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How to clean up a Samsung, LG, Roku or VIZIO TV

CleanYourTV and other debloaters only work on Android-based TVs. On Samsung, LG, Roku and VIZIO you can’t replace the home screen, but a few settings cut tracking and ads a lot.

By BiHai Song

Short answer

Turn off automatic content recognition (ACR) and ad personalization. Samsung: Settings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Terms & Privacy, then turn off Viewing Information Services and Interest-Based Ads. LG: Settings > All Settings > General > System > Additional Settings, turn off Home Promotion and Content Recommendation, and in User Agreements decline Viewing Information and Live Plus. Roku: Settings > Privacy > Smart TV experience, turn off Use info from TV inputs. VIZIO: Admin & Privacy > Viewing Data off.

What ACR is and why to turn it off

Automatic content recognition identifies what is on screen, including from HDMI devices, and reports it for ad targeting. Turning it off doesn’t change picture quality or stop apps from working.

Samsung (Tizen)

  1. Open privacy settingsSettings > All Settings > General & Privacy > Terms & Privacy (older models: Support > Terms & Policy).
  2. Turn off Viewing Information ServicesThis is Samsung’s ACR.
  3. Turn off Interest-Based AdvertisementAlso consider resetting the advertising ID.

LG (webOS)

  1. Turn off home promotionsSettings > All Settings > General > System > Additional Settings > Home Settings: turn off Home Promotion and Content Recommendation.
  2. Review user agreementsSettings > All Settings > General > System > User Agreements: decline Viewing Information and Voice Information if you don’t need them.
  3. Turn off Live PlusSettings > All Settings > General > System > Additional Settings > Live Plus (on models that have it).

Roku

  1. Turn off TV input tracking (Roku TVs)Settings > Privacy > Smart TV experience: turn off Use info from TV inputs.
  2. Limit ad trackingSettings > Privacy > Advertising: switch on Limit ad tracking (named differently on newer software).

VIZIO

Menu > Admin & Privacy > Viewing Data: Off.

Control these TVs from your iPhone

If the remote is out of reach while you’re changing settings, TVRemoteX controls Samsung, LG, Roku and VIZIO TVs over Wi-Fi.

Questions people ask

Can I install a different home screen on a Samsung or LG TV?

Not in normal use. Developer modes can run some apps at startup, but they don’t replace the stock home screen and LG’s Developer Mode expires.

Will turning off ACR break anything?

No. Some personalized recommendations disappear; apps and picture settings are unaffected.

Official sources

Related guides

Written and checked by BiHai Song, developer of TVHomeX and TVRemoteX