Netflix will soon stop working on older Fire TV devices, with customers being notified of the upcoming axe via an email from Amazon.
The app will stop working on affected devices from 3rd June, marking an end to support for Amazon's first-generation Fire TV devices from 3rd June 2025, with three specific models set to lose Netflix functionality – the original Fire TV (2014), Fire TV Stick (2014), and Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote (2016).
While Netflix hasn't provided detailed reasons for the support withdrawal, it’s likely that codec compatibility issues are the driving force behind the decision. The older devices can’t support modern video compression standards, particularly the AV1 codec which Netflix has used since 2021.
The AV1 codec delivers superior compression compared with older standards, enabling better picture quality at equivalent data rates, while avoiding licensing fees due to its open-source nature. And, unfortunately for those rocking the listed devices, these codec improvements can’t be deployed to older hardware through software updates.
Amazon itself stopped releasing software and security updates for these first-generation devices a few years ago, following the company’s standard four-year support cycle. Not to miss an opportunity, Amazon also told The Verge that it may offer discounts on newer Fire TV hardware for customers affected by the Netflix withdrawal if they contact customer service for more information.
As things stand, other streaming services will still work on the affected devices – but if you think it’s time for an upgrade, feel free to check out our list of the best streaming devices to help keep your options open.
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