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RokuMaryEF's avatar
RokuMaryEF
Community Moderator
10 months ago
Solved

[Solved] Update on Backdrops Channel Removal Issue

Hi Community users,

We've received reports from some users who are unable to remove the Backdrops channel from their Home Screen. 

Update (09/17): The issue should now be resolved.

Update (09/12): We're still actively looking into this problem. We'll provide an update as soon as we have more information.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work to resolve this inconvenience.


Best regards,
The Roku Community Team

Fixed
  • RokuMaryEF's avatar
    RokuMaryEF
    10 months ago

    Hi Community,

    Thanks for reporting the issue with the Backdrops channel reappearing after attempting to remove it. We appreciate your patience while we worked on a solution.

    Update (09/17): The issue should now be resolved. If you're still experiencing problems removing the Backdrops channel, please provide the following information:

    1. Device ID: You can find this in your Roku device's Settings > System > About.
    2. Software Version: Also located in Settings > System > About.

    With this information, we can investigate further and provide more targeted assistance.

    Thank you again for your cooperation!

    Best regards,
    The Roku Community Team

47 Replies

Replies have been turned off for this discussion
  • srobertanv's avatar
    srobertanv
    Reel Rookie
    10 months ago

    My TCL TV has the new Backdrops app icon on the home screen starting yesterday. I didn't order this. I don't want it. I had my home screen laid out and ordered the way I wanted it. Now you've messed it up. I removed it and it temporarily disappears, but keeps coming back every time I reload the home screen. How do we remove it permanently? I'm totally uninterested in using it.

    • hnbrink's avatar
      hnbrink
      Streaming Star
      10 months ago

      I need this removed too. I don’t care anything about it, don’t want it, so annoyed it keeps adding itself back. I thought Roku already got the message about adding stuff to our screens after we all got on their case about the recommended row and the way we couldn’t delete the side menu options. 

      • andyross's avatar
        andyross
        Roku Guru
        10 months ago

        Can you move it so it's not on your main home screen? And does it stay in that off-screen location?

    • Wandab's avatar
      Wandab
      Reel Rookie
      10 months ago

      HEY ROKU!!  PLEASE TAKE BACKDROPS APP OFF MY HOME SCREEN.  I DIDN’T ASK FOR IT AND I DON’T WANT IT!!  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

  • nun's avatar
    nun
    Reel Rookie
    10 months ago

    you are RIDICULOUS!  stop messing with my home screen!  this is MY TV in MY HOME!  Stop adding bull**bleep** apps without a way to remove them!  I have removed the backdrops app at least 20 times and it continues to reappear.  CLEARLY your company needs new technical staff.  

    • GuyStreamer's avatar
      GuyStreamer
      Reel Rookie
      10 months ago

      Ditto!   I am doing a reset to see if that wipes it out, it should. I have disabled it in the app settings so it no longer activates when hitting the power button, but I hate looking at it on the home screen.. 

  • jababsa7's avatar
    jababsa7
    Newbie
    10 months ago

    This new backdrops app/feature appeared on my home screen and I'm not gonna be using it so I removed it but every time I turn on my TV it's back again. This has happened 4 times in a row now. Is this happening with everyone or am I the only one that is going to be driven crazy by this behavior? I've already been past the point of never buying anything Roku again but this is ridiculous. Just had to rant.

    • WhoDunnit's avatar
      WhoDunnit
      Reel Rookie
      10 months ago

      It also interferes with powering down the tv! My TCL tv has to be powered down repeatedly, holding the button down, and being ignored because of this BACKDROPS thing which I have removed about six times now. (I have also disabled it, which doesn't keep it from reloading.)

      Kindly remember that it is first and foremost a Roku OS smart tv, not a photo album. Just let it be a competently smart tv. That's the reason we bought them! Because they were much better than comparable Fire OS or Samsung sets (I know from experience here)! If you defeat its basic principles by adding irritating screen clutter (recently we had the irksome involuntary order channel shuffle) and inhibiting basic operations, knowledgeable users will buy tvs with other operating systems.

      I want easy to learn functions that then become invisible to me.

      I don't want to have to think deeply about how to turn off the TV all of a sudden! Soon I'll be unplugging it if I have to, just to streamline the process.

      Stop introducing obstacles to a reasonable user experience.

    • GuyStreamer's avatar
      GuyStreamer
      Reel Rookie
      10 months ago

      You can disable it in the Backdrops settings so at least it isn’t running.  I still can’t get the removal of the app to stick as it reappears on the home screen, but at least I can power down the tv normally. I will need to reset to factory settings to remove it I guess.

    • RokuJechealR's avatar
      RokuJechealR
      Retired Moderator
      10 months ago

      Hi jababsa7,

      Thanks for letting us know about the behavior you've been experiencing with the Backdrop app, which will keep reappearing on the Homes Scree every time you turn on your Roku TV.

      We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused; that's not what we aim for. Please be advised that we are currently aware of the issue, and our engineering team has been investigating it closely.

      In the meantime, please provide us with these required details so we can send our engineering team additional information for the investigation:

      Roku Device Information:

      • Model:
      • Serial Number:
      • Device ID:
      • Software OS/Version:

      TV Information:

      • Make and Model:
      • Tracker ID (to obtain this, press the Home button 5 times, followed by the Back button 5 times when the issue occurs).

      Steps to Reproduce the Issue: Please outline the steps you take that lead to the issue you're experiencing.

      Please keep us posted with the details.

      All the best,
      Chel

  • GuyStreamer's avatar
    GuyStreamer
    Reel Rookie
    10 months ago

    FYI,  I have the same issue of not being able to permanently remove Backdrops. I have disabled it in Backrops settings and Removed the app, but upon navigation away from Home or powering down the Roku TV and restarting it's back again. It's behaving like malware and must have a ghost installation somewhere in the Roku system files to do this. 

  • TV99's avatar
    TV99
    Reel Rookie
    10 months ago

    I DO NOT WANT Backdrops. I have selected "remove app" over 20x. Each time it reappears on my home screen. Please fix this issue. No customer should be forced to have apps or features they DO NOT WANT.

  • BillNew's avatar
    BillNew
    Reel Rookie
    10 months ago

    Please STOP automatically  reinstalling this application as I did not want it nor do I want to use it.

     

    Keeps reinstalling on my old roku device and on my TCL roku tv. I have deleted it multiple times on both devices.

     

    Certainly your software developers can find a way to do that. (I am a long time software engineer.)

     

    Thank you.

  • Wp55's avatar
    Wp55
    Newbie
    10 months ago

    The latest in a string of things from Roku that I did not choose or give permission for, the backdrops app, keeps appearing in the list of apps I actually use and I cannot delete it. With other dumb things Roku adds I can disable it in the settings. Backdrops stay on the app list no matter what I do. Please make it so I can hide this dumb thing. 

    • newokei59's avatar
      newokei59
      Newbie
      10 months ago

      I have the same problem too. Along with Roku not running correctly, The long press of the power button doesn't always work to shut down the tv. The voice command feature became sporadic. I ended up having to factory reset the TV. The backdrops option is a cool feature, but the implementation was terrible.

    • RokuRiamie-D's avatar
      RokuRiamie-D
      Community Moderator
      10 months ago

      Hi Wp55 newokei59,

      Welcome to the Roku Community!

      Thanks for reporting to our attention that you are unable to remove the Backdrops application on your Roku TVs. We would be more than willing to assist you with this.

      Kindly provide us with the following details so we can coordinate this with our Roku-appropriate team:

      • Roku device model, serial number, and device ID. (this can all be found in Settings > System > About)
      • OS version
      • Tracker ID (press the Home button 5 times, followed by the Back button 5 times, and provide us with this ID)

      We look forward to your response.

      Regards,
      Riamie

  • garystan1952's avatar
    garystan1952
    Streaming Star
    10 months ago

    I too am unable to remove BACKDROPS from my Sharp-Roku TV.   I know this is my fault.  I should've NEVER installed this app.   I tried several times to remove it.  I can't remove it !  Now what?

    Gary

  • Jfreeman5's avatar
    Jfreeman5
    Reel Rookie
    10 months ago

    I'm having the same issue. I set it up but then decided I didn't want to use it. I have removed it about 20 times and it keeps reinstalling and running by itself when I turn off the TV.

    • RokuJechealR's avatar
      RokuJechealR
      Retired Moderator
      10 months ago

      Hi Mischif, Jfreeman5,

      Welcome, and thanks for posting to the Roku Community!

      We are currently aware of this, and our engineering team has been investigating this issue closely.

      In the meantime, please provide us with the required details so we can send our engineering team additional information for the investigation.

      Roku Device Information:

      • Model:
      • Serial Number:
      • Device ID:
      • Software OS/Version:

      TV Information:

      • Make and Model:
      • Tracker ID (to obtain this, press the Home button five times, followed by the Back button five times when the issue occurs).

      Steps to Reproduce the Issue: Please outline the steps you take that lead to the issue you're experiencing.

      Please keep us posted with the details.

      All the best,
      Chel

      • RokuMaryEF's avatar
        RokuMaryEF
        Community Moderator
        10 months ago

        Hi Community,

        Thanks for reporting the issue with the Backdrops channel reappearing after attempting to remove it. We appreciate your patience while we worked on a solution.

        Update (09/17): The issue should now be resolved. If you're still experiencing problems removing the Backdrops channel, please provide the following information:

        1. Device ID: You can find this in your Roku device's Settings > System > About.
        2. Software Version: Also located in Settings > System > About.

        With this information, we can investigate further and provide more targeted assistance.

        Thank you again for your cooperation!

        Best regards,
        The Roku Community Team