So your TV knows what you’re watching. Not just what you’re watching, but when, how often, and whether you changed the channel during the second ad break. It’s called ACR—Automatic Content Recognition, and it’s built into most modern smart TVs.
This background tracking tool watches your screen in real time, logs your activity, and ships it off to advertisers. It’s creepy. It’s profitable. And fortunately, you can turn it off—if you know where to look.
Below is a step-by-step guide for disabling ACR and limiting tracking on most major smart TV brands.
Related: Smart TVs Are Getting Stupid Smart
Samsung TVs
- Press the Home button.
- Go to the sidebar menu on the left.
- Choose Privacy Choices.
- Select Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy.
- Uncheck the box for Viewing Information Services.
- Hit OK to confirm.
LG TVs
- Press Home, then the Settings button.
- Navigate to General > System > Additional Settings.
- Turn off Live Plus.
For more control:
- Go to Advertisement and turn on Limit Ad Tracking.
- Under Home Settings, disable Home Promotion and Content Recommendation.
Sony TVs
- Press Home, then go to Settings.
- Choose Initial Setup > Samba Interactive TV > Disable.
More ways to limit tracking:
- Go to Settings > About > Ads > Turn off Ads Personalization.
- To fully kill Samba:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Samba Services Manager
- Tap Clear Cache, Force Stop, then Disable
If your Sony TV uses Android:
- Open the Google Home app on your phone.
- Find your TV, tap the three dots > Settings.
- Turn off Send Chromecast device usage data and crash reports.
Hisense TVs
- Press Home, go to Settings > System > Privacy.
- Toggle off Smart TV Experience or Viewing Information Services.
Then:
- Disable Ad Tracking or Interest-Based Ads.
- Look for and turn off Personalized Content Recommendations.
TCL / Roku TVs
- Hit Home, then go to Settings > Privacy.
- Select Smart TV Experience.
- Uncheck or toggle off Use Info from TV Inputs.
Extra steps:
- Go to Privacy > Advertising
- Turn on Limit ad tracking
- Uncheck Personalized ads
- Check the Microphone settings and adjust channel permissions
Reminder: Check After Updates
Manufacturers love resetting privacy settings during firmware updates. Revisit these toggles every few months to ensure your preferences haven’t been quietly reversed.
Check Out: Smart TV All-in One Remotes
Should You Even Use a Smart TV?
Smart TVs are convenient, but their built-in tracking is anything but. Take 5 minutes to lock down your settings—your watchlist should be your business, not your TV’s.
