Nvidia Shield TV users are angry about ads, but can you get around them?

(Image credit: Nvidia)

The Nvidia Shield TV streaming boxes are some of the best out there, but that could be starting to change thanks to a new Android TV update. Shield users are apparently seeing more ads on their home screen, some of which will autoplay video and audio without any way to skip them.

Following a recent update to Nvidia Shield's OS that has been rolling out, users are noting an annoying increase in the presence of adverts on the streamer's home screen. Without much warning, a video preview of a show (on a service you don't own) will start playing and fill your TV screen with trailer footage.

While previews like this are nothing new on streaming services, they typically appear as more tailored recommendations for the services you already own, and can be easily skipped. These more invasive adverts have already irked plenty of users, but is there anything you can do to make using your Nvidia Shield less ad-filled?

Can I disable the Android TV ads on Nvidia Shield?

Unfortunately, it looks like there doesn't seem to be a way to permanently disable adverts on Android TV and we doubt Google will add an option to do this anytime soon (at least not without a cost). If you know what to do, though, you can avoid some trouble.

Some users have found that by going into the Settings of their Nvidia Shield, they can turn off toggles for audio and video previews – meaning that the adverts return to more traditional banner images.

Others have found that the ads only play when scrolling past them on the home screen. By trying to avoid the home screen, and quickly navigating to the app you want, you shouldn't be bothered too much and can get back to enjoying your favorite shows – though it's an irritating thing to have to navigate.

We'll have to wait and see how Google and Nvidia respond to the criticism, but don't hold your breath for some major fix. However, if there any changes we'll be sure to keep you up to date.

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Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.