Amazon's devices have always been extremely affordable, especially its Kindle e-readers and Fire Tablets. Meant almost exclusively for content consumption, these entertainment devices are subsidized largely by Amazon's ecosystem. You see, the company knows you'll buy Kindle books, music, videos, and other services from Amazon directly, so it has no problem selling the gadgets at or below cost to get that juicy services revenue.
Another way it makes these devices cheaper is by offering you ad-supported versions, which can save $20 or so on the initial purchase price. Most people think the tradeoff is clear and fair, but if you're tired of seeing them, here's how to remove those lock screen ads from your Amazon Kindle or Fire tablet.
How to remove lock screen ads from your Amazon Kindle or Fire Tablet
1. From a web browser, go to Amazon.com and login to your account.
2. Click on the drop-down menu under your name, and then click Account & Lists.
3. Click on Content & Devices.
4. Click on the Devices tab toward the top of the screen.
5. Locate the Kindle or Fire Tablet device that you wish to remove lock screen ads from and click on it.
6. Click on Remove offers under the Special Offers section at the bottom left of the screen.
7. Click End Offers and Pay the Fee from the popup box.
The images used in the example above illustrate how I could remove lock screen ads from my old Kindle Paperwhite, but the process is the same for any ad-supported Fire Tablets as well.
The fee to get rid of lock screen ads on your Kindle or Fire tablet may vary depending on which device you have, but it is no more than the difference between the ad-supported and ad-free versions (or about $15 to $25 per device). If you're in the market for a new Amazon Kindle or Fire Tablet, my advice has always been to go ahead and get the ad-supported version.
Generally speaking, the lock screen ads are well-targeted, well-executed, and non-invasive. In many cases, they are just ads for other books, games, or videos that Amazon thinks you'll like based on your account history. However, if you decide later that you want to remove them, there is no buyer's remorse. Just follow the steps we covered in this article, and it will be like the ads were never even there!
