How to Turn Off HDMI-CEC on Your TV and Protect Your Privacy

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Many smart TVs use HDMI-CEC metadata and Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to track what you watch on HDMI-connected devices like game consoles and Blu-ray players. This allows them to serve personalized ads and content suggestions, but it also raises privacy concerns. The article explains how to disable these tracking features in your TV's settings, as well as alternative options like using an HDMI-CEC blocker or disconnecting your TV from the internet.

Why it matters

Disabling HDMI-CEC and ACR tracking on your smart TV can help protect your privacy and prevent companies from collecting and monetizing data about your viewing habits. This is especially important as smart TVs become more prevalent and capable of monitoring a wide range of content, including physical media played on HDMI-connected devices.

The details

Smart TVs use two main methods to track content viewed on HDMI-connected devices: HDMI-CEC metadata, which identifies the connected device and how long it's used, and Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), which takes screenshots to identify the specific content being viewed. To disable these tracking features, users need to navigate their TV's settings menus, often buried in the privacy or data policy sections, to find options to turn off ACR and HDMI-CEC. Alternatively, users can use a physical HDMI-CEC blocker or disconnect their TV from the internet entirely to prevent data collection.

• The article was published on February 23, 2026.

What’s next

Users should periodically check their TV's settings to ensure HDMI-CEC and ACR tracking remain disabled, as firmware updates may reset these options.