Last week Amazon introduced new Echo Show devices promising they’ll “blend into the background.” But many Echo Show owners say the devices are doing the opposite: surfacing unskippable, sponsored ads on the home screen and even inside the photo carousel that displays your personal pictures.
Several users report that within the past 1–2 years ads have become more frequent and that there is no single setting that fully removes sponsored content from the home screen. You can reduce some items via Settings > Home & Clock > Home Content, but toggling those options often disables other useful home-screen features (news, weather, notifications) and does not eliminate paid “sponsored” placements.
Why this matters
Built-in ads on a personal device—especially one that displays your family photos—can be jarring. Owners describe ads popping up during breakfast or while slicing fruit for their kids. Unlike Kindles with lockscreen ads (which reduce the device price), Echo Show ads don’t come with an obvious price discount, and Amazon does not currently offer a true opt-out for sponsored placements.
How to reduce ads
- Go to Settings > Home & Clock > Home Content and turn off undesired items (note: this will turn off other home screen info).
- Try Night Mode or Kids Mode to limit some types of content, but these also restrict features.
- Check Amazon community forums and third-party guides for the latest workarounds.
Sources & further reading
- Pocket-lint guide on limiting Echo Show ads: https://www.pocket-lint.com/how-to-remove-amazon-spam-echo-show/
- Amazon community discussions about home-screen sponsored content: https://amazonforum.my.site.com/
- Community threads and user reports on Reddit (search): https://www.reddit.com/search/?q=Echo%20Show%20ads
- Product search (Echo Show 15) on Amazon (affiliate): https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Echo+Show+15&tag=f1rede-20
- Original coverage (Engadget) — link without RSS parameter: https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/dont-buy-an-echo-show-you-can-have-mine-155730401.html
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