Microsoft begins testing ads in the Windows 11 Start menu

Microsoft has announced that it’s beginning to test advertisements in the “Start” menu in Windows 11. The software maker will utilize the “Recommended” section of the Start menu, which typically displays file recommendations, to offer apps from the Microsoft Store.

“This will only appear for Windows Insiders in the beta channel in the US and will not be rolled out to commercial devices (devices managed by organizations),” Microsoft states in its blog.

App promotions can be disabled in the Windows 11 settings section, but it seems Microsoft will enable it by default. Microsoft is collecting feedback on the changes, so it’s entirely possible that the company will decide to abandon this advertising in Windows 11 developer builds if there’s enough feedback indicating it won’t be a popular addition.

Almost a year ago, Microsoft began testing advertisements in the Windows 11 File Explorer before turning off the experiment in Windows 11 beta versions. Microsoft has been experimenting with advertising in Windows for over 10 years. There are already promotional videos on the Windows 10 lock screen and in the Start menu, so it’s not surprising they’ll also appear in Windows 11.

Now, Windows testers should provide their feedback on these changes to understand whether Microsoft may be compelled to exclude this advertising from standard versions of Windows 11.

This article available in Ukrainian.