Should I Unplug My Fire Stick? Complete Guide

Should I unplug my Fire Stick? It’s one of the most important questions users ask, and we have the answers for you!

Whether you are concerned about overheating, power consumption, data usage, or your TV, you want to know the best setup for your Fire Stick.

You might have read somewhere that your Fire Stick does not really turn off. Instead, it simply goes to Sleep Mode. Here’s what you need to know about your favorite streaming device.

Should you unplug your Fire Stick? It’s both a Yes and No.

Don’t unplug your Fire Stick if you’re leaving it for a short period of time, like overnight. However, do unplug it if you’re planning not to use it for more than a couple of days.

Let’s look at some of your concerns regarding leaving your Fire Stick plugged into a power source.

We can then move on to the steps on how to put it in Sleep Mode or shut it down completely.

Should I Unplug My Fire Stick?

There’s more to this question than a simple yes or no answer.

Let’s explore this in-depth as there are instances where you want to keep your Fire Stick plugged in so you can quickly switch to watching your favorite show.

There are also scenarios where pulling it from the plug is the best option.

Should I Unplug My Fire Stick At Night?

If you rely on your Fire Stick for your daily entertainment choices, we do not really recommend unplugging your device.

You have to remember with your Fire Stick that as long as it’s plugged in, it will only go to Sleep Mode and not shut down.

Sleep Mode does come with its own set of advantages like it leaves your device available for automatic updates. It will also load your content faster since it’s already on.

If you have multiple devices connected to your TV, simply changing the input source will allow you to continue the last movie or show you are watching.

Leaving your Fire Stick plugged in is certainly convenient in cases where you use it daily for your entertainment.

Alert: We recommend unplugging it at least once a week to allow the Fire Stick to reboot so you avoid software bugs and glitches completely.

Should I Unplug My Fire Stick When Not in Use?

It depends on how long you will not use your Fire Stick. As mentioned earlier, if you’re using your streaming device on a daily basis, it’s fine to leave it plugged in all the time.

Power consumption is minimal, and your streaming device will not overheat since it does have a Sleep Mode that puts it in low power, low usage state.

Now, if you’re not going to be using your Fire Stick for more than two to three days, you will want to consider unplugging it from the power source.

It saves you power and eliminates the chance that your streaming device glitches out or malfunctions.

How to Turn Off My Fire Stick – Best Ways

Now that your concerns are all cleared up, there are ways to turn off your device or put it into Sleep Mode.

Let’s look at some of the ways that will allow you to conserve power while leaving your streaming device plugged in.

Solution #1: Turn it Off Using the Remote

Your Fire Stick comes with a remote and has a power button. Push the button, and your device powers down for another time.

One thing to note here is that it will only put your streaming device into Sleep Mode.

Here’s how to turn your device off using the remote:

1. On the remote, press the Power button.
2. Wait for the Fire Stick to power down.
3. To turn your Fire Stick on, press the Power button again.

Note: This will not turn your TV off. You will need to issue that command separately on a different remote.

Solution #2: Activating Sleep Mode from the Home Menu

You can also power down the Fire Stick or put it in Sleep Mode from the menu.

If you’re not convinced the power button found on your remote step will do the trick, this is the step to perform.

Doing this assures you that your device is in a low power state, which you can then power up later.

Here’s how to activate Sleep Mode from the Home Menu:

1. Press and hold the Home button on your remote.
2. Wait for the settings pop-up to appear.
3. Select the Sleep option.
4. Wait for your screen to turn black.
5. Turn on the Fire Stick by pushing any button on your remote.

Solution #3: Turn Fire Stick Off from the Settings

An alternative to powering the Fire Stick down from the Home Menu is to do it via the device’s settings.

This step comes in handy if you look at your current device’s configurations and decide to power it down.

Here’s how to turn the Fire Stick off:

1. Go to your device’s Home screen.
2. Select Settings from the menu bar.
3. Head to My Fire TV.
4. Choose Sleep.
5. Press any button on the remote to power up your device.

Solution #4: Allow it to Go to Sleep Automatically

In case you forget to set your Fire Stick in Sleep Mode, don’t worry. Your device can detect any sort of activity.

Once you stop watching your favorite content, it should be safe to get up from the couch and leave it running since it will automatically switch to Sleep Mode.

Your Fire Stick is automatically set to go to sleep after 20 minutes of inactivity. It’s a handy feature that ensures your streaming device powers down even if you forget.

Here’s how to make the Fire Stick go into Sleep Mode automatically:

1. Press Home on your remote to go to the Home screen.
2. Leave for 20 minutes.
3. Press any button on the remote to turn it on.

Note: As long as you are not watching a show or movie, your device should automatically go to sleep if you do not use it for 20 minutes.

Solution #5: Unplug it from the Power Outlet

Finally, if you choose to shut your Fire Stick down completely, there is only one way to do that.

Remember, all these previous steps only put your device in Sleep Mode.

Essentially a low power mode that still allows it to connect to the internet and download updates automatically.

However, if you do not want the Fire Stick to go into Sleep Mode, your only option is to yank out the plug from the power outlet.

Starting it up is going to be significantly slower than waking it up from Sleep Mode, but if the necessity arises that you need to shut it down, this will be your only option.

Here’s how to properly unplug the Fire Stick from the wall outlet:

1. Close down your current streams.
2. Unplug your Fire Stick’s power adapter from the socket.
3. Plug it back in to turn your device on.

Note: There is no need to put your Fire Stick into sleep mode and unplug it. You can do it directly.

Tip: Unplugging your streaming device from the outlet is also a hard reboot as it shuts down your device completely.

Pro Tip: Powering your Fire Stick via Your TV

There is a sort of middle ground here, but it requires you to have a TV capable of powering your Amazon Fire Stick.

Your device should have a power adapter or a USB power cable that you can plug into your TV.

If your TV can successfully provide enough power, you can use the USB power cable and plug it into your TV. Now, when you turn off your TV, your Fire Stick should also shut down rather than go into Sleep Mode.

These are the steps to turn your Fire Stick off successfully, whether in Sleep Mode or not.

If you are experiencing issues like overheating or software malfunctions while keeping your device plugged in for just a few hours, feel free to contact Amazon’s device support for more advanced help.

Read Next: Can You Plug a Firestick Into a Projector?

Bottom Line

Now that you have a good understanding of the question should I unplug my Fire Stick, you can make the best decision for your needs.

Each user will have various conditions, and as different circumstances arise, you can choose to unplug your device or keep it plugged in.