Samsung Family Hub refrigerators in the United States began receiving software updates that put curated ads on certain idle Cover Screens. If ads appear on your fridge, Samsung’s current guidance is to dismiss an individual ad, switch off Cover Screen Ads in Settings, or use an Album or Art screen theme. The change does not apply to every Samsung refrigerator, and the exact models in the original pilot were not identified.
Why is my Samsung refrigerator displaying ads?
Samsung introduced ads as a software feature on certain U.S. Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screens—the display shown when the screen is idle. In September 2025, the company described the rollout as a pilot delivered through an over-the-network update. In October 2025, Ars Technica reported that a software update was bringing ads to 2024 Family Hub refrigerators, alongside a widget with information such as news, calendar items and weather forecasts.
The rollout description changed from a pilot to an official feature, but that does not establish that every Family Hub refrigerator—or every Samsung appliance with a screen—shows ads. Samsung did not disclose the full list of models included in the original pilot, and later reporting about 2024 models does not provide a complete eligibility list. See Ars Technica’s September 2025 report and its October 2025 update.
How to turn off or avoid ads on a Family Hub fridge
Samsung’s U.S. support page documents three controls. Menu wording and availability can vary by model or software version.
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- Turn off ads: On the refrigerator display, open Settings > Advertisements and switch off Cover Screen Ads.
- Change the idle-screen theme: Choose an Album or Art theme; Samsung says these themes do not display ads.
- Dismiss one ad: Close the individual ad on the Cover Screen. This dismisses that ad, not necessarily all advertising.
If the Cover Screen Ads control is missing, Samsung advises checking for a software update. Its step-by-step instructions are on the Samsung Family Hub ads support page.
What each option changes
| Option | Ad exposure | Screen experience | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turn off Cover Screen Ads | Disables the ads setting when available. | Leaves other screen features available as configured; Samsung does not list every model-specific effect. | Change one setting. |
| Use Album or Art | Samsung says these themes do not show ads. | Changes what the idle screen displays. | Select a different theme. |
| Dismiss an individual ad | Removes that ad; pilot reporting described dismissal for the campaign period. | Does not by itself change the overall screen theme or disable future ads. | Close the ad when it appears. |
Samsung’s support guidance offers in-device controls; the cited sources do not establish what functions would be lost by disconnecting a refrigerator from the internet, so going offline is not a well-supported routine fix.
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What the $1,800+ price references mean
The headline price context comes from dated U.S. list-price ranges, not current offers or what an owner would necessarily pay. Ars Technica cited Samsung-listed Family Hub refrigerator ranges of $1,800–$3,500 on September 18, 2025, then $1,899–$3,499 on October 28, 2025. Those figures explain why the rollout attracted attention, but they should not be read as present-day transaction prices.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Samsung said about data in the pilot
Fortune reported on September 19, 2025, that Samsung said the first phase of the pilot would not collect data about consumer ad interactions. That statement is limited to the first phase described at that time; it is not a general guarantee about Samsung’s data practices or later versions of the feature. Read Fortune’s report on the pilot.
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