Bad News For Windows 11 Users! Your Start Menu Will Soon Have Ads
Microsoft recently unveiled an optional update for Windows 11 with several improvements, including taskbar widget icons no longer appearing pixelated and access to Copilot AI on PCs.
However, this update also includes controversial Start Menu ads as highlighted by Windows Latest. As per their findings, the Recommended section now includes apps which act like advertisements in its Recommended list.
The Start Menu will soon have ADVERTS – her
Microsoft has been testing ads in different places on Windows 11 recently, and with this latest update (KB5036980), more are appearing in the Start Menu. This optional update fixes pixelated widget icons in the system tray while adding ads to Recommended section of Start Menu; these ads come from small set of developers which appear only when needed or recently downloaded – meaning they shouldn’t be too intrusive or annoying.
Start Menu ads are already being distributed to users and can be disabled through Settings. While it remains unknown whether they will be enabled by default, one Twitter leaker named Phantom Ocean provided an image showing Opera Browser ads promoted within its Recommended section of the Start Menu.
Microsoft’s push for advertising can be annoying and intrusive; even after reporting this for years, the company seems unconcerned by our complaints. Luckily, third-party programs exist which offer completely ad-free experiences in Windows 11, such as Stardock’s Start11 which now comes in an ad-free edition and is on sale.
Microsoft is pushing advertising into every possible corner of Windows
Microsoft is always testing new changes to Windows 11, and this may soon include ads. They have begun exploring ways to advertise apps within the taskbar and Start menu.
Example: the Start menu’s Recommended section — designed to highlight recently installed apps and user files frequently accessed — features helpful links that take users directly to Microsoft Store. While this could lead to more app downloads overall, it could also cause annoying pop-up ads and pop-ups.
Advertisers could soon appear in search bars as well. At present, if you click the search button on a Windows computer and press search button you’ll get quick links to various settings, programs and documents; but this may soon change as Microsoft attempts to incorporate more search results from Bing into user experiences.
Alterations also include a revamped Xbox app that makes game purchases and access easier, supporting HDR technology on compatible machines for a more vivid and detailed playing experience.
The company has also updated some of its core applications such as Photos and Snipping Tool to bring them in line with its Fluent Design language, with rounded corners and an easier, centered search bar compared to their earlier versions which could sometimes be difficult to navigate. This change is a welcome improvement over their older versions which were often difficult to use.
Advertisements will appear in the Start Menu
Microsoft is notoriously known to push advertising into all corners of its software, and the Start Menu is no different. We recently saw reports that they were testing advertisements in its Recommended section which normally displays file recommendations. While these advertisements don’t appear on PCs managed by organizations, they could soon become part of home user PCs’ regular experience.
Microsoft has begun rolling out advertisements with the 2024-04 Cumulative Update Preview, also known as KB5036980. This update will reach millions of PCs worldwide and even those using “S mode,” a version that runs only Microsoft Store apps. According to their blog post, Microsoft explains that ads will appear as recommendations in Start Menu with an easy way of turning off.
The Start Menu is an integral component of an operating system and relied upon by millions of people every day. Therefore, it’s crucial that your computer stays up-to-date with software updates and security patches; Lee Harvey Computing offers affordable Windows 11 installation services if this is something that interests you.
Advertisements will appear in the File Explorer
Microsoft is adding a banner ad to File Explorer that leads users directly to its Microsoft Editor application. Twitter user Florian Beaubois found the advertisement while testing Windows 11 beta builds; though not widely distributed yet, it shows Microsoft is willing to monetize their userbase by including advertisements for other products into OS screens such as lock screens and notification windows.
Windows 11 marks a dramatic departure for its Start Menu, moving it out from its traditional position in the lower left corner and into its new spot at the center of the taskbar. Now “cloud powered”, it features trending Bing searches as well as Microsoft Rewards offers; plus there’s also a collection of frequently-used shortcuts to things such as Settings menu or power options.
However, the most notable change to Start Menu is an eagerly anticipated feature for File Explorer that will finally allow for multiple tabs within it. Current implementation limits users to two apps at once – although workarounds exist – and while multitasking is possible within those parameters. With the new version of the program you’ll be able to select specific folders or drives as tabbed areas; they’ll display how many open files exist therein.