To turn off interest-based ads on an Amazon Fire TV Stick, go to Settings > Preferences > Privacy Settings and select Interest-based Ads so that it shows Off. The change tells apps on that device not to use its advertising ID to build an ad profile or to target you with ads. It does not remove ads from the Fire TV. It only limits how they are chosen.
Amazon describes this switch, and the other privacy switches beside it, on its Privacy Settings FAQs for Fire TV Products help page. The steps below follow that page.
What Interest-Based Ads Means on a Fire TV Stick
Interest-based ads are ads picked for you based on your activity. Amazon also calls them personalized or targeted ads.
On a Fire TV, the setting works through the advertising ID. This is a resettable identifier that Amazon makes available to apps on the device for advertising and analytics. Apps can use it to recognize the same device over time and build a picture of what its owner might want to buy.
An iPhone has a similar identifier, but no reset button; here is how to limit ad tracking on iPhone.
When you turn Interest-based Ads off, apps that use the advertising ID are instructed not to use it to build advertising profiles or to target you with interest-based ads on that device.
Fire TV Devices Covered
- Devices covered: Amazon gives the same menu path for its Fire TV streaming sticks and boxes and for smart TVs with Fire TV built in.
- What you need: the Fire TV remote. You change the setting on the device itself, so no phone or computer is required.
- One device at a time: these privacy settings are device-specific. If you own two Fire TV Sticks, repeat the steps on each one.
- It is reversible: you can turn the setting back on from the same menu at any time.
How to Turn Off Interest-Based Ads on a Fire TV Stick
- Press the Home button on your remote to go to the Home screen.
- Open Settings. On newer versions of the Home screen it is a gear icon.
- Select Preferences.
- Choose Privacy Settings.
- Highlight Interest-based Ads and press the Select button (the center of the navigation ring) to change it to Off. If the Fire TV asks you to confirm, choose the option to turn it off.
How to confirm it worked: the Interest-based Ads row in Privacy Settings shows Off. Nothing else on the screen changes, and you do not need to restart the device.
What Changes and What Stays the Same
This setting is narrower than its name suggests, so it helps to know its limits before you rely on it.
- Ads still appear. The switch controls targeting through the advertising ID. It is not an ad blocker, and Amazon does not describe it as a way to remove sponsored content from the Home screen.
- Other devices are not affected. A second Fire TV, a Fire tablet or a Kindle keeps its own settings.
- Amazon services have their own controls. Privacy options for a service such as Prime Video are managed in the settings for that service or app.
- Third-party apps have their own policies. For an app from another company, review that app’s settings and privacy notice.
Other Fire TV Privacy Settings to Check
The Privacy Settings menu holds more than one switch. If your goal is less ad personalization overall, look at these while you are there.
| Setting | What turning it off does, according to Amazon | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Device Usage Data | Amazon stops using data about how you use the device for customized marketing offers and product improvement. | Fire TV products |
| Collect App Usage Data | Amazon stops collecting when you open and close third-party apps and how long you use them. | Fire TV products |
| Interest-based Ads | Apps are told not to use the advertising ID for ad profiles or interest-based targeting. | Fire TV products |
| Over-the-air viewing data | Amazon stops receiving information about antenna TV you watch. | Smart TVs with Fire TV |
| Automatic Content Recognition | Amazon stops identifying what you watch through connected devices such as a cable box. | Fire TV smart TVs |
Turning off Device Usage Data has limits too. Features such as Parental Controls and the Recents row keep working, and you can still receive marketing offers, though they may be less relevant to you.
The last two rows apply to televisions with Fire TV built in. Amazon’s Automatic Content Recognition help page describes that feature for Fire TV smart TVs, so you may not see it on a Fire TV Stick.
Limit Interest-Based Ads From Amazon on Your Account
The Fire TV switch is a device setting. Amazon also has an account-level choice for the ads Amazon itself serves.
According to Amazon’s Interest-Based Ads notice, you can choose not to receive interest-based ads from Amazon on your Advertising Preferences page. Amazon is clear about the result: you will still see ads, but they will not be based on your interests. You need to be signed in to your Amazon account in a web browser to reach that page.
For certain smart TVs with Fire TV, you can also view and manage the device privacy settings from your account. Go to Manage Your Content and Devices, then select Privacy Settings > Amazon Devices Privacy. Amazon does not list which models support this, so treat the on-device menu as the reliable route.
The same Content & Devices page is where you can rename your Fire TV Stick from an iPhone, which helps if you own more than one.
How to Turn Interest-Based Ads Back On
Go back to Settings > Preferences > Privacy Settings and select Interest-based Ads again so that it shows On. Apps on the device can then use the advertising ID for interest-based ads as before.
When Settings or Interest-Based Ads Is Missing
I cannot find Settings on the Home screen
The Fire TV Home screen has been redesigned more than once. Look for a gear icon in the main navigation row. On older software, Settings is a word in the menu at the top of the screen.
Privacy Settings or Interest-based Ads is missing
Make sure you opened Preferences and not another Settings tile. If the option still is not there, check for a software update under Settings > My Fire TV > About, then look again. If the menus are slow or will not open, restart the Fire TV Stick and try once more.
I still see ads on the Home screen
That is expected. The setting limits how apps use the advertising ID. It does not remove banners or sponsored rows. Some previews also play automatically. Many Fire TV devices have a Featured Content menu under Preferences for autoplay, but Amazon’s privacy help page does not cover it, so the options there may differ on your device.
The setting is on again
Amazon’s help page does not say whether a factory reset or a new device keeps your choice. Because the settings are device-specific, check the menu again after you reset a Fire TV or set up a new one.
A reset stick also has to be signed in again. The steps to add a device to your Amazon account cover the Fire TV activation code.
Fire TV Ad Questions
Will turning off interest-based ads remove all ads from my Fire TV?
No. Turning off Interest-based Ads tells apps not to use the device’s advertising ID to build an ad profile or target you. Ads can still be shown on a Fire TV; they are just not supposed to be chosen through that ID.
Does the setting apply to my other Amazon devices?
No. Fire TV, Fire tablet and Kindle privacy settings are device-specific. Change the setting on every Fire TV Stick you own. Fire tablets have their own Interest-based Ads switch in a different menu.
Can I reset the advertising ID on a Fire TV Stick?
Amazon calls the advertising ID a resettable identifier, and its help pages give reset steps for Fire tablets. They do not give reset steps for Fire TV, so look in Privacy Settings on your device for an advertising ID option. Turning off Interest-based Ads is the documented control on Fire TV.
Does my Fire TV Stick have Automatic Content Recognition?
Automatic Content Recognition is documented for Fire TV smart TVs, where it identifies content watched through connected devices such as a cable box. If the option does not appear under Privacy Settings on your Fire TV Stick, there is nothing to turn off.
What to Do Next
While you are in Privacy Settings, decide whether to turn off Device Usage Data and Collect App Usage Data as well, then repeat the steps on any other Fire TV in your home. If the menu clicks bother you, you can also turn off the Fire Stick navigation sounds from the Settings menu.
A few other Fire TV settings are worth a look. You can turn off the Fire TV screensaver, stop Netflix previews from autoplaying, or uninstall apps you no longer use on a Fire TV Stick. If a bell icon shows up next to Settings while you are there, here is what the bell symbol on a Fire TV Stick means.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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