Amazon Fire TV users can now add new channels to the live guide

Amazon has announced a couple of changes now available on its Fire TV live channel guide, including the ability to add new channels from one's favorite streaming apps. The expanded capabilities are intended to help users pull up the live guide faster and find the specific channels they want, ultimately providing a sort of hybrid experience between streaming and watching live TV.

Though Fire TV is a smart TV platform that provides users with access to streaming apps and other entertainment-related features, the software also integrates live television broadcasts on certain devices.

If you own a smart TV powered by the Fire TV platform, for example, you can likely access live broadcast channels through the built-in guide, assuming there's an OTA antenna connected to the TV. Beyond that, Fire TV has a dedicated "Live" tab through which users can readily find channels that offer live television content over the Internet, no antenna required.

With this most recent update, Amazon says users now have the option of adding channels from various apps to the live TV guide. This action is performed by scrolling over to the Fire TV "Live" tab, pressing the menu button, and selecting "Add Channel" from the menu that appears.

The "Add Channel" option supports both free and subscription-based video apps, essentially slotting them in with other live content for a more streamlined, traditional browsing experience. As mentioned, the update also adds a second feature, though one that isn't relevant to every Fire TV owner.

Assuming you have a Fire TV remote that features a dedicated guide button, pressing it will trigger the Fire TV platform to directly open its channel guide within the Live tab. Many popular streaming apps support the Fire TV "Live" portal, including paid options like Prime Video Channels and free offerings like Pluto TV and Tubi.