How to Find Your Amazon Device Model and Firmware Version

Before you can look up firmware history, recover a device, or report a useful update link, you need to know exactly what device you have. Not the marketing name on the box — the model and the software version. This guide covers how to read both off every major Amazon device family.

Why the device name is not enough

“Fire TV Stick” describes at least a dozen different devices made over more than a decade. “Kindle Paperwhite” spans many generations. Two units that look identical can run entirely different software: a recent Fire TV Stick might run Amazon’s newer Vega OS, while a Fire TV smart TV runs an Android-based Fire OS, and older hardware is scattered across Fire OS 5, 6, 7, and 8.

That is why the model and the version matter. They determine which firmware applies, how apps behave, and which records line up with your hardware. The good news: every device exposes this information in its settings.

Fire TV (sticks, Cube, and smart TVs)

On the device, open Settings → My Fire TV → About.

That screen shows:

Device name and generation — for example, “Fire TV Stick 4K (1st Gen)” or “Fire TV Stick HD.”
Software version — the installed Fire OS version, or a Vega OS version on the newest sticks.
Build label — when shown, this helps tell apart two devices that report the same version string.

From the same About screen you can choose Check for Updates, which is the safe, device-initiated way to confirm whether a newer build is being offered to your unit.

If the menu is unclear, the small print on the back of a stick or on the original box lists a model code (such as one starting with “AFT”). That code is a dependable way to distinguish generations when the on-screen name is ambiguous.

Fire Tablet

Open Settings → Device Options. The wording shifts between Fire OS generations, and on newer releases this section may appear as Device & System.

Model: look under About Fire Tablet (or Device Model). The model line reads like “Fire HD 10 (11th Generation)” — the single most reliable field for identification.
Software version: open System Updates to see the installed Fire OS version and whether an update is available.

Screen size and color are reused across generations, so always trust the model line over appearance.

Kindle e-reader

From the home screen, open Settings (tap the menu — often three dots — if you don’t see it), then Device Options → Device Info. On some firmware this is labelled About Your Kindle.

There you’ll find:

Firmware version — the value to note, typically a 5.x release on modern Kindles.
Device name / generation — usually listed first, which maps the unit to a model family.
Serial number and available storage (useful to you, but not needed for a database record — and best not shared publicly, since a serial identifies a specific unit).

You can also confirm the registered model from a browser at amazon.com/mydevices, which is handy for an older device whose label has worn off.

Echo

Most Echo speakers have no screen, so identification happens in the Alexa app. Open Devices, select the Echo, open its settings (the gear icon), and look under About for the software version. The device type shown there, together with the model on the original packaging, identifies the generation.

Because Echo devices rarely show update details on the hardware itself, the device family, build number, and the date you checked are what make the information useful later.

What to write down

Once you’re in the right screen, record:

Device family — Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Kindle, or Echo.
Model / generation — the exact line from the About screen, including the generation.
Current software version — the Fire OS or Vega OS / firmware string.
Date — when you checked, since builds change over time.

That set of details is enough to match your device against firmware history, ask for help in a community, or contribute a useful update record. If you plan to submit a link you captured, the manual explains what makes a good submission, and the FAQ answers the common questions.

A note on safety

Reading your model and version never requires unlocking, rooting, or modifying anything — it’s all in the standard settings menus. Keep it that way: work only with devices you own, and never share serial numbers, account identifiers, or anything else that points to a specific person or unit.