How to Remove Lockscreen Ads on a Fire Tablet

Many Fire tablets show ads on the lockscreen. Those ads are part of the lower price for ad-supported models. Fire Toolbox can remove lockscreen ads on some tablets, so the lockscreen shows your wallpaper instead of an ad. This guide explains when that removal works, how to try it, and what to do if your tablet blocks it. Read the restricted firmware section before you start. It decides whether this task is likely to work for you at all.

Check your model and firmware first

Before you change anything, find your tablet model and software version in Settings, under Device Options, then System Updates. Write both down. Lockscreen ad removal depends on firmware, not just on the model name. Two tablets with the same model name can behave differently if one has a newer software version.

Gen 13 tablets from 8.3.1.9 onward, and Gen 12 to 8 tablets from 7.3.2.2 onward, are restricted. On restricted firmware, some launcher, over-the-air update, and ad-removal functions are limited. If your tablet is on restricted firmware, lockscreen ad removal may fail, or it may work for a short time and then revert. Do not be surprised by that result. It is a limit of the firmware, not a mistake in your steps. If you are on restricted firmware, read the whole guide, then decide whether the attempt is worth your time.

If your tablet is not on restricted firmware, ad removal has a better chance. Still, no guide can promise success for every tablet. Amazon changes software over time, and a future update can bring ads back or block the removal method. Keep that in mind before you treat ad removal as permanent.

Try ad removal with Fire Toolbox

Set up Fire Toolbox on Windows first. See how-to-set-up-fire-toolbox and download for the setup steps. Connect the tablet with a USB data cable, unlock it, and wait for Fire Toolbox to detect it. Back up anything you care about before you change a system setting. Ad removal is a small change, but the backup habit protects you if a later step goes wrong. See how-to-backup-and-restore-fire-tablet for backup steps.

In Fire Toolbox, find the tool for lockscreen ads or for Amazon apps and ads. Read the screen for your tablet. Choose the option to remove or disable lockscreen ads, and follow the prompts on the PC and on the tablet. Do not unplug the cable during the change. When Fire Toolbox says the step is done, lock the tablet and wake it. Check the lockscreen. If you see your wallpaper instead of an ad, the change worked for now. Lock and wake the tablet a few times, and restart it once, to check that the change holds after a restart.

If the lockscreen still shows an ad, do not repeat the same step ten times. One clean attempt is enough to test it. Repeating a failed step rarely helps, and it wastes time. Move to the checks below instead.

If ads stay, or if ads come back

If ads stay after a clean attempt, your firmware likely blocks the removal. You can still reduce ad annoyance in other ways. A custom launcher changes the home screen, though it does not always change the lockscreen. See how-to-change-fire-tablet-launcher for that separate change. A clear wallpaper and a short lockscreen timeout can also make the lockscreen less intrusive, even with ads present.

If ads come back after a period without them, an Amazon update is the most common cause. Updates can restore ad settings and can limit Fire Toolbox functions. Many users block Amazon updates after a working setup to keep their changes. If you want to do that, read how-to-disable-ota-updates-fire-tablet before you change the update setting, so you know how to turn updates back on later. Note that blocking updates also blocks security fixes and new features, so it is a trade-off, not a free win.

Another cause of returning ads is a factory reset or a new setup. A reset returns the tablet to its out-of-box state, including ads. After a reset, you need to repeat the ad-removal step in Fire Toolbox, if it still works on your firmware at that time. Keep your Fire Toolbox folder and notes, so a repeat attempt is quick.

What ad removal does not do

Removing lockscreen ads does not remove ads inside apps. Apps from the Amazon Appstore or Google Play can still show their own ads. Ad removal also does not turn an ad-supported tablet into a non-ad model for Amazon’s records. It only changes what shows on your lockscreen. If you bought an ad-supported tablet, Amazon still treats it as ad-supported, and a future update or reset can restore the lockscreen ads.

Ad removal also does not speed up the tablet in a large way. The lockscreen ad is a single image, not a heavy app running all day. If your tablet feels slow, debloat and launcher changes help more than ad removal alone. See how-to-debloat-fire-tablet-safely for the safe debloat order, and change one thing at a time so you can tell what helped.

The author says it does not touch the system partition and changes can be reversed or factory-reset; Amazon has not promised this. A soft-brick is possible, for example a stuck boot screen or repeated launcher crashes, and factory reset is the fallback. Ad removal alone is low risk, but keep the backup habit and the factory reset fallback in mind for any system change.

FAQ

Will lockscreen ad removal work on my Fire tablet?

It depends on your firmware. Non-restricted tablets have a better chance. Gen 13 from 8.3.1.9 onward, and Gen 12 to 8 from 7.3.2.2 onward, are restricted, and ad removal is limited there. Check your version first.

Do ads come back after an Amazon update?

They can. Updates can restore ad settings. Blocking updates can keep a working setup longer, but it also blocks fixes and features. Read the update guide before you decide.

Is there a paid way to remove lockscreen ads?

Amazon has offered a paid ad-removal option for some ad-supported tablets in the past, through device settings or customer service. Availability varies by model and region, and this guide does not cover that route. Check your device settings for an official option if Fire Toolbox removal fails.

Will a new launcher remove lockscreen ads?

Not always. A new launcher changes the home screen, but the lockscreen is a separate screen. On some tablets the lockscreen ad stays even after a launcher change. Treat launcher change and ad removal as two separate tasks.