To turn off navigation sounds on an Amazon Fire TV Stick, go to Settings > Display & Sounds > Audio, then select Navigation Sounds so it reads Off. The click that plays each time you move around the menus stops right away.
This is the path Amazon support staff give for Fire TV devices, and it only affects the menu click. Movies, shows, music, and Alexa responses keep playing at their normal volume.
Navigation sounds are the short clicks your Fire TV Stick plays when you press the directional ring or the Select button on the remote. They confirm that the device registered the button press. They are switched on by default.
The sound comes out of your TV speakers, soundbar, or headphones, just like everything else the Fire TV Stick plays. The remote itself does not make the noise. That is why the click can seem loud late at night or when you are wearing headphones.
Before you start
- Devices: the same path applies to the Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and other Fire TV devices. Menu layouts differ a little between software versions, but the setting names are the same.
- What you need: the Fire TV remote and a TV set to the Fire TV Stick input. You do not need a phone, a computer, or your Amazon password.
- Profiles: change the setting while signed in to an adult profile. Owners report that kids profiles do not give access to the Settings menu.
- Press the Home button on the remote to go to the Home screen.
- Select Settings. On current Fire TV software this is the gear icon at the right end of the main menu bar. On older software it is the word Settings at the top of the screen.
- Select Display & Sounds. You may need to move right or down through the settings tiles to reach it.
- Select Audio.
- Highlight Navigation Sounds and press the Select button (the center of the directional ring). The label under the option changes from On to Off.
- Press Home to leave the menu.
There is no Save button. The change applies as soon as the option reads Off.
The two screenshots below come from an older version of the Fire TV interface. The colors and layout on your screen may look different, but the Audio and Navigation Sounds options have the same names.
A faster way to open Settings
You can skip the Home screen. Press and hold the Home button for a few seconds until a quick menu appears, then choose Settings. If your remote has a microphone button, you can also hold it and say “Go to Settings.” From there, follow steps 3 through 5 above.
On a Fire TV smart TV (a television with Fire TV built in), holding Home opens a quick panel with picture and sound shortcuts. Amazon notes that the full set of audio options is still under Settings > Display & Sounds, so use that route for Navigation Sounds.
How to confirm it worked, and how to undo it
Go back to the Home screen and move left and right across a row of apps. You should hear nothing as the highlight moves. Then start a video to confirm that normal audio still plays.
To bring the clicks back, return to Settings > Display & Sounds > Audio and press Select on Navigation Sounds again so it reads On.
What this setting does not change
| Sound | Affected by Navigation Sounds? | Where to control it |
|---|---|---|
| Menu clicks as you move and select | Yes | Settings > Display & Sounds > Audio > Navigation Sounds |
| Movie, show, and music audio | No | TV or soundbar volume |
| A voice reading menus out loud | No | Settings > Accessibility > VoiceView |
| Trailers that start playing on the Home screen | No | A separate autoplay option in Settings |
The setting belongs to the Fire TV Stick, not to your Amazon account. If you own more than one Fire TV device, repeat the steps on each one.
If a voice reads everything on the screen
A spoken voice that announces each menu item is not a navigation sound. It is VoiceView, the Fire TV screen reader, which is an accessibility feature that speaks on-screen text out loud. It is easy to switch on by accident because it has a remote shortcut.
To turn it off quickly, press and hold the Back and Menu buttons together for a few seconds. Amazon says you hear “VoiceView Exiting” when it turns off. You can also do it from the menu:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Accessibility.
- Select VoiceView.
- Confirm that you want to turn VoiceView off.
Amazon documents both methods on its Make Fire TV Stop Reading the Screen help page.
Troubleshooting
You cannot find Display & Sounds
The Settings screen is a grid or row of tiles, and Display & Sounds is not always visible at first. Move right and down through the tiles. If you are in a kids profile, switch to an adult profile first, because Settings may not be available there.
Navigation Sounds says Off but you still hear a click
Restart the Fire TV Stick. Go to Settings > My Fire TV > Restart, or unplug the power cable and plug it back in after 3 seconds, as described in Amazon’s Restart Your Fire TV Device instructions. Our guide on how to restart the Amazon Fire TV Stick walks through each method.
If the click is still there, check where it comes from. Some TVs and soundbars play their own key tone when they receive a volume or power command. That sound is controlled in the TV or soundbar settings, not on the Fire TV Stick.
The click only plays in one profile
Amazon staff describe Navigation Sounds as a device-level setting that applies to every profile. Some owners report that the click continues in a kids profile after they turn it off in an adult profile. If that happens, restart the device and check for a software update at Settings > My Fire TV > About > Check for System Update. Amazon lists this path on its Update the Software on Your Fire TV page.
The setting turned itself back on
A factory reset returns every option to its default, which means Navigation Sounds is on again. Follow the same steps to turn it off after you finish setup.
Frequently asked questions
Does turning off navigation sounds mute my shows?
No. The Navigation Sounds option only controls the click the Fire TV Stick plays in its own menus. Audio from movies, TV shows, music, and apps is not changed.
Can I make the click quieter instead of turning it off?
The option is a simple on or off switch. There is no separate volume control for it in the Audio menu. Lowering the TV volume lowers the click along with everything else.
Do I have to change this on every Fire TV Stick I own?
Yes. The option is stored on each device, so a second Fire TV Stick in another room keeps its own setting until you change it there.
Will the same steps work on a Fire TV Cube or a Fire TV smart TV?
The path Amazon support gives, Settings > Display & Sounds > Audio > Navigation Sounds, is described for Fire TV devices in general. On a Fire TV smart TV the Display & Sounds menu also contains TV speaker options, so the Audio menu may be arranged differently.
Why does my Fire TV Stick still make noise on the Home screen?
That is usually a featured trailer playing automatically at the top of the Home screen, not a navigation sound. Fire TV has a separate autoplay option for featured content in Settings, typically under Preferences. If you also use Netflix, see how to turn off autoplay for Netflix on a Firestick.
Next steps
While you are in the settings menu, you may want to adjust a few other things. You can turn off the screensaver on an Amazon Fire TV Stick, learn how to delete apps on Firestick, or find out how to enable automatic app updates for your Fire Stick apps.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
Read more about Matthew and how Solve Your Tech writes and updates its guides, or report a correction.