December 4, 2025, 9:22 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Numerous Echo Show owners have been frustrated for some time by unremovable ads on their devices. Ads suddenly appear between calendar, time, and family photos, sometimes in full-screen format. Amazon seems to be testing how far users will tolerate these measures. Now, the ads are even reaching pure Echo audio models.
Alexa is Amazon’s intelligent voice assistant, primarily used on Echo models. In addition to the various Echo Shows with displays, there are also Echos that function solely as speakers. However, users have increasingly complained recently that Alexa has noticeably deteriorated. It sometimes no longer understands requests or responds incorrectly. Another point currently causing discontent is advertising on and through Echo devices. We asked Amazon what this is all about.
Overview
Ads not permanently removable
Amazon is increasingly showing ads on its Echo Show devices–even in the middle of personal photo slideshows. Users report that the ads appear not only as tiles but even in full-screen. Many are particularly annoyed because the content cannot be disabled. Even paying subscribers or owners of the expensive devices–the top model costs around 400 euros–have no option to turn off the ads.
Amazon itself confirms the display of sponsored content on its help page. It states: “The Echo Show displays recommendations for new movies, series, products, and more. This ad is marked ‘Sponsored’ at the bottom of the screen. You cannot turn off these ads, but you can skip an ad by swiping from right to left across the screen.”
The ad content ranges from product recommendations to Prime offers and can only be skipped. Permanent deactivation is not possible. Amazon justifies this by stating that it is only a “small part of the user experience” that helps discover new products.
Audio ads also reach speaker models
Ads no longer affect only the Echo Show with a display. Users of classic Echo speakers also report that Alexa suddenly plays ads in the middle of regular responses–such as when displaying the time. Many are puzzled on social networks and forums like Reddit, especially since some ads also appear on devices with a Prime subscription.
A specific example is provided by a Reddit user: In response to a question about the time, Alexa not only gives the time but also immediately follows with the message “it’s time for daily … from Nutrafol.” Many affected see this as an attempt to permanently integrate ads into voice responses. However, Amazon explained to TECHBOOK that this was a mistake. “A small number of customers received an unintended response from Alexa,” a spokesperson said. The issue has since been resolved.
Amazon earns almost nothing from selling its own hardware. Prices are sometimes even below production costs. Instead, Amazon makes money through other sources, such as subscriptions like Amazon Music, referrals to the online store, third-party skills–or various advertising systems. It’s no surprise that Amazon occasionally tests new distribution methods.
However, overly intrusive ad placements can come at the expense of the user experience. Competing products like Google Nest Hub or Apple HomePod have so far refrained from comparable advertising forms.
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Users try to help themselves
Some users in Germany try to bypass the ads by changing the device language to English (UK). While the content then appears in English, the ad placements are noticeably reduced.
Others disable individual recommendations in their Echo Show settings, such as under the “Home Content” menu. However, even then, the ad tiles do not completely disappear. A “ad-free” option like on Kindle devices is not yet available.
Read also: These voice commands for Amazon Alexa are worth trying
Even Alexa+ likely won’t remain ad-free
Amazon’s increased ad display on its devices is not new. Ads have been appearing on the Fire TV Stick for some time. There are also ads on the Kindle and Fire tablets, although Amazon does offer ad-free options here. Even for the AI-supported version Alexa+, advertising is being discussed, which could be directly integrated into ongoing conversations, TECHBOOK reported.
According to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, “multi-step conversations” are particularly intended to be used to naturally integrate product hints–not as a separate spot, but as a casual sentence during the dialogue. The goal is to support users in “discovering new products” while simultaneously increasing ad revenue. Sound familiar? Indeed, this type of advertising is already appearing in the free Alexa, as mentioned.
With the expansion to Alexa+, Amazon would go beyond the previous display or audio advertising and further develop Alexa into an active advertising partner. However, the introduction of such conversational advertising depends on the success and spread of Alexa+–and it raises questions about data protection, potential misinformation by AI, and clear labeling of ad content.