I use the Wolf launcher on my Firestick 4k. I have just taken out a subscription to Surfshark thinking that I could download the app from the Amazon App Store. To do this I tried to Disable Custom Launcher in Launch Manager to return to the stock launcher in order to be able to access the Amazon store. But it did not work - just left me in Wolf.
I assume this is the result of some Amazon update as I failed to act in time to prevent them. I’m sure I can download the Surfshark from elsewhere but does anyone have any advice of how to get out if this problem (without doing a factory reset which would destroy my set up). Thanks for your help.
Have you tried clear cache and force stop the LM? Also, you can try clearing data. If no e of that works. Try reinstalling on top of the old LM. Most likely will ask if you wish to install an update to the existing.
If none of the above works. Then lastly, uninstall and reinstall the LM.
BTW, SS makes it easy to activate another device’s SS by entering a code on a device you already have SS installed.
You can also get the SS app from the Play Store.
Oh, when you click on the disable button does it read that you stock is available? Make sure you use the home button and not just the back button.
Thank you for those suggestions but unfortunately none of them worked. It seems as if the existence of the stock launcher has been forgotten and the only launcher that launch manager is aware if is Wolf. This is no great hardship until I want to get to the Amazon App Store
I am afraid to just delete Wolf in case Zi end up with no launcher. Be grateful if you had a brainwave on this one - I’m fresh out of ideas
Can’t you just long press anywhere on the main screen and get into settings? maybe not…im thinking android here…but there has to be a way
He should be able to access the stock settings even from the Wolf launcher page.
Go to top blank blank part of screen and long press enter. Then go to Android settings>Launcher options>> Disable Custom Launcher.
Thanks but this doesn’t work. In pressing Disable Custom Launcher the Wolf launcher remains active. No switch is made to the stock launcher.
I have had the same issue since a recent update and while it is no great problem, I find that the firestick is now taking much longer to boot up at startup. The App Store can still be located from the launcher manager. I have also noticed that a further update fails and just hangs.
I think you may have to try a factory reset? I did a bit of research and found many others in similar predicaments. Here is a link to that xda discussion.
My advice is start over without a Bezos product! Lol
Thanks. While the App Store can be accessed from the Launch Manager the search function doesn’t work - at least it doesn’t on my Firestick. I haven’t found that it takes longer to boot up.
I think you are right - probably need a factory reset and inevitable reversion to the stock launcher. It is just irritating to have to go through the unnecessary work of customising KODI, integrating Real-Debrid with everything, activating accounts on various apps for this ‘new’ system. It is just a pain.
I’m afraid this will continue with the “corporation” in charge…jus’ kiddn’… or am I ![]()
Totally agree. I don’t think it was in Amazon’s business model that their cheap sticks would be used to stream other services than the ones they promote and are gradually making that more difficult, together with forcing their ads down your throat. Maybe I will have to move to an Android box sometime but Google may well go down the same path. It sucks!
True, it’s all about advertising and that is why the price of such products are cheap. This makes it easier to get more of the masses into their ecosystem. Hard to beat the price, bottom line. But my 8 inch fire tablet makes a great police scanner
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Bezos must not subscribe to the old axiom, “You catch more flies with honey, than you do with vinegar.”
These elites are not nice people. They are ruthless in nature! ![]()
I can’t confirm the following as I don’t use the launcher manager anymore, but someone said in the launcher manager settings there is a box that says something like “find” launcher, and that needs to be unchecked. I’m looking to find some screen shots but nothing so far. Can you post a pic of what options you see in your launcher manager, as well as what you see when you click “disable custom launcher” I do know there were different launcher managers released that had multiple options like what app to use for launcher but they were removed in subsequent updates, this might help figure out why you’re stuck. tx.
I eventually got it sorted without a factory reset. I unchecked all the boxes in the debloater app, then let it finish the update which was hanging and re-started the device. However, the launcher apps no longer work.
And it won’t for the foreseeable future. The last update did you in, and this present one cemented your plight.
Thanks for your offer of help Miki but I think it would be a waste of both our times. Even if the problem was solved some future update will probably render Wolf useless anyway.
I got a 4k Max but like you I preferred the 4k and relegated the Max as a secondary device. But I did manage to turn off updates so now I have swapped the devices and brought the Max up to my 4k set-up. When an update does for Wolf on the 4k I will have to do a reset.
I agree. I only use 4kMax now and have removed all the Wolf stuff including the debloater. I’m now completely back to their stock setup. They have made some small changes that make it somewhat tolerable. At least they have a " my apps" icon after clicking their app icon, and turning off the autoplay helps minimize it somewhat. I just registered a U.S. account and registered a new 4K Max to it and that process was the hardest thing I’ve had to do on any Firestick. Took me 3 hrs to figure out how to get it to accept a payment address and let me download from their store, but finally got it. FYI, you have to do it in a browser on the stick and not on your phone, tablet, or computer. Now I can test all the U.S. apps I want using my own account. Good luck with the factory reset. At least with all your knowledge and skill it should only take you about 2-1/2 hrs to get it done.