Following the push into startup ads a couple of months ago, some Roku users are now seeing ads on their pause screens. It seems the company is moving beyond the home screen. Now it wants you to watch ads even when you hit pause.
Reports started rolling in on Reddit this week. User frobnitz posted that their Streambar Pro showed static ads when they paused playback. “Starting 2 days ago, my Streambar Pro has started to show static ads when the playback is paused. It doesn’t happen every time, but we’ve seen it about half a dozen times,” they wrote on r/Roku. They even saw the ads in Discovery+ where they pay for an ad-free plan.
Others chimed in with their own experiences. phunkyboss said they had never seen pause ads before even after a decade on Roku. “I’ve used Roku for 10 plus years and I’ve never seen that before,” they said. Then they added that they stopped investing in Roku and plan to seek alternatives at their next upgrade.
Some users pointed out that pause ads are not new in the content apps themselves. derkasaurus noted that Discovery, Hulu, Peacock, Netflix, and Amazon Prime all run pause ads controlled by each service’s own app. “The content publisher apps control those — not Roku,” they explained. But this rollout appears to be Roku’s own feature.
I also found a recent post on Roku’s own community forums describing the same issue. User BadBiz stated, “The most recent update on my Roku Ultra has introduced Ads to the pause screens for all apps, shows, movies, whatever.”
I then did some digging and found out that the Roku Pause Ads page was cached in Internet Archive in January this year. The page promises that pause ads “encourage streamers to learn more” and “present your brand organically without disrupting the viewing experience.” It also claims an 8 percent lift in consideration for brands that run these ads.
The technical side of pause ads was explored by Ars Technica back in April 2024. A patent describes a system to detect paused content on any HDMI input and overlay an ad on top. It uses frame analysis, audio silence detection, or even pause signals from remotes to know when you hit pause. The idea is to monetize every moment your TV is on, even when you switch to a game console or DVD player.
Many users see this as intrusion. Senor_Gringo_Starr said plainly on Reddit that Roku is not a streaming company but an ad company. “They copied Google’s playbook and instead of applying it to internet search, they’re applying their business model to streaming. They will put an ad on everything,” they wrote.
Roku has not formally commented on the pause ads reports. On its earnings call CEO Anthony Wood said the company wants to balance more revenue with keeping customers happy. But with static ads popping up on pause screens, viewers may feel they’re watching ads too often.
For now the feature seems to be rolling out quietly. Some users say a PiHole or blocklists do not stop the ads. Others hope Roku will offer a setting to disable pause ads as it does for its home screen experience. But unless Roku changes course, pausing your show may no longer be a break from commercials. With this, Roku has joined YouTube, amongst others, who now have Pause Ads.
Dwayne Cubbins
925 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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