Channels/apps may require a prerequisite sign-in procedure to avail their services.

Some apps, like Netflix, may also carry a subscription charge. Other apps, like Pluto TV or Plex, may only require a preliminary sign-in to your account to work.

How to Add Favorites and Remove Unwanted Channels From the Guide

Think about getting all your favorite channels right when you open the On Now tab on the Fire TV? Sounds intriguing, right?

Well, be careful what you wish for because it might come true. And sure enough, the Fire TV does offer this selfsame feature - adding channels as favorites.

But Amazon doesn't stop there, for you can also hide those channels that you don't fancy much.

Follow these steps on your Fire TV to add or hide channels onto the Channel guide.

1. On the Home tab, navigate to and open the On Now/Live Now tab.

2. Scroll down and open the Settings tab.

3. Click on the Manage Channels option.

4. Click on the channels you want to add to favorites with the select button and the Play/Pause button on those you want to hide.

Save the changes and exit the menu. Check the channel guide for the changes.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, a comprehensive guide on the Channel guide on Fire TV, encompassing the recent developments in the field along with a few nifty tricks to try on your Fire TV.

If you can't find a particular channel on your Fire TV guide, chances are, it may be exclusive to a streaming platform.

If you have issues with the channels or the Fire TV in general, a quick refresh or a hard reset may suffice.

In all fairness, having a quick access channel guide at your fingertips can be a godsend.

Make sure to play around with the guide, and maybe, you can find a few easter eggs while in the processor exploring.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Guide button on Fire TV remote?

The guide button on the Fire TV remote serves the same purpose as scrolling through the On Now tab and opening the Guide menu. But instead of doing all the scrolling part, you can open the ChannelGuide on your Fire TV with a click of the guide button on your Fire TV remote.

Does Fire TV have local channels?

Yes, in addition to the many foreign and international channels available on Fire TV, Amazon does provide a handful of local channels on Fire TV.

What channels are on Fire TV recast?

Fire TV recast makes available OTA channels on your Fire TV. ABC, CNBC, CNN, FOX, PBS, etc., form the crest of OTA channels. You may need to pay a subscription charge to avail these channels.