Roku is pushing a major home screen redesign to its streaming devices and TVs across the US, replacing its old app list with a layout built around recommendations and advertising revenue. The update, arriving on Roku hardware across the US today, places a large permanent ad on the home screen alongside AI-curated rows. During a February earnings call, CEO Anthony Wood said the overhaul would increase monetization by steering viewers toward subscriptions and ad-supported content.

The interface trims the left sidebar to slim icons and adds Destinations, curated genre hubs spanning movies, sports, and comedy from multiple services. In the center, a Top Picks for You row promises personalized recommendations, while Quick Access uses AI to surface frequently used apps. A Roku representative named Smalley told Fast Company that the company abandoned the old app list after discovering most viewers never bothered to customize it and scrolled to the bottom.

Not all viewers welcome the shift. One Reddit user criticized forced recommendations, arguing that plastering ads for content Roku thinks they want will drive them away. The redesign also omits a recently viewed cross-app row; instead of surfacing watch history, Roku relies on AI guesses and new content promotion. The company bets the smarter layout will boost engagement, but the heavy ad placement risks pushing annoyed subscribers toward simpler competitors.