You can turn off unwanted home-screen suggestions on an Echo Show, but Amazon says sponsored ads cannot be disabled entirely. Turn off the categories you don’t want under Display & Appearance > Home Content Categories; for ads, you can change personalization, skip an ad, or hide a specific one temporarily.
First, tell sponsored ads apart from suggestions
Look for the Sponsored label. Amazon says those ads can’t be turned off, although you can swipe from right to left to skip one. Other home-screen content—such as Amazon Recommendations or Your Frequent Orders—is controlled through category settings instead. Amazon’s ad guidance and its home-screen customization instructions explain these separate controls.
Turn off unwanted home-screen categories
- Open Settings on the Echo Show. You can say, “Go to Settings.” With Alexa+, tap Menu, then Settings; with original Alexa, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Settings.
- Tap Display & Appearance, then Home Content Categories.
- Switch off the categories you don’t want, such as Amazon Recommendations, Your Frequent Orders, or Explore Local Places.
The available categories can vary by device and software. Amazon also says when and how often content appears depends on what you open and engage with on the home screen.
Change personalized-ad settings
If you want Amazon ads to be less tailored to your interests, turn off the interest-based ads preference. This changes personalization; it does not remove every ad. Amazon says non-interest-based Amazon ads may still appear.
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In the Alexa app
- Open More > Alexa Privacy > Manage Your Alexa Data.
- Manage the preference Receive interest-based ads delivered by Amazon on Alexa.
On the Echo Show
- Open Settings, then choose Alexa Privacy or Privacy and Permissions.
- Tap Manage Your Alexa Data and manage the same interest-based ads preference.
Amazon notes that settings-menu wording can vary, including on Echo Show 5 models. If a label differs, look for the equivalent privacy or data-management option. See Amazon’s instructions for managing ads and suggested content.
Skip or temporarily hide a sponsored ad
- Skip it: Swipe from right to left on the screen.
- Hide that ad for 30 days: Tap the information control in the bottom-right corner and choose an available option. Amazon says reporting an ad as offensive or inappropriate hides it for 30 days and initiates an investigation.
Hiding an ad is temporary; Amazon does not describe it as permanently blocking an advertiser or ad category. The 30-day period is Amazon’s stated product behavior, not a guarantee that similar ads will never appear.
#1 Best Overall
- Alexa can show you more - Echo Show 5 includes a 5.5” display so you can see news and weather at a glance, make video calls, view compatible cameras, stream music and shows, and more.
- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
Reduce changes caused by Adaptive Content
Adaptive Content changes the screen layout based on how far you are from the device. It is a layout setting, not an ad-removal control. To change it, open Settings > Display & Appearance. Depending on the model, select Home Screen Layout > Manual View, or turn off Adaptive Content and choose a default Full-Screen or Widget View. Amazon says Adaptive Content is on by default and is unsupported when the camera is disabled or shuttered, or when the microphones-and-camera control is pressed. See Amazon’s Adaptive Content instructions.
Why the menus may look different
Amazon’s US help pages list Echo Show models from the first and second generations through Echo Show 21, including the 2025 Echo Show 11. The exact settings and category options can differ by model and software version; Amazon specifically cautions that menu items may vary on Echo Show 5 models. If a path above does not match your screen, check for the same control under Display & Appearance or Alexa Privacy.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- New size, more viewing area: The 11“ smart display features a vibrant Full-HD touchscreen with 60% more viewing area versus Echo Show 8 (2025 release), built-in smart home hub, AZ3 Pro chip for powerful performance, and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Content looks and sounds incredible: Watch shows on Prime Video, Netflix, and more on the vibrant Full-HD 11" screen and enjoy room-filling spatial audio, crisper vocals, wider sound stage, and up to 2x bass versus Echo Show 8 (2023 release). With Alexa+, find the name of that song you love and discover new shows based on your preferences.
- Your everyday assistant: The 11" display makes it easy to see recipes and calendars at a glance, find meal inspo, and manage your shopping lists. With Alexa+, find recipes based on foods you love, make reservations, order groceries, and more.
- Simple Smart Home control: Pair and control thousands of devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. Easily view your camera feeds. Manage lights, thermostats, and more using the display or your voice. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature, presence, or visual ID detection.
- Crystal-clear video calls: Video calls feel natural on the vibrant 11" screen with a centered, auto-framing camera, 3.3x zoom, and noise reduction technology. Use live view to check in on your family, pets, and more while you're away.
Rank #4
- OUR LARGEST SMART DISPLAY YET - A stunning 21" Full-HD (1080p) smart display with built-in Fire TV and Alexa that's perfect for your kitchen and built to show you more. Use customizable widgets to keep your day on track, experience your favorite content with powerful vibrant sound and immersive HD streaming, and stay connected with crisp, clear video calling, with 3.3x zoom and wide field of view.
- GO BIG ON PERSONALIZATION - The large 21" display is perfect for turning your home screen into your family's organization hub. So you can keep your top widgets, like calendars, shopping lists, weather, and more in view.
- ALL YOUR FAVORITES, ALL RIGHT HERE - Built-in Fire TV unlocks endless entertainment, so you can enjoy your favorite content from thousands of apps like Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, and more (subscription may be required). Fire TV remote included. Plus, now you can quickly add a device to play music with Active Media - start playing a song in the kitchen, then add the living room and bedroom on the fly.
- SMART HOME CENTRAL - Control smart devices with your voice or a few taps using the smart home dashboard. Easily turn on all your living room lights at once or check live camera feeds to see what's happening around your home.
- YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES ON DISPLAY - Brighten your space (and your day) by turning your home screen into a photo slideshow that displays your favorite memories. Auto curate your images and show off your favorite family memories.
Rank #3
- Alexa can show you more - Echo Show 5 includes a 5.5” display so you can see news and weather at a glance, make video calls, view compatible cameras, stream music and shows, and more.
- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
Rank #2
- MEET ECHO SHOW 15 - A stunning 15.6" Full-HD (1080p) smart display that's perfect for your kitchen and ready to show you more. Use customizable widgets to keep your day on track, watch your favorite shows with Fire TV and powerful vibrant sound, and enjoy natural video calling, with 3.3x zoom and wide field of view.
- FAMILY ORGANIZATION HUB - See your top widgets at a glance, like your family’s calendars and to-do lists, local weather, smart home, and more.
- ALL YOUR FAVORITES, ALL RIGHT HERE - Built-in Fire TV unlocks endless entertainment, so you can enjoy your favorite content from thousands of apps like Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, and more (subscription may be required). Fire TV remote included. Plus, now you can quickly add a device to play music with Active Media - start playing a song in the kitchen, then add the living room and bedroom on the fly.
- SMART HOME CENTRAL - Control smart devices with your voice or a few taps using the smart home dashboard. Easily turn on all your living room lights at once or check live camera feeds to see what's happening around your home.
- YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES ON DISPLAY - Brighten your space (and your day) by turning your home screen into a photo slideshow that displays your favorite memories. Auto curate your images and show off your favorite family memories.
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