Key Takeaways

  • Google TV is testing a new ad format that places QR codes next to ads in the ‘For You’ tab.
  • This follows a series of controversial advertising-related changes made to the Google TV platform in the recent past.
  • It looks like ads featuring QR codes are limited to the US for now, though it shouldn’t be long before it’s rolled out worldwide.



There’s a lot to love about the Google TV platform, barring the constant stream of advertisements. The platform has been showing ads on the home screen for a while now, with things getting progressively worse over the years. In March 2023, the company started slapping car ads within the “For You” tab, while we also saw full-screen ads with audio earlier this year. Now that Google TV users are pretty much used to the idea of ads being a permanent fixture, Google has developed a way to ensure people can engage with them better.

A TCL 6 series TV sitting on an entertainment center

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Reporting by 9to5Google has uncovered giant QR codes that are placed next to the ad, which, in this instance, is for a Range Rover. The site has reportedly seen another QR-code-toting advert for the Xbox console, suggesting that this new format is here to stay. I’m not seeing these ads with QR codes on my Google TV’s For You tab here in India, so they are likely limited to the US for the time being.



You can enlarge the QR code for better visibility

While most smartphone cameras today will let you zoom in on a QR code and access the accompanying URL even if you’re far away from the TV screen, Google intends to make things a tad easier for consumers. You will be able to select and click the QR code itself, which will open a new screen containing a larger version of the QR code accompanied by the onscreen text – “Scan the QR code to visit the advertiser link,” as you can see in the third image above.

This discovery comes a week after Google was found to be surveying some users about ads on Google TV. While this updated ad format is likely to irritate a majority of Google TV users, including me, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, considering how advertising is responsible for a majority of Google’s revenues. Although these new QR code ads are appearing in the US right now, it should only be a matter of time before they make it to Google TV home screens worldwide.