Where Fire Tablet Ads Come From and How to Turn Them Off

Amazon puts ads on the lock screen and home screen of Fire tablets by default. These are called "Special Offers" and they appear because Amazon subsidizes the tablet's cost in exchange for showing them. You can remove them, but the method depends on whether you want to turn them off temporarily, remove them permanently, or disable them entirely at purchase.

The simplest route is to pay a one-time fee to Amazon to remove Special Offers from your device. If you already own a tablet with ads, you can do this through your device settings in under five minutes. If you are buying a new Fire tablet, you can choose an ad-free model at checkout — it costs more upfront but saves the removal fee later.

Key Takeaways

  • You can remove Special Offers from an existing Fire tablet by paying Amazon a one-time fee, which ranges from $5 to $15 depending on the model.
  • The removal happens through your device settings under Accounts and Device, then Device Options, then turn off Special Offers.
  • When you buy a new Fire tablet, you can choose the ad-free version at checkout to avoid paying the removal fee later.
  • Removing ads does not affect any other tablet features, apps, or performance.
  • If you do not pay to remove ads, they will continue to appear on your lock screen and home screen but not inside apps you are using.

Paying to Remove Ads From a Fire Tablet You Already Own

Open your Fire tablet and go to Settings. Tap Accounts and Device, then select your device name from the list. Tap Device Options and look for the Special Offers toggle. If it is turned on, tap it to turn it off. Amazon will prompt you to confirm and show you the price for your specific model.

The fee varies by tablet model. Older or less expensive models may cost $5 to $10 to remove ads, while newer or premium models can cost $15. You will need a valid payment method on your Amazon account — a credit card, debit card, or Amazon balance. Once you confirm and pay, the ads disappear when ready. You do not need to restart the tablet or do anything else.

If you do not see the Special Offers option in Device Options, your tablet may already be ad-free, or you may be using an older Fire OS version. Check your device settings to confirm which Fire tablet model you own, then search Amazon's support site for that specific model to see whether it shipped with ads.

Choosing an Ad-Free Fire Tablet at Purchase

When you order a new Fire tablet from Amazon, the product page shows two options: one with Special Offers and one without. The ad-free version costs more — usually $15 to $25 more depending on the model — but you pay once and never see that removal fee. If you plan to keep the tablet for years, the ad-free option often makes sense financially.

To buy the ad-free version, go to the Fire tablet product page on Amazon.com. Below the price, you will see a dropdown or toggle that says "With Special Offers" or "Without Special Offers." Select the ad-free option, add it to your cart, and proceed to checkout. The higher price will reflect in your order total.

What Happens If You Do Not Remove Ads

If you keep Special Offers turned on, ads appear on your lock screen and on the home screen when you first open the tablet. They do not appear inside apps — once you open a book, a web browser, or a game, the ads disappear. The ads are usually for Amazon products, books, movies, or apps available in the Amazon Appstore.

Leaving ads on does not slow down your tablet or use extra storage. It is purely a visual change on the screens you see before opening an app. Some people find the ads useful because they discover new content; others find them distracting. The choice is yours, and you can change it anytime by going back to Device Options and toggling Special Offers on or off.

Removing Ads on Older Fire Tablet Models

If you own an older Fire tablet — from 2015 or earlier — the steps to remove ads may be slightly different. Older tablets use earlier versions of Fire OS, and the settings menu layout is not identical. Go to Settings, then Device, then Device Options. Look for a setting called "Special Offers" or "Ads" and toggle it off. You may be prompted to pay a fee, or the option may be grayed out if your model does not support removal.

If you cannot find the setting or the toggle does not work, your tablet may not have shipped with ads, or the removal feature may not be available for that model. Contact Amazon Customer Service with your tablet model number and serial number — you can find both in Settings under Device — and they can tell you whether removal is an option and what it costs.

Using a Different Amazon Account to Avoid Ads

If you do not want to pay to remove ads and you have a second Amazon account, you can register your Fire tablet to that account instead. Some accounts — such as those linked to Amazon Prime memberships or business accounts — may not display Special Offers by default. This is not may provide, and Amazon does not officially document which account types avoid ads, but it is worth trying if you have an alternative account available.

To switch accounts, go to Settings, then Accounts and Device, then select your device name. Tap Deregister and confirm. Then go back to Accounts and Device and tap Register to This Device. Sign in with your alternative Amazon account. The tablet will sync to that account, and you can check whether Special Offers appear. If they do, you can still pay to remove them, or you can switch back to your original account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove ads without paying Amazon?

No. Amazon does not offer a free way to remove Special Offers from a Fire tablet you already own. Your only options are to pay the one-time fee or to buy a new ad-free model. Some workarounds like switching accounts may reduce ads, but they are not reliable and do not may provide removal.

Will removing ads affect my apps or subscriptions?

No. Turning off Special Offers changes only the lock screen and home screen. Your apps, books, subscriptions, and all other tablet features work exactly the same. You will not lose access to anything or need to reinstall anything.

What if I remove ads and then want them back?

You can turn Special Offers back on anytime through Device Options. Amazon will not refund the removal fee, but you can toggle the setting on and off as many times as you want without paying again.

Do Fire tablets show ads inside apps or while browsing?

No. Special Offers appear only on the lock screen and home screen. Once you open an app, book, web browser, or game, the ads disappear. Apps may have their own ads from developers or advertisers, but those are separate from Amazon's Special Offers and are not controlled by this setting.

Is the removal fee the same for all Fire tablet models?

No. The fee varies by model and typically ranges from $5 to $15. When you go to turn off Special Offers in Device Options, Amazon shows you the exact price for your specific tablet before you confirm payment.