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Roku OS’s home screen now features a large, permanent ad

Roku OS’s home screen now features a large, permanent ad
Ars Technica Wednesday 27 May 2026, 19:12 UTC By Scharon Harding 1 min read
Key Points

Roku has introduced a significant update to its smart TV operating system, featuring a large, permanent advertisement space on the right side of the home screen. This new ad placement remains visible as users navigate the menu, reducing the space previously available for displaying apps and content.

Roku just unveiled the biggest overhaul to its smart TV operating system (OS) in 10 years. The most noticeable difference is a new ad space that takes up a large chunk of the screen’s right side.

Before the update, loading up a Roku OS-powered smart TV or streaming device would yield a menu on the left side with sections including “What to Watch,” “Live,” and “Search.” The right side had a row of tiles for “Recommended” content above several rows of tiles representing downloaded apps.

The old Roku home screen. Credit: Roku

The right side of the new Roku OS home screen is dedicated to ads. The ad remains visible as you navigate different parts of the Roku menu, taking away space that could be used for displaying apps and content.

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