Microsoft’s advertising efforts have been on the rise in recent months, as the company seeks to expand its reach with apps and services. One of the ways they are doing this is by incorporating more of MSN into the Windows 10 and Windows 11 lock screen. Additionally, the Widgets panel has essentially become an advertisement board, and the Settings app is no longer subtle in its attempts to sell Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Now, Microsoft is taking its advertising push a step further by introducing ads in the “Recommended” section of the Windows 11 Start menu. This section will feature apps and websites that Microsoft believes users might be interested in trying out. However, it’s important to note that this change is still in the preview testing phase and may not be implemented if there is not enough user feedback.
To address concerns about unwanted ads, Microsoft is providing users with the option to turn off this feature. By navigating to Settings > Personalization > Start, users can disable the “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more” toggle in the Start menu. This gives users control over whether or not they want to see these ads in their Start menu.
In their announcement, Microsoft highlights that the “Recommended” section will help users discover great apps from the Microsoft Store that they may not have heard of before. However, it’s worth noting that at this time, the feature is only available for Windows Insiders in the U.S. Beta Channel and does not apply to commercial devices managed by organizations.
While some users may appreciate the opportunity to discover new apps and websites through the Start menu, others may have reservations about ads intruding into this space. It remains to be seen how well-received this new advertising strategy will be among Windows users.
In conclusion, Microsoft’s increased advertising efforts are evident in various areas of the Windows Shell. The addition of ads in the “Recommended” section of the Windows 11 Start menu aims to provide users with app and website recommendations. However, Microsoft is aware of the potential backlash and is offering users the option to disable this feature if they choose to do so. As with any new feature, user feedback will play a crucial role in determining whether or not this advertising expansion becomes a permanent part of the Windows experience.
