Windows 11: How to turn off those ads in your Start menu

DPA
·1 min read
As of the latest Windows update, ads have started appearing in the Start menu. The good news: you can switch them off. The bad news: Windows users will have to get used to seeing more ads. Zacharie Scheurer/dpa
As of the latest Windows update, ads have started appearing in the Start menu. The good news: you can switch them off. The bad news: Windows users will have to get used to seeing more ads. Zacharie Scheurer/dpa

Berlin (dpa) — Seeing ads in the Start menu of your Windows computer? You're not alone. As of the latest update, Microsoft’s Windows 11 shows users advertising for apps available in the Microsoft Store.

Selected programs from what Microsoft calls “a small set of curated developers” are now displayed under the “Recommended” section of the Start menu.

If you don’t want to see these recommendations, go into Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off the toggle for “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions and more.”

However, in general, advertising in Windows is here to stay. Windows 10 users are also shown ads for programs and new Windows versions.

In addition to advertising, the latest update also brings other changes for users of Windows 11. Frequently used programs now appear in the “Recommended” section of the Start menu.

Microsoft says it has also improved the Widgets icons on the taskbar so that they’re no longer pixelated or fuzzy. Widgets are also supposed to run more reliably on the lock screen.

If you haven’t received the update automatically, you can initiate it manually by following the path Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.