In this article I show you how to deal with your Firestick not running at the correct resolution.
Issue
So you went out and purchased a high definition Amazon Fire TV Stick (1080p or 4K) but when you sit down to watch on your TV the Firestick only runs at 720p??
Root Cause
While the HDMI port on your TV may be capable of running at 1080p or 4K, when the Firestick does its “handshaking” with the TV, it changes the resolution to 720p.
You can try changing the resolution of the Firestick but you will see that in Settings - Display the change resolution option is forced on to “Automatic”!? Also you can try the “hidden” resolution menu using the “up” and “rewind <<“ buttons on your remote to cycle thru potential resolutions, but it is unlikely that this will resolve your issue.
The Fix
To fix this issue requires a firmware upgrade to your TV in order for the HDMI port to properly recognize the Firestick. Since this is not an easy fix, there is another “workaround”..
The Workaround
The work around is to find an HDMI splitter and/or switch that you can install in between the Firestick and the TV that the TV can more easily understand the correct resolution. In my case, I am using a Samsung TV that recognizes other devices at 1080p but was “restricting” the HDMI port for a Firestick 4K Max to 720p. I ran the Firestick thru an HMDI switch that the TV recognizes the input signal as 1080p. An “ugly but effective” solution.