Your fridge is about to get “sponsored.” Samsung has confirmed a pilot program that puts promotions on Family Hub door displays while idle.
Samsung has confirmed to Android Authority that a pilot which adds “promotions and curated advertisements” to certain Family Hub Cover Screens via an over-the-network update, alongside new Terms of Service and a Privacy Notice.
Ads won’t show when the Cover Screen is set to Art or Gallery modes, but they will appear on themes like Weather, Color, and Daily Board. Individual ads can be dismissed and shouldn’t reappear during the campaign, though there’s no universal off switch besides disconnecting the fridge from the internet—at the expense of smart features.
Who’s affected and how much are these fridges?
The company hasn’t listed the exact models, only that the pilot targets Family Hub refrigerators sold in the US. In practice, that spans a lineup starting around $1,800 and stretching to roughly $3,500, depending on size and spec.
Recent Family Hub designs vary from French-door to side-by-side styles, including large screens that handle calendars, recipes and camera feeds.
If you’re weighing the smarter models, note how the big-screen approach shows up on recent units such as the Samsung Bespoke AI Family Hub RS90F66BETEU and Family Hub RF65DG9H0EB1EU, while more conventional picks still dominate roundups like best fridge freezer.
Can you avoid the ads?
Samsung says ad formatting respects your Cover Screen personalisation, and Art/Gallery remain ad-free.
That leaves a few workarounds: stick to those themes, or keep the display busy with photos rather than the default cards. It’s also worth thinking about how the fridge ties into the wider home.
Family Hub is designed to lean on SmartThings controls and energy read-outs, which you’ll find detailed across SmartThings and SmartThings Energy. Pull the plug on connectivity and you’ll mute the ads, but you’ll also lose the connected bits you paid for.
Ads on a $1,800-plus appliance will grate, even if they’re limited to idle screens. A clear opt-out would solve most frustrations; without it, some buyers will steer toward ad-free alternatives.
