How To Fix "Parsing the Package" Error on FireStick

From time to time you may see an error on your FireStick that says “There was a problem parsing the package.”

While there are many reasons why you could get this error, we’re not going to discuss them because knowing the cause won’t help get rid of the issue.

Instead, we’re going to start with how you can fix the “problem parsing the package” error and keep it from happening again.

Let’s get started.

Enable Unknown Sources on FireStick

This will allow you to download third-party applications that you find on various websites in the form of APKs. An APK file is the file that must be downloaded for an app to be installed on an Android device like a FireStick.

If you’ve never installed an app on your FireStick that’s not available on the Amazon App Store, then this setting is likely disabled. This is the default state. All you need to do is to enable apps from unknown sources by following these steps:

Step 1: Go to Settings

Assuming you’ve turned on your Amazon FireStick and are on the home screen of the device, you should see a Settings icon in the top right corner of the screen. Once you find the icon, click on it.

Step 2: Click on My Fire TV

Once the new screen slides into view in the bottom portion of your screen, you should search for the My Fire TV option. When you find it, click on it and then move to the next step.

Step 3: Click on Developer Options

A new screen should appear after completing Step 2. It should only have a few options on it, one of which is Developer Options. Click this option once you find it.

Step 4: Click on Apps From Unknown Sources

This is the critical step. You need to make sure that the Apps From Unknown Sources option is set to On. Once you’ve turned this option on, the “problem parsing the package” error should be gone. If it’s not, then it’s likely that your FireStick isn’t compatible with that APK file that you’re trying to install. You could try updating your FireStick to see if that fixes the problem, but not all APK files work with all Android devices.

Enable ADB Debugging

Sometimes enabling ADB debugging can get rid of the “problem parsing the package” error on an Android device.

ADB stands for Android Debug Bridge. It’s a built-in tool that helps with installing and debugging apps and may help get rid of the parse error.

Fortunately, it’s easy to find and enable this option by following these steps:

Step 1: Go to Settings

To start, we’ll assume that your FireStick is on and that you’re on the home screen. From there, look for a cog-shaped icon in the top right corner of the screen. Click on it and it will take you to the Settings page.

Step 2: Click on My Fire TV

Once you click on Settings, a menu should slide up your screen. From there you need to click on My Fire TV. You may have to scroll down for a bit before you see the option.

Step 3: Click on Developer Options

From the next window, you need to click on Developer Options.

Step 4: Enable ADB Debugging

The new screen should show you only two options, one of which is ADB Debugging. Make sure it’s turned to On. On some FireStick models you may have to confirm that you want to enable ADB Debugging. If you get a second screening asking for confirmation, just click the Enable button. This will allow the ADB debugging tool to work which may help get rid of the “problem parsing the package” error.

Get Rid of Corrupted APK Files

Sometimes the APK file that you’re trying to install on your FireStick is corrupted. As you might have guessed, a corrupted APK won’t work on any Android device let alone a FireStick streaming device. FireStick devices require third-party apps like the Downloader app to install apps that aren’t available on the Amazon App Store or the Google Play Store, which means that there’s less flexibility on the type of apps that can be installed.

In any case, you can solve the parsing error on your FireStick by downloading the APK file again. You can download from the same source that you used the first time around though we would suggest you only download it from an authentic source like apkpure or apkmirror.

While you’re at it, keep an eye out for incomplete downloads. Sometimes your device doesn’t download the whole APK file that you want to install. Not only that, Android devices sometimes don’t show you a notification telling you that they couldn’t fully download the APK file.

An incomplete download could cause the parsing error to occur.

It’s possible that the source of the parse error is simply an incomplete APK file. Try downloading it again, make sure that the download is complete, and then try installing it again. If the “problem parsing the package” error is gone, then the problem was an incomplete or corrupted download.

Only Use the Latest Version of the APK File

If you downloaded an out-of-date APK file, the chances are higher that it’s incompatible with your FireStick device. It’s also possible that your FireStick device doesn’t work with the latest version of the APK. Both of these scenarios could cause the “problem parsing the package” error.

You’ll need to go back and forth a bit to see which version of the APK works best with your FireStick. Sometimes this is all you need to do to fix the parsing error.

Note:

While the latest version of a third-party app may have more features than the older version, it’s also likely less stable. It’s possible that the newer version of the APK has an issue that’s causing the parse error. You’ll have to look at your unique situation by trying different build numbers of the APK to see if the “problem parsing the package” persists.

Always Use the Version Meant for Your Device

This is also related to compatibility issues. Some Android apps only work on pure Android systems and not on FireSticks. This can be the case for many of the apps on the Google Play Store. Read some reviews and do some research on the app you’re trying to install to make sure that it works with FireStick devices.

Other times you may find that Android apps won’t work on your FireStick because they’re designed to be used with a touchscreen. Some Android apps have a phone-only version that can cause the “problem parsing the package” error on a FireStick. Make sure that you’ve downloaded the appropriate version of the app to see if that’s the cause of the parse error.

Problem Parsing the Package During Fire TV Emulator Install

You may get the “problem parsing the package” error while you’re trying to install an emulator on your FireStick. If that’s the case then the solution is fairly simple: just restart your Kodi device. You can do that by unplugging the device and then waiting a minute before plugging it back in.

Once that’s done, you’ll need to follow the section above that shows you how to enable ADB debugging and Apps from Unknown Sources. Both of these options will need to be enabled to get rid of the “problem parsing the package” error.

You may also need to enable USB debugging. USB debugging allows your device to be detected when it’s connected with a USB. You’ll need the USB debugging option if you try plugging your device into your computer to fix the issue.

While this may fix the problem, USB debugging is more complicated than what can be done directly within the FireStick software.

Update Your FireStick

Sometimes you may get the “problem parsing the package” error on your FireStick because the device is out of date. You’ll need to update it to hopefully get rid of the parsing error. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to Settings

Step 2: Click on My Fire TV

Step 3: Click on About

Step 4: Click on Check For Updates

Factory Reset

Sometimes the only option to get rid of the Android parse error is to reset the device to factory settings. This method gets rid of the “problem parsing the package” error on other Android devices and it should work for your FireStick as well. Once you’ve completed a factory reset, you’ll need to try downloading and installing the app APK file again. To do a factory reset, complete the following steps:

Step 1: Go to Settings

From your FireStick homepage, go to the far right of the screen to click on the cog-shaped Settings icon.

Step 2: Click on My Fire TV

Clicking the icon should bring up a new window in the bottom portion of your screen. From there you need to look for the option My Fire TV. Click on it once you find it.

Step 3: Click on Reset to Factory Defaults

From the new window, scroll all the way down and the last option you come across should be Reset to Factory Defaults. Click on it and confirm the option by clicking the Reset button again.

Conclusion

If you’ve received the “There was a problem parsing the package” FireStick error, rest assured that it’s not a difficult error to remove. If you follow the solutions we’ve discussed, you should be able to get rid of the parse error and get back to installing the third-party apps that you want to use.

To fix this parsing error, some guides may tell you to disable your antivirus app or any of your other security apps. They may also tell you to clear the cache of your device or the Google Play Store cache to get rid of the parse error and use your app file. While these solutions may apply to other Android-based devices, they don’t apply to FireSticks.

This is important:

You can’t disable your antivirus app or clear the cache to fix the issue on a FireStick. These solutions only work to solve the parsing error on Android phones, not all devices running the Android operating system.

Just follow the steps we’ve discussed above, check to see if you have a corrupted app file, and your issue should be solved.

As always, if you run into any problems or there’s a step you didn’t clearly understand, feel free to use the comments section below to let us know. We’ll do our best to help.