Microsoft is exploring the idea of putting ads into the Windows 11 Start menu. Specifically, it wants to place ads in the recommended section of the menu for apps you can find in the Microsoft Store. If you’ve used Windows 10 extensively before, I can hear your sigh of defeat – the old operating system also served ads in the Start menu, and they were also for apps you could download. Currently, Microsoft will only show ads in this build if you are located in the United States and are a Windows Insider in the Beta Channel. If you’re not a beta tester or you’re using a device managed by your organization, you won’t see them.
Additionally, you can disable ads entirely. To do this, simply go to Personalization under Settings and turn off “Show suggestions for tips, app promotions, and more” in the Home section. Like other Microsoft experiments, it may never get a wider rollout, but you may want to keep the above steps in mind since the company does have a history of incorporating ads into its desktop platform. Last year, Microsoft also deployed experimental promotions for its services such as OneDrive in the menu that pops up when users click on their profile photos.
