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ThisishT's avatar
ThisishT
Roku Guru
14 days ago

Roku Injected Sponsored Wallpapers

On October 21, Roku injected a "NBC Peacock TIP-OFF 2025" Sponsored Wallpaper to my Home Screen. On October 22, it followed with its own "Howdy Halloween" wallpaper. While I don't necessarily object—since there is a way to remove or hide these wallpapers—this confirms that Roku, when it chooses to, can and will modify my device's Home Screen at will.  

This behavior isn't isolated. Across forums and support threads, Roku users have expressed genuine concern about these injected wallpapers—describing them as intrusive, disruptive, and even triggering accessibility issues due to brightness. Some have gone further, phasing out Roku devices entirely in favor of platforms that prioritize user control. The sentiment is clear: Roku treats the Home Screen as a billboard, while users expect it to be a playback hub.

Yet Roku continues not to offer a way to lock the "Continue Watching" list in the top row position of the What to Watch section. If Roku can inject ads, why can't they inject user control? Roku prioritizes what pays, not what plays. This isn't a technical limitation. It's a prioritization choice.

I understand that these Sponsored Wallpapers are a form of Roku-generated revenue. But that only reinforces my question: Why does Roku continue to choose not to offer a way to lock the "Continue Watching" list in the top row position of the Wath to Watch section?

Roku has already proven its ability to modify devices by injecting Sponsored Wallpapers. So why not use that same system-level capability to support playback continuity?  How can locking "Continue Watching" in place be less of a technical challenge than injecting full-screen ads?

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2 Replies

  • AvsGunnar's avatar
    AvsGunnar
    Community Streaming Expert
    14 days ago

    ThisishT​ 

    I believe you have answered your own question.

    Your forgivable mistake was assuming that it was your Home Screen, not Roku's.

    • ThisishT's avatar
      ThisishT
      Roku Guru
      14 days ago

      I appreciate the reply, but my post wasn't just about ownership—it was about prioritization and playback continuity. My post was documenting Roku's system-level behavior and questioning its design priorities. I also referenced other users who've raised similar concerns about injected Sponsored Wallpapers and UI control. This isn't an isolated frustration—it's a pattern. Roku has the technical ability to inject full-screen ads across devices. So why not use that same capability to support playback logic and user preference?   

      If my "forgivable mistake" was assuming the Home Screen was mine, then Roku's unforgivable choice is ignoring playback continuity. Ownership isn't the issue—prioritization is. Roku can inject ads across millions of devices, but still won't let users pin a playback row that already exists. If Roku owns the Home Screen, then it also owns the responsibility for playback continuity. Ownership doesn't excuse the absence of user-centric logic.