Questionable Windows 11 Start menu advertisements start rolling out

Microsoft is pressing marketing into every possible corner of Windows 11 that it can discover, and the Start menu is absolutely not a safe area. We reported a coupleof weeks ago that Windows Insider constructs were revealing “Promoted” applications assoonas onceagain. In a shockingly short quantity of time, that function hasactually been pressed into the existing Windows 11 large release construct.

The Verge identified the upgrade as part of the documents for construct KB5036980, which is an optional upgrade at the minute, however will be headed to all present develops as Windows Update propagates. The Recommended area of the Windows 11 Start menu, usually booked for apps you’ve simply downloaded or regularly accessed user files, will include oh-so-helpful links to the Microsoft Store.

And by “helpful,” I mean they’re apps that haveactually paid to allofasudden appear on millions of users’ Start menu before they infact select to setup them. While we were anticipating this to roll out to broad users at some point, Microsoft’s typical rate for these kinds of updates would have put it months away at the earliest. Moving from Insider develops to large release this rapidly is stunning.

Microsoft

Microsoft

Microsoft

While we’ve seen anecdotal reports of the advertisements popping into Start menus on brand-new Windows 11 setups, we can’t infact create one on our own systems, even with the KB5036980 upgrade used. It’s possible that Microsoft hasn’t “flipped the switch” yet, at least not for everybody with the requisite Windows upgrade used.

If you see the brand-new “Promoted” advertisements in the Recommended area of your Start menu, and you would rather not, you can disable them. Head to the primary Windows menu, then click Personalization>Start. Disable the toggle for “Show suggestions for ideas, fasterways, brand-new apps, and more.” Hopefully this alternative doesn’t vanish on a future upgrade.

Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer