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Yes—certain Samsung Family Hub refrigerators sold in the United States can now display advertisements on their Cover Screen after a software update. The change does not affect every Samsung refrigerator, and Samsung says the ads are limited to selected Family Hub Cover Screen configurations. Owners can disable them through Settings → Advertisements → Cover screen Ads.
What changed?
Samsung added advertising to the Cover Screen of certain Family Hub refrigerators through a software update. The Cover Screen is the refrigerator’s idle or home display—the screen visible when you are not actively using recipes, shopping lists, weather, calendars, SmartThings controls, food-management tools, or other Family Hub functions.
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Samsung described the change as a pilot involving Cover Screen widgets that combine information such as news, weather, and calendar content with curated advertising. The company has not said that advertisements appear throughout every Family Hub app or on the refrigerator’s main controls. Samsung’s 2025 announcement describes the feature as applying to “select” Cover Screens.
Which Samsung refrigerators are affected?
The evidence currently supports a narrower conclusion than “all Samsung refrigerators now show ads.” The affected products are Samsung refrigerators with Family Hub displays in the United States, and eligibility can depend on the model, software version, Cover Screen configuration, or theme.
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Samsung has not published a complete public model-by-model list in the cited support documentation. Contemporary reporting connected the rollout to some 2024 Family Hub refrigerators with integrated 21.5-inch or 32-inch displays, but that should not be treated as proof that every model with either screen size receives advertising. Samsung product materials document both screen sizes across its Family Hub range: an older 21.5-inch Family Hub model and newer refrigerators with 32-inch displays.
Owners of Samsung refrigerators without a Family Hub display should not assume that they are part of this program. Availability may also differ outside the U.S.; the cited Samsung announcement and support instructions are U.S.-specific.
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Samsung’s current support instructions provide an in-device control:
- Open Settings on the refrigerator’s Family Hub screen.
- Tap Advertisements.
- Tap Cover screen Ads.
- Turn the switch off.
You can also dismiss an individual advertisement by tapping its X button. That dismisses the visible ad, but turning off the Cover screen setting is the more complete documented option. See Samsung’s support instructions for the current menu path.
If “Advertisements” is missing
Samsung says the setting may not appear until the refrigerator has installed the relevant software update. Check for and install any available update, then return to the settings menu.
Menu names can vary by model. Depending on the refrigerator, display customization may appear under Screen and Style or Wallpaper and Style.
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Samsung says the Album and Art Cover Screen styles do not display ads. These themes are a useful alternative if the advertising switch is unavailable, if the owner prefers a photo or artwork display, or if ads continue appearing on another Cover Screen style.
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This setting concerns Cover Screen advertising only. It should not be understood as a guarantee that no promotional material can ever appear inside individual Family Hub apps.
Are the ads personalized?
Samsung describes the advertisements as contextual and non-personal in a footnote to its 2025 Family Hub announcement. That means Samsung is not presenting the program as individually targeted advertising based on a household member’s personal profile.
“Non-personal” does not necessarily mean that no information is processed. The relevant details depend on Samsung’s applicable Privacy Notice and Terms of Service, including what they permit for connected devices, accounts, location, usage, and SmartThings services. There is not enough evidence here to claim that Samsung collects no household, account, device, or usage data, nor to call the ads targeted.
When did the ads arrive?
The advertising change and Samsung’s later artificial-intelligence update are separate developments:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| September–October 2025 | Samsung began testing and formalizing the Cover Screen advertising program through an over-the-network software update. |
| May 11, 2026 | Samsung began rolling out a separate major update for select U.S. Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerators with 32-inch screens. |
The 2026 update added or expanded features including AI Vision food recognition built with Google Gemini, Now Brief widgets, and improved Bixby functions. Samsung said availability would continue through 2026 for select models. Its announcement does not identify that AI update as the event that introduced the ads. Owners may encounter both changes because both are delivered through Family Hub software, but they should not be conflated. Read Samsung’s 2026 update announcement.
What happens if you disconnect Wi-Fi?
Disconnecting the refrigerator from the internet may prevent some network-delivered content, but it is not Samsung’s documented solution and its effect can vary by model. It can also disable or reduce important connected features, including:
- Remote monitoring and controls through SmartThings
- Cloud-connected food-management features
- Software and security updates
- Online recipes, media, calendars, and other network services
- Some Bixby and AI functions
Use the Cover Screen Ads setting first. Do not modify firmware, block Samsung domains, or rely on unofficial workarounds unless you have model-specific evidence and understand the risks. If the setting is absent or ads return, note the refrigerator’s model and software version and contact Samsung support.
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Why did Samsung add advertising?
Samsung’s public explanation frames the feature as part of making its connected appliances more useful by combining information widgets with curated advertising. The company already treats the Family Hub display as a software platform, not merely a control panel.
From a business perspective, an idle screen on a network-connected appliance creates a promotional surface similar to those found on televisions, phones, and streaming devices. The consumer objection is different, however, because a Family Hub refrigerator is a costly appliance that may receive substantial interface changes years after purchase. That makes software policy part of the ownership decision, not just a minor display preference.
What this means for current owners
If you already own an affected refrigerator and do not want ads, the practical sequence is:
- Install the latest available refrigerator software update.
- Open Settings → Advertisements → Cover screen Ads and switch the feature off.
- If necessary, select the Album or Art Cover Screen style.
- If the control is missing or ineffective, record the model and software version and contact Samsung.
Your refrigerator should remain functional when Cover Screen advertising is disabled. The documented control is aimed at the Cover Screen; it does not necessarily remove promotions that might appear within separate applications.
Should you buy a Family Hub refrigerator?
A Family Hub model makes the most sense for a household that will genuinely use its large touchscreen, integrated cameras, food-management tools, SmartThings controls, recipes, media, and voice features. Current examples include Samsung’s 32-inch Bespoke AI 4-Door Family Hub refrigerator and 3-Door Family Hub models. Prices and availability change, so current product-page figures should not be treated as permanent.
It is a poorer fit if you dislike promotional content on paid hardware, do not want a Samsung account or Wi-Fi dependency, or would rarely use a refrigerator screen. A conventional refrigerator avoids those concerns. A separate tablet or smart display offers replaceable hardware and more control over apps, although it will not reproduce the refrigerator’s integrated cameras and controls.
Do not assume that a Samsung model using a different display tier, such as AI Home, is automatically ad-free. It is a different hardware and software configuration, but Samsung should confirm advertising behavior for the exact model in writing.
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