How to install the new HCPL app on your Kindle Fire tablet

The following steps will assist HCPL users through the installation of the Google Play Store on Kindle Fire tablets to enable the installation of the free new HCPL app.  The following instructions are adapted from the How To Geek article by Joe Fedewa and Chris Hoffman, updated on June 16, 2022.

Amazon Fire Tablets restrict users to the Amazon Appstore, but runs on Fire OS, a custom version of the Android operating system. That means that you can install the Play Store to install not only the HCPL app, but all other available Google Play apps as well.

Installing the Google Play Store is simply a matter of downloading and installing a few APK (Android package) files from the Fire tablet itself, and you will be up and running with the Play Store just like your regular Android phone or tablet!

Download the Play Store Files

Before we begin, make sure your Fire Tablet is from 2014 or later. This process may not work with old Kindle Fire tablets as you need to enable “Apps From Unknown Sources.”

First, open the “Settings” app from the “Home” tab on the home screen.

Now go to “Security & Privacy.”

Select “Apps From Unknown Sources.”

Find “Silk Browser” and then toggle on “Allow From This Source.” This is what will allow us to install an app from outside of the Amazon app store.

With that out of the way, we can start downloading the Play Store files. There are four APK files we will need to get the Play Store up and running, and they’re specific to your Fire Tablet.

To find out which Amazon Fire Tablet model you have, go to Settings > Device Options > About Fire Tablet. You’ll see your “Device Model” name here. To see your Fire OS version, go to Settings > Device Options > System Updates.

With the device model in mind, we can download the appropriate files below. Simply copy and paste the links from the tables below into the Silk Browser on your Amazon Fire tablet. We’re just downloading the files at this point, DON’T OPEN THEM YET.

Google Account Manager

Note: Ignore the message about a newer version being available.

Google Services Framework

Google Play Services

Note: On the page for your model, select the most recent version of the APK that is not a “beta.”

A tip from Jessica Stroud about downloading the Google Play Store APK file: the July 19, 2022 version of the com.android.vending file would not open, but the July 13, 2022 version of the file could be successfully installed.

Install the Play Store

With all the downloaded APK files to your Amazon Fire Tablet, we can begin installing them one by one. Open the “Files” app from the home screen.

Select “Downloads” from the side menu and switch to the list view for the files. You should see the four files we just downloaded.

It’s important to install these APKs in a specific order. For each APK, follow this process: Tap the file name > select “Continue” > tap the “Install” button. After it installs, tap “Done.” Don’t open the Play Store yet.

Install the files in this order (the file names on your device will be longer):

1. com.google.android.gsf.login
2. com.google.android.gsf
3. com.google.android.gms
4. com.android.vending

With all the APKs installed, it’s time to reboot the tablet. Hold down the power button and select “Restart.”

After the tablet restarts, you’ll see the Play Store on the home screen. Open it and sign in with your existing Google account. If you do not have a Google [email] account, you will have the option to create one.

Once you’re signed in, you’ll have a functional Google Play Store, just like on any other Android device.

You may experience some problems when trying to use the Play Store right away. The Play Store and Google Play Services will automatically update themselves in the background, so just give it some time. This may take as much as ten minutes.

Download and install the HCPL app

Launch the Play Store app, then search for “Harrison County Public Library”: