Why You Can Trust CNET No More Ads on Prime Video: Ditch Commercials for a Price With These Steps
You can stream without ads for a $3 a month fee.
Prime Video has ads now, but you can do something about it.
On Jan. 29, Amazon rolled out advertisements in Prime Video content for customers in the US, and if you're here reading this, you might be missing the commercial-free days of yore.
Whether you're accessing Prime Video through an Amazon Prime membership ($15 a month or $139 a year) or a $9-a-month standalone Prime Video membership, you can remove ads on movies and TV shows for an extra $3 a month. Commercials will still appear during live sports and events, and you may still see skippable promotional trailers on on-demand titles if you upgrade.
For current Prime Video customers, the process of going ad-free is pretty straightforward. On the web, for example, I found three different routes that led to the option to upgrade. But if you're new to the streaming service, you'll need to sign up for either a monthly Prime Video subscription or a Prime subscription -- all come with the default, ad-supported version of Prime Video -- before you can upgrade to the ad-free version of the streaming service, according to Amazon.
If you opt for the basic, ad-supported version of Prime Video, you won't be able to watch with Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision. Instead, you'll have 5.1-channel Dolby Digital Plus and HDR 10 (as tested by CNET). Dolby Vision's functionally is very similar to HDR 10, so you may not mind that difference.
If you thought Prime Video already had ads, you might be getting it confused with Amazon's streaming service Freevee, which has commercials but is free to use. CNET's Kourtnee Jackson recently tested Prime Video with ads and noted that commercial breaks didn't last as long as interruptions on competitors like Netflix and Hulu. But if you're dedicated to your ad-free streaming routine, you don't have to stick with the ad-based version of the service.
Below, you'll find ways to upgrade to Prime Video if you're an existing or new customer. If you currently have Prime Video through a free trial and want to upgrade to ad-free, you'll also need to pay $3 a month, according to Amazon. Note this applies to US-based customers.
How to upgrade if you already have Prime Video
On the web
After testing different ways to upgrade, I had the easiest time using the web. The phrase "Go ad free" was in a row of selections on the homepage. Clicking that took me to Account & Settings and another Go ad free message. Pressing that gave me the option to start my ad-less subscription. I could also reach Account & Settings by hovering over my profile name.
While I was using the site, a pop-up window (pictured below) appeared and prompted me to upgrade.
On the TV and media player app
According to Amazon, you can also upgrade using "the Prime Video app for Fire TV, smart TVs, game consoles and set top boxes."
Using a Fire TV streaming device, I opened the side menu and saw a crossed-out blue "Ad" icon and the phrase "Go ad free." Selecting that took me to Prime in Settings, where there was another Go ad free. Once I clicked that, I could start an ad-free subscription. I could also get to "Settings" and "Prime" by clicking the gear icon on the side menu.
Upgrading worked the same on a Roku streaming device, but when I used a Google TV, I was instead shown an on-screen QR code and a link I could type in to manage my ad-free subscription on the web.
On the mobile app
You may also be able to upgrade through the Prime Video mobile app. The mobile apps we tested also featured the blue "Ad" icon with a line through it. With an iPhone, I reached a page where I could click Start Subscription, but a colleague with a Samsung phone tapped the icon and was only able to opt in to receive an email with more information about upgrading.
How to get ad-free Prime Video if you aren't a customer yet
The ad-based version of the streaming service is the default option. If you are already a Prime Video subscriber, you should be able to upgrade using the methods in the last section. But if you aren't, you'll need to make sure you are one before you can opt to get rid of ads.
The cheapest way to subscribe to Prime Video is the $9 a month standalone subscription, but you can also pay for the $15 a month or $139 a year Prime subscription, which comes with additional perks like free Amazon delivery. Once you've met that requirement, you can follow the instructions above to remove ads from your streaming experience.