In March 2025, Roku tested video advertisements that appeared and started playing before the Roku home screen loaded. Roku described the activity as an experiment, and later clarified that the ads had a close button. That means the test was auto-playing and intrusive, but the available reporting does not support calling it an unskippable, universal Roku policy.
As of August 18, 2026, Roku’s public documentation still does not establish that the experiment became a permanent feature for every Roku TV or streaming player. Existing settings can address some in-app autoplay and non-video banner ads, but Roku does not document a switch specifically disabling pre-home-screen video advertising.
What users saw at startup
The reported sequence was different from an advertisement inside Netflix, YouTube, The Roku Channel, or another streaming app:
- The Roku device or Roku TV was powered on.
- A video advertisement appeared before the normal Roku home screen.
- The ad began playing automatically, without the user pressing play.
- After the ad was closed or finished, the Roku interface became available.
Users reported the behavior on Roku-powered televisions and streaming players. The March 18, 2025 report, updated March 19, described it as a Roku test: Thurrott’s report and Roku clarification.
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Roku subsequently said the tested startup ads included a close button. Three terms matter:
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- Auto-playing: the video started without a play command.
- Skippable: the viewer could dismiss it with the close control.
- Mandatory viewing: the viewer would have to watch the entire ad before reaching the interface.
The first two descriptions fit the reported test. The third is not supported. Calling the March 2025 ads “unskippable” or saying Roku forced every owner to watch them overstates the evidence.
Was this a permanent Roku rollout?
No universal rollout has been established. Public reporting confirmed user sightings and Roku’s characterization of the activity as a product and advertising experiment, but it did not disclose:
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- the percentage of users included;
- which models, manufacturers, countries, or Roku OS versions were involved;
- whether assignment was randomized;
- the test duration or participating advertisers; or
- whether Roku adopted or abandoned the format.
What Roku’s settings can—and cannot—turn off
For supported in-app autoplay
On compatible devices, Roku documents this path:
- Open Settings.
- Select Accessibility.
- Choose Auto-play video.
- Set it to Off.
Roku says this support begins with Roku OS 12.5.5 and applies to certain in-app autoplay experiences. Apps that launch directly into full-screen playback and require explicit customer interaction may be exempt. See the Roku autoplay documentation. This control is not documented as a way to disable the pre-home-screen startup-ad test.
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Roku’s ad-preference controls are at Home → Settings → Privacy → Advertising. The Sensitive ad content option can limit sensitive categories. To hide an individual Home Screen ad, select it, press the Star button, and choose Hide this ad.
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- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
Roku explicitly limits these controls to non-video banner ads in Roku menus and screensavers. They should therefore not be presented as a guaranteed startup-video blocker. Instructions are in Roku’s ad-preference support article.
Why Roku has an incentive to add inventory
Roku’s hardware helps grow the number of streaming households, while its Platform business monetizes that installed base through advertising, interface placements, and distribution arrangements. Roku reported $4.145 billion in Platform revenue in 2025 and $592.4 million in Devices revenue; Platform revenue rose 18% year over year. Its filing says advertising benefited from improved video-ad monetization and identifies Home Screen innovation as a monetization opportunity. (2025 Form 10-K; Q4/FY 2025 shareholder letter.)
That business model explains why a startup placement could be attractive to Roku, but it does not prove that the company tested it solely because hardware margins were inadequate. Roku’s later results show the same direction: advertising revenue grew 27% year over year to $613 million in its Q1 2026 shareholder letter (SEC filing).
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- Seamless streaming for any room: With Roku Streaming Stick 4K, watch your favorite entertainment on any TV in the house, even in rooms farther from your router thanks to the long-range Wi-Fi receiver.
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- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, so you can switch from streaming to gaming with ease. Plus, it’s designed to stay hidden behind your TV, keeping wires neatly out of sight
Why the test triggered backlash
The complaint was about timing and control, not merely the existence of advertising. A video taking over the first seconds after power-on can:
- replace the expected home screen with a commercial;
- make the owner feel that a purchased device is recurring ad inventory;
- raise concerns about unsuitable creative appearing when children are present; and
- normalize a more aggressive placement if experiments become standard behavior.
Descriptions such as “intrusive” or “enshittification” are user and publication opinions, not measurements of every owner’s experience.
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How Roku’s ads fit into the wider platform
The startup test would have expanded an ecosystem that already includes:
- native advertisements on the Roku Home Screen;
- screensaver promotions;
- video ads in ad-supported programming, including The Roku Channel; and
- inventory associated with streaming-service distribution agreements.
Roku’s Form 10-K describes these categories, but not every ad on a Roku device is inserted by Roku into a third-party service. Apps, channels, content partners, and distribution arrangements can supply their own advertising.
What to do if you keep your Roku
- Turn off Settings → Accessibility → Auto-play video if your device offers it.
- Review Settings → Privacy → Advertising and apply sensitive-content restrictions where useful.
- Hide individual Home Screen banners with Star → Hide this ad when that option appears.
- Restart the device and note exactly what appears before the Home Screen.
- Record the model, Roku OS version, country, date, and whether the ad has a close button.
- Contact Roku support if the behavior is persistent, inappropriate, or lacks the close control Roku described.
These steps may reduce ordinary autoplay or banner exposure, but no reviewed Roku source promises that they disable the tested startup-video format.
Should you switch platforms?
Choose based on the whole interface rather than assuming another brand is ad-free. Amazon Fire TV also uses prominent promotions; Google TV, Samsung Tizen, and LG webOS can include sponsored or recommended content depending on model, region, and software. Apple TV is generally positioned as a more paid-hardware-centered, less ad-saturated option, but it is not a promise of a completely advertising-free television ecosystem.
| Priority | Practical direction |
|---|---|
| Lowest upfront cost and a simple interface | Roku remains attractive if interface advertising is acceptable. |
| Premium hardware and a less ad-centered experience | Consider Apple TV 4K, while checking its cost and ecosystem fit. |
| Alexa or Amazon-service integration | Fire TV may fit, but it is not an ad-free escape. |
| Android and Google Assistant integration | Google TV may fit, with promoted content varying by device. |
| Replacing the entire television | Compare picture quality, updates, privacy controls, and the built-in platform together. |
For a Roku TV owner, an external streamer may not remove manufacturer-level promotions unless the television is configured to start on the external HDMI input. No factory-reset procedure is documented as a reliable way to remove startup advertising.
Quick Recap
The verdict
Roku did test auto-playing video ads before the home screen in March 2025. Roku said the tested ads were skippable, and the available public documentation does not establish a permanent, universal rollout by August 18, 2026. The documented controls cover certain in-app autoplay and non-video banner ads, not a confirmed switch for that startup format. Test your settings, document what your specific device does, and switch only if the platform’s advertising model conflicts with your priorities.
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