Android TV is a popular smart TV to streaming movies online with your internet access. You can download and install Android apps on it and apps from streaming services that support it, such as Pluto TV. However, the new OS release for the Android TV comes showing ads on the homescreen. The ads popping on the screen is rolled out in batches. So, if you do not see the ads yet on your Android TV, it means that the update is yet to come to your device. However, if the ads show has come to your Android TV update and it got you tired of the smart TV, here we will consider how to turn off Android TV homescreen ads.
Note that Google hasn’t issued an official statement on how to turn off the Android TV homescreen ads despite the negative feedback from different platforms and forums such as Android TV subreddit and even in the Google Play review.
Whats this Android TV’s Ads All About?
Google shows almost the same ads for different Android TVs. What you see on your TV might and might not be different from others or your neighbor’s TV. In most cases, Google shows a Coronavirus campaign. It’s not limited to that, though. You can also see youtube TV HBO Max partnership ads. Some are seeing “Love in the time of Corona” from HBO Max, “Moana” on Disney, “Intelligent on Peacock, and “America Pickle” on HBO Max.
The ads recommendation cut across all platforms that Android TV and Google supported. So, if you see the ads on your TV homescreen after the new OS update, you are not alone, and you can disable it.
Do I Have to Pay for this Android TV Homescreen Ads?
Absolutely not, you don’t have to pay additional money to see these ads. It’s not like you are upgrading your plan from your TV cable provider.
However, since we are all staying at home now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Google sees that you need to see more movies to stay calm and keep your company with your family if they are not on isolation.
But, if the Android TV ads that are showing on the TV homescreen is from a service you are not subscribed to, such as, HBO Max, you’ll have to subscribe to the service to watch it on your TV.
How to Turn Off Android TV Homescreen Ads
We found out how to disable the Android TV homescreen highlight shows such as “Staff Picks,” movies shows, and recommendations such as “Moana,” and many more.
- Turn on the Android TV (You will see the ads on the homescreen”.)
- Navigate to “Settings”
- Find “Apps” and click on “All Apps.”
- Tap on “Show System Apps.”
- Navigate and find the “Android TV Home” application.
- Tap on the app and choose “Uninstall.”
- Follow the instruction to uninstall the ads app from the TV home screen. This will turn off the homescreen ads.
Now, when you navigate back to the Android TV homescreen, you will see that the screen has been reset and is now different from the ads screen before removing the “Android TV Home” app.
You Need to Stop Android Home TV App Future Update
If you don’t want the TV to show these ads during the next update or after a few hours or days, you need to turn off the automatic update. However, you will now need to keep eyes on the device update in other not to stay irrelevant when there is a new update available.
- Go to the Google Play Store on your Android TV.
- Navigate to the “Settings” section on the device.
- Disable automatic update.
- Done.
Now, you can be sure that the new Android TV update homescreen ads will not show for the time being. However, we all know that Google always finds its way as they might force the update again.
So, when you see it again don’t be surprised that it came back after you have disabled the app auto-update and even uninstalled the Android TV home app.