How to Reduce Smart TV Ads and Optional Viewing-Data Tracking

You can't strip every ad from a modern smart TV using its own settings, but you can cut a lot of them and limit optional viewing-data collection and personalized advertising. The biggest wins are turning off viewing-data tracking, known as ACR, turning off ad personalization, and hiding sponsored rows where your TV allows it. For a cleaner experience, many people disconnect the TV itself from the internet and stream through a separate device instead.

Compare ads inside streaming services with TV home-screen promotions; changing one does not automatically change the other.

Smart TVs are cheap partly because the makers earn money from ads and viewing data after you buy them. That's why home screens now carry banner ads, sponsored apps and autoplaying trailers. Menu labels vary by model, region and software version. These are settings to look for, not a promise that every TV has the same controls; consult the manual for your exact model. No physical TV was used to test these instructions.

Step 1: Turn off viewing-data tracking (ACR)

ACR, or automatic content recognition, identifies what's on your screen, including shows from a cable box, antenna or game console. That information feeds ad targeting. Each brand calls it something different.

• On Roku TVs, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Smart TV Experience, and turn off "Use info from TV inputs."
• On Samsung, go to Settings, then All Settings, then General & Privacy, then Terms & Privacy, and turn off Viewing Information Services.
• On LG, review the optional Viewing Information and interest-based advertising agreements. Some models also expose Live Plus controls; use the model-specific manual to locate them.
• On Vizio, go to Settings, then Privacy & Legal (Admin & Privacy on older sets), and turn Viewing Data off.
• On Fire TV, go to Settings, then Preferences, then Privacy Settings, and turn off the data-collection and interest-based ads options.

Step 2: Turn off ad personalization

Turning off one tracking or personalization setting does not remove every ad or stop all collection. Apps and other optional services can have separate controls. Look for these settings near the ACR option:

• Roku has "Limit ad tracking" under Privacy, then Advertising.
• Samsung has Interest-Based Advertisements under Terms & Privacy.
• LG has an advertising or "Limit ad tracking" option in its privacy or User Agreements menu.
• Fire TV has an interest-based ads toggle under Privacy Settings.

You can also reset the advertising ID on most platforms, which changes that identifier; it does not necessarily delete information already held by the TV maker or individual apps.

Step 3: Hide or reduce home-screen clutter

Most TVs won't let you remove the main banner ad, but you can usually tidy the rest. Remove preinstalled apps you don't use, turn off autoplay previews if the setting exists, and move your favorite apps to the front so you spend less time scrolling past promoted rows. Roku and Fire TV both let you rearrange and remove channels or apps from the home screen.

Step 4: Use a separate streaming device

The most effective way to escape your TV's ad system is to stop using it. Disconnect the TV from Wi-Fi in its network settings, then plug in a streaming stick or box and use that for everything. Your TV becomes a plain screen. The streaming device will have its own ads and data collection, so apply the same privacy settings there. Our look at the new Fire TV Stick 4K and our piece on Roku's new home screen show what those menus look like now.

Step 5: Block ad servers on your network

A further option is network-level blocking. Some routers and mesh systems include ad or tracker blocking as a feature or paid add-on, and some people run a DNS-based blocker on a small computer at home. This can stop many home-screen ads from loading, but results vary. It can also break features such as app sign-ins or free ad-supported channels, so turn it on gradually and keep a way to switch it off. If you already use your router's controls, our guide to router parental controls shows where these settings usually live.

What about replacing the TV's software?

Some hobby projects let you install a different launcher or operating system on certain TVs to remove ads entirely. These usually require developer mode, can void your warranty, may stop receiving security updates and can break streaming apps. They're best left to people comfortable fixing things if they go wrong. For most homes, the built-in settings plus a separate streaming device get you most of the benefit with none of the risk.

Ads inside streaming apps are a separate issue

Everything above deals with the TV's own ads. Ads inside apps like Hulu, Peacock or Netflix come from the service and depend on your plan. An eligible ad-free tier can reduce ads in supported on-demand content, but live programs, promotional messages and some licensed titles may still include advertising. Read the service's exclusions before upgrading. Our guide to whether Hulu has ads breaks down how those tiers work.

If you stream a lot, your internet connection matters as much as your settings. Check each streaming service's recommended connection speed and allow headroom for other devices; requirements vary by service and picture quality. Placing your router well or adding a better one can make a bigger difference than a faster plan, as our guide to routers for streaming explains.