Here are some common issues that can cause failures during app submission. Most of these involve application lifecycle events, such as:
- Playback interruption when a user interacts with Alexa
- Application goes into background mode because:
- A user starts a different application
- A user presses the home button
- A user turns the TV off while the app is running, including during media playback
- User inactivity results in the screensaver being launched
- Playback interruption when a user temporarily disconnects the Fire TV device from HDMI
- A user uses a Bluetooth device as the audio output for their Fire TV device
Below are some of the tests that are run on apps submitted to the Amazon Appstore. We recommend that you perform these tests before submitting your app to ensure it can pass these test cases.
| Test Scenario | Test Steps | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| Exit the app with Back button and relaunch | 1. Launch the app and play any video content 2. Press the Back button on the remote to exit playback, and continue pressing Back until you reach the Fire TV launcher 3. Relaunch the app Repeat for both on-demand and live content. |
App should launch without any issues. User should be able to navigate across app sections and play content. |
| Exit the app with Home button and relaunch | 1. Launch the app and play any video content 2. Press the Home button on the remote to exit playback 3. Relaunch the app Repeat for both on-demand and live content. |
There should not be audio leak from the app on the Fire TV launcher. App should launch without any issues. User should be able to navigate across app sections and play content. |
| Switching between apps | 1. Launch the app and play any video content 2. During playback, press the Home button to go to the Fire TV launcher 3. Launch another app (e.g. a sample app that can play video) and play video in it 4. Exit that app by pressing the Home button 5. Relaunch your app and resume playback |
App should exit smoothly for both apps. There should not be any audio leak or audio overlap. No crash, blank screen, or audio/video sync issues should be observed during playback. User should be able to play, pause, fast-forward, and rewind. |
| HDMI hot plug | 1. Launch the app and play any video content for 5-10 minutes 2. While playback is in progress, unplug the device from the HDMI port 3. Leave the device unplugged for 5 minutes, then plug it back in |
Playback should be paused when Fire TV is reconnected. Content should resume from the same position. |
| App usage after changing HDMI ports or TV power off | 1. Launch the app and play any video content for 5-10 minutes 2. While playback is in progress, switch to a different HDMI input on the TV 3. Wait 5 minutes, then switch back to Fire TV 4. Launch the app Repeat steps 2-4 by turning off the TV using the power button and then turning it back on. |
Playback should be paused when Fire TV is back. Content should resume from the same position. |
| App relaunch after device restart | 1. Launch the app and play any video content 2. Exit the app and restart the device 3. Relaunch the app and resume video playback |
User should be able to launch the app successfully after device restart. Login details should be retained. User should be able to navigate across app sections and play content. |
| App behavior after screensaver/ambient | 1. Launch the app and play any video content 2. Pause the video and keep the device idle for 5 minutes 3. When the screensaver appears, press the Back button to navigate back to the app |
Video playback should remain paused. No audio from the app should be heard over the screensaver/ambient screen. For audio streaming apps, playback should continue even when the screensaver appears. On pressing Back from the screensaver, the user should be redirected back to the app and should be able to resume playback. |
| Interruptions with Alexa during playback | 1. Launch the app and play any video content 2. During playback, use the remote to perform a voice search to invoke Alexa (e.g. “What is the weather in Sunnyvale?”) 3. Verify playback after the Alexa card dismisses Repeat for on-demand, ads, and live playback. |
Video should pause and the Alexa card should appear. There should not be any audio overlap between the Alexa response and app audio. After the Alexa card dismisses, audio/video playback should resume correctly. |
| Playback with Bluetooth device | 1. Connect Fire TV to a Bluetooth soundbar or headset 2. Launch the app and play any video content Also test connecting the Bluetooth device during active playback. |
Audio should be correctly routed through the soundbar/headset. Video playback should be fine and audio/video should be in sync. |
You can also find more general requirements for media applications, including recommendations for background/foreground mode, in the General requirements for media apps documentation.
Last updated: Mar 11, 2026