fire toolbox works fine in Windows 7, just needs extra drivers. It's explained in the first post of this thread.
[WINDOWS][TOOL]Fire Toolbox V28.9
- Thread starter Datastream33
- Start date
See this post by Datastream33 (the developer) and send him the requested file to help him set up the requirements for your tablet.
Just watch this thread for any new updates to Toolbox.
Yes, you can use ADB to manually do things to your tablet. You can even disable OTA updates that way. I'd have to look to find the apps that need to be disabled, but everything the Toolbox does can be done manually though ADB.
Welcome to XDA!
Yup, you're right! Windows 7 doesn't automatically install the drivers for you so you have to do it manually. After that, it's fine.
Hello @Datastream33 ,
I started a conversation with you and sent my build.prop from my brand new 2022 version of the FireHD 10+ (11th generation). I hope that information helps with getting support for it.
Thank you for your continued work on the Fire Toolbox!
Cheers,
Nathan Zachary
Thank you for your amazing tool and for your efforts in making these devices tolerable!
I have a HD 10 with firmware 7.3.2.1. It did connect to wifi so I could have Amazon remove the ads (apparently nicely asking them to remove the ads for free still works!) and to register the tablet so it shows in my account. In the process, it did download (but not install) 7.3.2.2.
1. Does Fire Toolbox prevent the update from installing if it is downloaded/does it delete the downloaded (but not installed) update?
2. If no to the above, does factory resetting delete the update data?
3. If I do factory reset the device, does it remember Amazon removed the ads, or do I need to re-register the device in order for the ads to disappear?
4. Would using the Amazon block list interfere with re-registering if needed?
I know it seems silly to worry about ads when you got it figured out, but since Amazon was willing to remove them officially, I want to have the ads removed officially then block the updates with Fire Toolbox. Is this at all feasible? Thanks for your time!
I have a HD 10 with firmware 7.3.2.1. It did connect to wifi so I could have Amazon remove the ads (apparently nicely asking them to remove the ads for free still works!) and to register the tablet so it shows in my account. In the process, it did download (but not install) 7.3.2.2.
1. Does Fire Toolbox prevent the update from installing if it is downloaded/does it delete the downloaded (but not installed) update?
2. If no to the above, does factory resetting delete the update data?
3. If I do factory reset the device, does it remember Amazon removed the ads, or do I need to re-register the device in order for the ads to disappear?
4. Would using the Amazon block list interfere with re-registering if needed?
I know it seems silly to worry about ads when you got it figured out, but since Amazon was willing to remove them officially, I want to have the ads removed officially then block the updates with Fire Toolbox. Is this at all feasible? Thanks for your time!
Ok, support has been added for quartz aka Fire 7 (2022)! 
Shutouts go to those lovely folks who helped immensely by supplying the build.prop for the new tablet! It would have been extremely hard to add support without your guy's help! THANK YOU!
However, due to not being able to get my hands on one... there may be some tools/subtools that don't play well with the new tablets... being that they run a newer version of Android. If you guys come across any issues with any of the subtools, could you please let me know? Thanks!
Ready to customize your new Fire 7? Be sure to download the new update via the Toolbox Updater!
HAPPY CUSTOMIZING!!
Shutouts go to those lovely folks who helped immensely by supplying the build.prop for the new tablet! It would have been extremely hard to add support without your guy's help! THANK YOU!
However, due to not being able to get my hands on one... there may be some tools/subtools that don't play well with the new tablets... being that they run a newer version of Android. If you guys come across any issues with any of the subtools, could you please let me know? Thanks!
Ready to customize your new Fire 7? Be sure to download the new update via the Toolbox Updater!
HAPPY CUSTOMIZING!!
Greetings!
So HAPPY to hear you're enjoying the Toolbox! It's what keeps the project going!
Those are some great questions! I'll do my best to hopefully give a satisfactory response.
1. If you disable OTA updates using the Toolbox (on firmware under 7.3.2.2), you don't need to worry about the update installing. The package (app) that's responsible for installing it is disabled. However, it may still be a good idea to manually delete the update file. If I remember right... clearing the Storage for System Updates (both entries in Settings), DeviceSoftwareOTA, and Download Manager has been reported to delete the update .zip file.
2. A factory reset could remove the update, but you need to be careful when taking this route. Doing so could cause Automatic Update to switch back on. This will cause the system to install the update automatically. Not something you want.
3. I'm not entirely sure how it works. I'm guessing (could be incorrect) that the device will remain with ads until you connect it to your Amazon account. Upon connection, it will see that it's been whitelisted and the ads will be disabled? Or it could be tied to the MAC address or some other device identifier that once connected to the internet it will reach out to Amazon's servers, see that it's been whitelisted, and then remove the ads. Not sure, but that's just a few guesses I have. Still, I wouldn't recommend factory resetting.
4. If the tablet remains on a firmware under 7.3.2.2 then the Toolbox can disable OTA Updates. If it's been updated, you can use the blocklist and DNS66 to block the updates (according to @blaacksheep, there are still some things you'll need to do in addition). I'm not quite sure if blocking the IPs prevents the device from being registered or not. Sorry about that.
I sincerely hope that this post has helped. Please have a good rest of your day/night, and let us know if you have any further questions or concerns!
1. No. Fire Toolbox does not prevent an update from installing once downloaded. It will update as soon as it's rebooted.
2. I'm fairly certain that a reset will kill the downloaded update without installing it.
3. I don't have any firsthand knowledge of whether or not it remembers the ads were shut off, but it's likely that it's permanent.
4. No, it would not, but there is no need if you successfully reset the tablet without installing the updates because then Toolbox is able to disable OTA updates.
Edit: See Datastream33's post above. He's more knowledgeable on these matters than I.
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Hi @blaacksheep Since my firmware is 7.3.2.2 Is there a way to prevent it from automatically updating to a higher version? Thanks
Not @blaacksheep, but i'd highly recommend checking out his post on the subject. It contains all the info you'll need to help block updates. Best of luck!
Not @blaacksheep, but i'd highly recommend checking out his post on the subject. It contains all the info you'll need to help block updates. Best of luck!
Thank you. But I currently have a VPN service. If I want to block the firmware update. Does it mean I cannot use my VPN anymore? Mine is CyberGhost and it doesn't have the ability to block addresses like DNS66
Ah, I believe Android only supports one VPN at a time. If you have access to your router, you could block the IPs that way i suppose.Thank you. But I currently have a VPN service. If I want to block the firmware update. Does it mean I cannot use my VPN anymore? Mine is CyberGhost and it doesn't have the ability to block addresses like DNS66
Hi - so with 7.3.2.3 and the Amazon set up as requested by Amazon (I had no idea that the Amazon Launcher was that horrid!) and following Blacksheep's recipe - all good. MS Launcher disappears from 'Recents' all by itself (unlike Nova) - not too sure why - but did try that ^ app just to have a go with it too. It is possible to see the Amazon Launcher (boo!) albeit infrequently (when we clear all apps) but only for a moment.A couple months ago, I had a discussion about this problem with Dallasondarrion. Here's the last thing I found that might help. (post)
It's an app to hide apps from your recents list. If nothing else, it'll give you a place to start messing around with the problem.
Otherwise - all good! - thanks for the help - and can use the tablet now.
Impressed by Fire Tools - so easy to use.
What a great bit of software. Has made massive difference to my Fire tablet. Not a chore to use it anymore! 
Hi and welcome to XDA!
As @Datastream33 said, there's a detailed way to do it in my post, but since you're using the VPN feature already for a real VPN, you'll need an alternate method of blocking the Amazon servers.
The Amzn_Blklst.txt file from that post is just a list of the 6 addresses I found that needed blocking. You can block them from your router, or if you have a Raspberry Pi, you could set up a Pi Hole and include those in the addresses to kill.
Because we can't kill the OTA updating service that's always running, your tablet will always try to phone home for any updates and will succeed if you ever take it to a friend's WiFi network where those addresses aren't blocked.
I've managed to keep mine from updating past 7.3.2.2, but it really doesn't seem that 7.3.2.3 is much worse if your tablet does update.
Great! I had no idea that MS Launcher doesn't show up in the recents list. I'm so much of a Nova Launcher guy that I never explored other launchers.
What a great bit of software. Has made massive difference to my Fire tablet. Not a chore to use it anymore!
Hi and Welcome to XDA!
I thought the same thing when I first discovered @Datastream33's Toolbox. "What a great piece of software." That's why I hang around here and help people out with things where I can.
v28.4 recognizes my new 12th-gen Fire 7 (2022) tablet, but when trying to install Google Services, I get an error message that says "Failed to read the Android OS version, Architecture, or set the download links. Here is the information the Toolbox has collected: -Android Version:11.0 -Architecture: x64.Ok, support has been added for quartz aka Fire 7 (2022)!
Shutouts go to those lovely folks who helped immensely by supplying the build.prop for the new tablet! It would have been extremely hard to add support without your guy's help! THANK YOU!
However, due to not being able to get my hands on one... there may be some tools/subtools that don't play well with the new tablets... being that they run a newer version of Android. If you guys come across any issues with any of the subtools, could you please let me know? Thanks!
Ready to customize your new Fire 7? Be sure to download the new update via the Toolbox Updater!
HAPPY CUSTOMIZING!!
After clicking OK, a follow-up message says "Some fo the download urls couldn't be read. Please close the Toolbox and try running this tool again."
For those of you a little deeper into networking, I have taken an additional step to prevent the updates on my home network. I use pihole on my home network for DNS. I've taken the DNS entries from the Amzn_Blklst.txt and manually added them to the blacklist of the pihole. This prevents access to the amazon update servers completely, and you don't need to worry about rebooting the tablet and DNS66 not loading in time. It has the added benefit of blocking updates to other amazon devices on your network as well.
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12Ok, whelp, the download links for play services are dead (or temporarily turned off due to too many requests) once more (custom keyboard/launcher links are still up).
I'm going to be honest with you guys, this whole situation is taking a toll on my mental health. All i've been doing is worrying about how long the download links will stay up. I need to step back for a few days, and really think things through. So, later today I'll post links to the Play Services files, so you can manually add them to the Toolbox's Play Services folder (which will skip the download and install them for you) or install them manually. I'll also release a micropatch to take care of the "unknown option: -g" error on older gen devices.
After taking a few days off, we'll evaluate the best method of pushing forward.
I hope you guys understand, and thank you all for the support during this whole mess. Love you all, and I'll see you all in a few days.11Here's a working set of Google Services files (all 6 including the optional Contact Sync and Calendar Sync). They may have been updated since I downloaded them, but should install and update themselves if needed in 10 minutes or so. Put them in the "....\FTB_V28.6\bin\Google Services\" folder and they should work.7The update is now out, and ready for download!
Working on updating the links in the OP, so until they're updated please update via the Toolbox Updater.
Again, thank you all for being so patient and understanding during this whole thing. I really appreciate it, and hopefully the links stick this time around!
Have a wonderful rest of your night!7The issue of Google apps crashing or not working correctly appears to be an APK issue... It appears I have found a fix. Here's the steps to follow. After following the below, I now am successfully able to utilize all Google apps.
1. Connect Fire 10 tablet (2021) to your PC.
2. Start Fire Toolbox and select Google Services (Manage).
3. Uninstall Play Services. (This will uninstall Google Play Services, Play Store, etc.)
4. From the tablet, uninstall the Google apps that were failing.
5. Restart the tablet.
6. With your tablet still connected, pull down the top menu. Select "System" that'll navigate you to the USB Preferences screen. Select 'File Transfer'.
7. Navigate to the article here - https://www.howtogeek.com/232726/how-to-install-the-google-play-store-on-your-amazon-fire-tablet/ and go through the guide and locate the links to download each APK for your Fire tablet. As it mentions, only download the newest non-BETA version of each.
7. With your tablet connected, move the files below from your PC to the downloads folder on your Fire.
8. From your tablet, navigate to 'Files' then 'Downloads' and you'll see each of the files.
9. This will be the order that you'll need to select each and install them.
- com.google.android.gsf.login
- com.google.android.gsf
- com.google.android.gms
- com.android.vending
11. Once it finishes booting you'll see the Play Store.
12. Wait 10 minutes.
13. Select the Play Store and log in.
14. Redownload and install the Google apps you uninstalled previously.
15. Open and login.
The article practically walks you through the same steps as the above, I've just tweaked things to how I did it.
Edit 1: The one file was too large to attach. Trying to find a way to upload all 4 files.
Edit 2: Apologies but I don't have a good, secure way I feel comfortable sharing the 4 APK files I previously downloaded from APKMirror (found in the article).7Hey guys, long time no see!
Just wanted to jump on here before bedtime and just let you all know that I really appreciate the support you've all shown me during these last few years. I will be honest, I took a few glances at the forum during my break... and just seeing the supportive comments you've made towards each other and me just really tug at my heart strings, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU all for being so kind and supportive. I was talking to @Davy49 tonight, and I was telling him just how much of a blessing this community truly is! Again, thank you all for everything you do... and let's push forward! -
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Fire Toolbox V28.9
All-In-One Toolbox for Fire Tablets!
═══════════════════════════════════
The Fire Toolbox is a collection of useful ADB (Android Debug Bridge) tweaks that can be applied to Amazon's Fire Tablets. The Toolbox project aims to help users fully customize and unlock the full potential of their tablets by putting all the power into their hands.The Toolbox doesn't touch the system partition meaning all changes made can be reversed either through the tools/subtools themselves or through a factory reset. This means the Toolbox does NOT void your warranty.
Device Name: Generation:Amazon Fire 7 (2022) 12Amazon Fire 10/10+ (2021) 11Amazon Fire 8/8+ (2020) 10Amazon Fire 10 (2019) 9Amazon Fire 7 (2019) 9Amazon Fire 8 (2018) 8Amazon Fire 10 (2017) 7Amazon Fire 8 (2017) 7Amazon Fire 7 (2017) 7Amazon Fire HD8 (2016) 6Amazon Fire HD10 (2015) 5Amazon Fire HD8 (2015) 5Amazon Fire HD7 (2015) 5Amazon Fire HD7 (2014) 4Amazon Fire HD6 (2014) 4
In this forum, you may hear the word "generation" being used when talking about Fire Tablets. Just know that "generation" effectively means the same as "what year was the tablet manufactured?". This may seem confusing and as a result a reference table has been provided for you below.
Getting the Toolbox up and running with your tablet is surprisingly a very easy procedure. The only thing required is for you to enable Developer Options and ADB on your tablet. So, without further ado, let's get started.
At this point, please read the section below, and make sure to follow the correct guide that is made for your tablet on how to set up the device so it works with the Toolbox.
FIRE HD 7, 8, 10 (2018 - 2021) Guide:Before purchasing the tablet:- Make sure you uncheck the "Link device to your Amazon account to simplify setup" box before Adding to Cart. (See this screenshot, credits go to @ancientrael)
if the box remains checked, your tablet will automatically update to the latest version of FireOS the second it auto-connects to your wifi.
Booting the tablet for the first time:- Wait for your tablet to fully boot up for the first time (may take a few seconds to minutes).
- When it boots, it will ask you for the language you'd like the OS to use. Select your prefered language.
- Tapping the blue arrow at the bottom of the screen, you'll be asked to connect to a WIFI network.
- Select ANY network from the list (even if you don't know the password).
- Once it asks for the password, tap the "Cancel" button and it will take you to the previous screen with the Wifi networks.
- At the bottom of the screen, you should now see a "Skip Setup" button, go ahead and tap that.
- It will now ask if you're sure you want to skip fire setup. Just tap "Skip" once more.
- You should immeditely be thrown into Fire Launcher. You're now ready to enable USB/ADB Debugging.
Enabling USB Debugging:- Turn on your tablet and go to Settings > Device Options > About Fire Tablet and tap on the Serial Number until you unlock Developer Options.
- Press the back button and find the new Developer Options and toggle it on.
- Scroll down till you find USB Debugging and enable it.
Setting up the drivers:If you are on Windows 10 or Windows 11 you do NOT need to following this guide because Windows will setup the needed drivers by default automatically. All you need to do is plug your tablet in and Windows will take care of the rest. Please wait until these drivers are fully installed before laucnhing the Toolbox for the first time. - Download the latest version of the Toolbox from the Downloads section of this page and install it onto your PC.
- Plug your tablet into the computer, and Windows will start installing the MTP drivers. It will also attempt to install the ADB driver but will fail. (This is normal and to be expected)
- Launch the Toolbox, and it should detect your Windows version and inform you that further driver setup is required. It will then ask you if you'd like the Toolbox to download and install the drivers.
- Click the "Yes" button, wait for the download to finish and follow the driver setup. If this for some reason doesn't work, please follow this guide to manually install the drivers.
- At this point, If drivers are setup properly... the Toolbox will inform you that the "device isn't authorized. Please authorize your device now."
- On your tablet, you should see a new prompt asking if you want to Allow USB Debugging and should show the computer's RSA key fingerprint. Tick the box that says "Always allow from the computer" and hit ok.
That's it, the Toolbox should recognize your tablet and will take you to the main menu. Enjoy!
FIRE HD 6, 7, 8, 10 (2014 - 2017) Guide:Before purchasing the tablet:- Make sure you uncheck the "Link device to your Amazon account to simplify setup" box before Adding to Cart. (See this screenshot, credits go to @ancientrael)
if the box remains checked, your tablet will automatically update to the latest version of FireOS the second it auto-connects to your wifi.
Booting the tablet for the first time:- Wait for your tablet to fully boot up for the first time (may take a few seconds to minutes).
- When it boots, it will ask you for the language you'd like the OS to use. Select your prefered language.
- Tapping the blue arrow at the bottom of the screen, you'll be asked to connect to a WIFI network.
- Select ANY network from the list (even if you don't know the password).
- Once it asks for the password, tap the "Cancel" button and it will take you to the previous screen with the Wifi networks.
- At the bottom of the screen, you should now see a "Skip Setup" button, go ahead and tap that.
- It will now ask if you're sure you want to skip fire setup. Just tap "Skip" once more.
- You should immeditely be thrown into Fire Launcher. You're now ready to enable ADB Debugging.
Enabling ADB Debugging:- Turn on your tablet and go to Settings > Device Options and tap on the Serial Number until you unlock Developer Options.
- Find the new Developer Options and toggle it on.
- Scroll down till you find ADB Debugging and enable it.
Setting up the drivers:If you are on Windows 10 or Windows 11 you do NOT need to following this guide because Windows will setup the needed drivers by default automatically. All you need to do is plug your tablet in and Windows will take care of the rest. Please wait until these drivers are fully installed before laucnhing the Toolbox for the first time. - Download the latest version of the Toolbox from the Downloads section of this page and install it onto your PC.
- Plug your tablet into the computer, and Windows will start installing the MTP drivers. It will also attempt to install the ADB driver but will fail. (This is normal and to be expected)
- Launch the Toolbox, and it should detect your Windows version and inform you that further driver setup is required. It will then ask you if you'd like the Toolbox to download and install the drivers.
- Click the "Yes" button, wait for the download to finish and follow the driver setup. If this for some reason doesn't work, please follow this guide to manually install the drivers.
- At this point, If drivers are setup properly... the Toolbox will inform you that the "device isn't authorized. Please authorize your device now."
- On your tablet, you should see a new prompt asking if you want to Allow USB Debugging and should show the computer's RSA key fingerprint. Tick the box that says "Always allow from the computer" and hit ok.
That's it, the Toolbox should recognize your tablet and will take you to the main menu. Enjoy!
• ADB Shell - Spawn a Unix shell that can be used to communicate with the device and execute commands.• Custom Launcher - Replace Fire Launcher with a custom launcher.• Enable Widget Support - Enable widgets on supported launchers.• Custom Sounds - Set custom sounds for notifications, lock/unlock events, low battery, and more!• Density Modifier - Change the value of pixels per inch to either decrease or increase resolution.• Restore Default Density - Restore the factory default density.• Google Assistant - Replace Amazon Alexa with Google Assistant.• Google Services - Install Google Services and the Play Store.• Google Services (Manage)• Add/Remove Google Accounts• Clear Data/Cache for Play Services• Uninstall Play Services• Hybrid Apps - Sideload Amazon Appstore apps without having the Appstore enabled.• Keyboard and Input - Manage other input methods and install custom keyboards.• Lockscreen Wallpaper - Replace the lockscreen's wallpaper with a custom one. • Manage Amazon Apps - Manage the Amazon apps installed on your tablet.• Hide/disable Amazon Apps - Hide and Disable Amazon apps through presets or manually select apps.• Restore Amazon Apps - Completely restore every Amazon app or manually select apps to restore.• Modify System Settings - • Power Options - Reboot, shutdown, reboot into recovery, or reboot the tablet into bootloader mode.• Parental Controls Hide - Installs a service that auto-dismisses messages from Parental Controls.• Privacy Controls - Disable telemetry collection of app usage data, interest based ads, etc. • Push and Pull• Push - Transfer files from your computer to your tablet.• Pull - Retrieve files from your tablet and transfer them to your computer.• Remove Lockscreen Ads - Remove ads from the lockscreen.• Screen Capturing - Record the device's screen, or capture a screenshot.• Sideload Apps - Install APKs from sources outside of the Amazon Appstore.• System Backup • Backup - Create a backup of the current system configuration.• Restore - Restore system configuration from a previously created backup.• User Management (8th gen and above)• Create a User - Create a new user.• Delete a User - Delete a toolbox created user.• Switch Users - Switch the current user to a different Toolbox created user.• YouTube Clients - Install third-party Youtube clients.
Toolbox:
Other Downloads:
ResourceResource LinkApplicable ToolsCustom Navigation Bar IconsNavigation Bar ModifierToolbox ChangelogsN/A
VersionInstaller (.exe)Portable (.zip)Update PostVirusTotalV27.0PostLinkV26.1PostLinkV25.2PostLinkV24.0DownloadPostLink*Halloween EditionDownload*Bug FixLinkV23.0DownloadPostLinkV22.0DownloadPostLinkV21.0DownloadPostLinkV20.0DownloadPostLinkV19.0DownloadPostLinkV18.0DownloadPostLinkV17.0DownloadPostLinkV16.0PostLinkv15.0PostLinkV13.0PostLinkV12.0PostLinkV11.1PostLinkV11.0PostLinkV10.2PostLinkV10.1PostLinkV10.0PostLinkV9.2PostLinkV9.1PostLinkV9.0PostLinkV8.2PostLinkV8.1PostLinkV7.2.1DownloadPostLinkV7.1PostLinkV7.0PostLinkV6.56PostLinkV6.55PostLinkV6.54DownloadPostLink
If you like my work and would like to support me feel free to Donate. Thank you!64
The Toolbox is being marked as a virus?This is likely because the Toolbox (and it's installer) aren't signed with a software license. This freaks Windows out because it sees that there is no publisher, and as a result it displays a warning (smartscreen). In addition, some anti-viruses might also flag the Toolbox as a virus simply because the build is relatively new and there is no record of it in the anti-viruses database, resulting in a false positve.As always, I take your security and privacy VERY seriously! If you do not feel safe with installing the Toolbox due to virus concerns, I respect and support your decision. It is always up to the user and their judgment!
31I'd also like to take the time to acknowledge today as a very special day for this project! Today marks the 3RD YEAR anniversary of the project!!!
It seems like only yesterday, that the first version of the Toolbox was released! It's just crazy to think that it all started in 2019, as a very simple batch file program designed solemnly to remove lock screen ads, and has grown into what it is today! If you're interested in what started it all, I'd highly recommend checking out this post. It dives a little more into the Toolbox's background and it's beginnings!
I just wanted to THANK YOU all from the bottom of my heart for making the last 3 years so memorable! If it wasn't for the amazing support and this wonderful community, the project would've died a long time ago! You guys are the fuel that feeds the Toolbox's development!
Through this project, I've gotten to meet some wonderful people that I'd consider to be good friends:
@Davy49, @Tailborn, @Falcon342, @blaacksheep, and of course you (the one reading this)!
So, where does the Toolbox go from here? Well, I suppose the next step would be to bring the Toolbox to more platforms! Currently, the Toolbox is being ported to other platforms using the Python programming language, and PySimpleGUI. I've also been asked if the Toolbox Python port will ever become open-source, and I think the answer is most likely yes. Big things are planned for the Toolbox this year, and I hope you'll join me on this journey!
HERE'S TO THE TOOLBOX'S 3RD YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!
26Last edited 6-08-2022
What to do about F/W v. 7.3.2.2
So your Fire tablet has the latest firmware update on it (v7.3.2.2) and Fire Toolbox won't do what it's supposed to. All is not lost. I've collected some workarounds that will keep Amazon at bay. The three main problems are:
1) You can't stop Automatic updates.
2) You can't get rid of the lockscreen ads.
3) You hate the Amazon Launcher, but Amazon won't let you change it permanently.
Once those three problems are addressed, you pretty much have your tablet back. The Toolbox will still work for all the other things you want modify. First, get your tablet set up with Toolbox, install Google Services, and install the launcher you want. (Make sure to select "Enable Widget Support".) We'll take care of the Amazon Launcher later. So let's get started with the 3 main problems.
1) Automatic updates.
This method is far from perfect and has sometimes allowed updates to somehow slip by. The only other way to do this that I know is to use an app blocking firewall and block the update apps. I chose this method because it doesn't require a 'training period' to train the app on what to block and what to let through. Also, if you've already got lockscreen ads in your tablet's cache, this will not remove them. This method must be in place before you first connect to WiFi for the lockscreen ad blocking to work.
We need to stop the tablet from contacting Amazon to update it's firmware. We can no longer disable the service that does this, BUT, we can interfere with it's ability to contact the server from which it gets its updates. On a computer, we would modify the hosts file and block the addresses of the update servers. On an Android device, we need root access to do that, but there is an alternate way of adding things to the hosts file - with a VPN. We'll use a free and open source ad blocking VPN app to do this. The app is called DNS66 and it's available through F-Droid. You need to make sure this is always running to be protected from updates.Luckily, android has a feature to assist us in this. It's called "Always On VPN" and we need another app to access the hidden setting for this. We'll use "Activity Launcher" to get to this setting. Activity Launcher is available from Google's Play Store.
It turns out that using Activity Launcher to change this hidden setting does nothing more than give you an extra notification that your VPN is off. It doesn't stop traffic, so it's useless. Besides, my tablet has taken to turning the "Always On VPN" setting back off every time I boot. (Thanks Amazon!) Activity Launcher is still useful for finding settings that Amazon doesn't see fit to include. It also makes desktop shortcuts to those settings if you wish.
Download DNS66 to your computer from f-droid.org or from the attached file, copy it to your tablet and install it.Also go to the Play Store and install Activity Launcher.Finally, get the Amzn_Blcklist.txt that's attached to this post and copy that to your tablet. The blocklist file must remain on your tablet, so put it somewhere where it won't get deleted. I suggest in the root of your internal storage. (/storage/emulated/0)
Open DNS66. There are a couple settings that must be changed. On the Start tab, turn on "Watch Connection". (All 3 switches should now be on.)
Now go to the Hosts tab. Tap the "+" in the lower-right. Under Title, type "Amazon Blocklist". Tap the paper clip on the next line. Navigate to the Amzn_Blocklist.txt file you downloaded earlier and select it. Now tap "Done" in the upper-right. You should now have the first and last entry on the displayed list selected.
Now go to the Apps tab. Turn on "Show System Apps". Tap the gear under the Show System Apps switch and select "No Apps". All the switches below that should now be off.
You can optionally set your own DNS servers on the next screen if you'd like. I like to turn on Custom DNS Servers, deselect the German ones that are pre-selected, and then turn on the last two servers (CloudFlare).
This can also be done with Toolbox making this step unnecessary. Now go back to the Start tab. Tap "Start". It will notify you that it wants to connect to a VPN. Tap Yes or OK and allow it.
Quick note: Do not use the Toolbox DNS changer in Modify System Settings AND the DNS66 Custom DNS setting together. This will cause connectivity to fail. I use DNS66 and not Toolbox's DNS changer. Having the Custom DNS Servers set ins DNS66, and using the Toolbox DNS changer simultaneously caused me hours of grief trying to figure out why Google couldn't connect!
Now Launch Activity Launcher. Tap the magnifying glass in the upper-right. Enter "VPN". One setting should appear called "VPN". Tap it. Tap the gear on the end of the DNS66 line. Turn on Always-on VPN. Turning on the other switch makes Google Services think you are disconnected, so leave that one off. Step one accomplished.
Notes:
DNS66 takes several seconds before it gets started when you first boot, so it is possible that the tablet will make a DNS query for the update server or the lockscreen ad server before it loads. Best practice is to turn off WiFi before you power down or reboot.
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2) Lockscreen Ads.
It turns out, that blocking those update servers also blocks your tablet from getting any lockscreen
ads! No further action is needed. I stopped investigating this because I chose to disable the lockscreen completely. If you want to do that, you can do it in Toolbox, or in Activity Launcher that you just installed. Launch Activity Launcher. Tap the magnifying glass. Type in "screenlock". Now tap the last item (.password.ScreenLockSuggestionActivity). Select None and you're done.
Notes:
It has come to my attention that when disabling your PIN, it may still ask you for a PIN by Parental Controls for some settings or activities. I would suggest if you're going to disable your PIN, to first set it to something simple like 0000, reboot it, and then disable the PIN. That way you'll know what PIN you set if it suddenly asks you next month for your PIN.
Another way to disable lockscreen ads is detailed Here.
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3) Amazon Launcher.
The latest version of Toolbox (v 28.1) has a new tool called 'Custom Navbar Key'. This method uses Automate to automatically replace the Home button every time you reboot. It works rather nicely. I leave this section posted for completeness and to facilitate experimentation on other choices.
The way we're going to get rid of the Amazon Launcher is by not calling it! We're going to replace the Home button with another button that we can map to any launcher we'd like. This isn't a perfect solution, but it is FREE. If you're willing to spend a couple bucks, you can purchase a more configurable gesture navigation app with more features, but this is FREE, so maybe you can accept it's shortcomings. I'll keep this post updated with other navbar replacements that people suggest.
Go to the Play Store. Get and install "One Button Navigation". Launch it. It will want you to turn on Accessability Service for it. Follow the on-screen instructions and turn on "One Button Navigation Bar". You'll see your new nav button at the bottom of the screen. I like to adjust the width down to a dot, like the button it's replacing, but that's up to you. I also like to make the background black and the botton bright yellow so that I'm reminded it's running. Set up the background and button colors as you like them. Yeah, I know the ads in this are obtrusive, but you'll never see them once it's set up. Also DNS66 will block the ads if you install that first.
Next tap the Action tab. Tap "Single Click". Scroll down and select "Launch Application...". Select the launcher that you installed with Toolbox here. In my case, it was Nova 7. (Google updated the Nova version that Toolbox installed.) Now you can set any other actions you'd like for the new button.
I didn't want anything additional, so I made the gestures similar to the original buttons. This is all up to you. You can reverse them or set additional functionality to the button. I ended up with a new navbar that covers the original navbar (the one with the home button that brings up the Amazon Launcher). I now have a button that when pressed, takes me to my launcher. When I swipe it left, it goes back a screen. When I swipe it right, it shows the recents. I spent a lot of time with other navbar replacements and this is the minimalist replacement that works best for me. YMMV. Before someone complains that it doesn't work in landscape mode, I'm not the developer. You should rate it and leave a comment for him! This is the best I could find that does what I want for FREE.
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I'll edit this post with your suggestions for better solutions to these problems and keep a list of navbar replacements that people suggest at the end so you can find what works best for you.
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Some Suggested Navigation Bar replacements:
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One Button Navigation Bar by Nu-Kob (PlayStore)
Pie Control by coolAce (PlayStore)
Simple Control by coolAce (PlayStore)
DNS66 is available from F-Droid.org (dated March 26, 2021)
Activity Launcher is available from APKMirror.com (dated March 21,2022)21What's going on, guys?
I sincerely hope everyone is doing good, and having a wonderful December so far!
Today marks the release of V26.0 of the Toolbox! So, without further ado... let's take a look at what this release has to offer!
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome... Screen!
You know, every time I run a build for the first time I go through the Theme Selector, then the Tour, and then the Welcome Screen. I just think to myself "this is just a mess" - so in this update I thought I'd focus on improving it and making it better. I started by re-designing the Welcome Screen and doing my best to link all three tools into something that looked visually appealing. Now, in a tabbed interface you'll find the Setup Tour in the very first tab, Theme Selection (with a new UI) in the second, Installation Management in the third, and finally in the fourth the Changelog.
Now let's talk specifically about the Installation Management tool. This bad boy now has the ability to read installations from directories other than the default (localappdata\Datastream). So, if you've got your installations in a custom location, and you'd like to manage them, it's now possible to point the path to that location. This should help make managing installations a lot easier!
Custom Launchers on FireOS 7.3.2.2
As some of you may know, I bit the bullet and updated my tablet to the latest version of FireOS... to the dreaded 7.3.2.2. This update, from what I heard, caused the Custom Launcher and disabling OTAs tools to no longer function and after updating, I soon discovered that it was indeed the case. I then tried everything I could think and well really didn't turn up any valuable workarounds... until I tried the method we'd been using on older gen devices... and it worked! Of course, just like on the older gens, it has the drawback of being removed every time the device is rebooted. However, it's the only method I could find, so it's better than nothing, right?
Anyway, while coding it in I decided to take the liberty of also clean up the code, and the UI a bit. What's cool is the tool will now read what generation your tablet is, and display what methods are available to use. You'll also find that the initial method selection UI is a lot more usable compared to its previous iteration.
Change the Timeout for the Display?
Ah, the latest addition to the General group in the Modify System Settings tool. This subtool not only allows you to alter the timeout to traditional values, but also allows you to set a custom timeout. Want your screen to sleep after 24 hours of inactivity? This one's for you folks who want to extend the timeout as much as you can. Just be careful, it may cause a burn-in if your tablet's screen remains on the same screen for too long!
Let's Talk Linux Port Stuff
I guess the point of this section is to ask you guys if you're ok with updates to the VB version being slowed down, so I can focus more on the port? I'd also like to address a common question I get asked about it being open-source. Right now, I'm planning on it being closed-source for now. However, I am planning on making it open-source when I feel like the time is right. Please be patient! So, let's get back to the original question... are you guy's ok if I shift primary focus to the port?
Wait, that's not everything! If you're interested in everything that's changed... please take a look at the changelog below:
Ready to download V26.0? Head on over to the Download's section of the OP. By the way, because of some directory changes to the bin folder... the update will not show up in the Updater. It must be installed via the Installer or extracted from the Portable release.
Ok, my favorite part about of these release posts... sharing appreciation for you awesome folks! I just wanted to say I'm so blessed to be a part of the wonderful community over here on XDA. You guys are incredible people and in fact... this is perhaps the one place I've been on that I don't see negativity or people bullying one another. You guys are just AMAZING and I wanted to let you know that I appreciate everyone's support! Furthermore, you guys are what keep this project going, and it wouldn't be where it is today without you guys! So please pat yourself on the back - you deserve it!
Also, I'd like to place the limelight on my good friends @blaacksheep, and of course @Falcon342. I just can't express how much I appreciate all you've done for this thread! I haven't had the time to get on here because of work and when I come on the forum I see you guys helping out and answering questions. I really do appreciate the time and effort you two have put into being so freaking helpful! However, I've got to be honest, I'm extremely sad because I feel like I'm not doing enough. I'm sure you guys would like a little help (I'm gonna try harder to be more active on here when I can to hopefully help you guys out). Anyway, thank you guys again!! I really do appreciate it!!!!
Also, don't think I forgot about you donators! I just want to say I'm so honored that you'd donate your hard-earned cash. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve it. Guys and gals, THANK YOU so much for donating! I really do appreciate every penny!
This year has flown by and Christmas is right around the corner, so I just wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS and I hope you all had a remarkable 2021! Let's hope 2022 is an even better year!
Well, that's all I've got for now! Have a good one, guys, and until next time... Peace!
- Make sure you uncheck the "Link device to your Amazon account to simplify setup" box before Adding to Cart. (See this screenshot, credits go to @ancientrael)
