Show Mode on your Fire tablet turns it into a smart home hub with full-fledged Alexa voice control. Here’s how to use it:
Amazon’s Fire tablet is a solid entry-level device for watching movies, reading books, and playing games. But did you know that it also works as an echo show?
If you own an 8-inch or 10-inch Fire tablet, there’s a feature called Show Mode that turns your tablet into an Alexa-controlled smart home display so you don’t have to go out and buy another Echo Show.
But here I have a question. How do you turn it on? This guide will show you how to turn it on, what devices it supports, and what you can do with it turned on.
What is show mode?
First released in 2018 as a free software update, Show Mode lets you use your Fire tablet like an Echo Show. With Alexa, you can ask questions, play content, and control your smart home devices just like you can with your Echo Show without leaving the house and making a purchase. Amazon launched the feature with a special Show Mode Charging Dock that provides a place to store your Fire tablet while using Show Mode, but it’s not a requirement to use this feature.
Which Fire Tablets Support View Mode?
Before you dive into the rabbit hole trying to find Show Mode on your Fire tablet, you need to make sure your tablet is supported. Amazon currently lists seven different Fire tablets that are supported for Show Mode. doing.
The list includes:
- Fire HD 8 (7th Gen) with software version 5.6.1.0 or higher
- Fire HD 10 (7th Gen) with software version 5.5.0.0 or higher
- Fire HD 8 (8th Gen) with software version 6.3.0.1 or later
- Fire HD 10 (9th Gen) with software version 7.3.1.1 or later
- Fire HD 8 (10th Gen) with software version 7.3.1.4 or later
- Fire HD 10 (11th Gen) with software version 7.3.1.8 or later
- Fire HD 8 (12th Gen)
If your tablet isn’t on the list, you’re out of luck.But if so teeth It’s listed, so let’s move on.
How to Enable Show Mode on Fire Tablets
There are 3 ways to enable Show Mode on your Fire tablet
Method 1: Use Alexa
- On your Fire tablet, say: Alexa, switch to show modeThe interface will switch to Show Mode.
- To exit show mode, say Alexa, exit show mode.
Method 2: Use Shortcuts in Quick Settings
- On your Fire tablet, swipe down twice from the top of the display to reveal the Quick Settings panel.
- In the list of settings there is a toggle called show modeTap it to activate Show Mode.
- To exit view mode, do the same double swipe gesture, show mode Switch again.
Method 3: Using the charging dock in show mode
If you own Amazon’s optional Show Mode charging dock for your Fire tablet, you can enable the ability to automatically switch to Show Mode each time you dock your tablet.
- go to setting Fire tablet app.
- find show mode Tap a section, then tap it.
- seek Automatic mode switching Toggle on.
Once that’s done, when you want to use Show Mode, simply dock your Fire tablet and it will switch automatically. No additional steps are required.
What Can I Do in Show Mode on Fire Tablets?
With Show Mode enabled on your Fire tablet, you’ll find it looks very similar to other smart home displays. That’s because Amazon essentially took the Echo Show’s interface and built a different experience for Fire tablet users.
That means you can do everything you could do with Alexa on a classic Echo Show, like weather, sports scores, use skills, play music, and watch YouTube and Prime Video. Each response is greeted with rich visuals that reveal more information. You can customize what you see and don’t see in the Settings app.
Show Mode lets you make calls with Alexa, control smart home devices with your voice, and even follow cooking tutorials.
Of course, this experience isn’t a one-to-one comparison with the Echo Show. Fire tablets don’t have the same dynamic mic as Amazon’s line of Echo devices, nor do they have the same sound quality. Still, it’s a nice feature if you don’t want to pay extra for a smart home display.
For more information on Amazon’s Fire tablets, see our latest model comparison.
