Microsoft, via its official Windows blog, has revealed that it will begin testing the inclusion of ads in the Start menu on Windows 11. More specifically, the company will utilise the Recommended section of the interface, which will showcase apps from its first-party app store as well as suggest websites that you might be interested in.
“We are now trying out recommendations to help you discover great apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu,” Microsoft stated in the blog. “This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the US and will not apply to commercial devices (devices managed by organisations).”
The app promotions can be disabled in the Settings section of Windows 11, but it appears that the company will enable these by default. To disable the feature altogether, head to Settings > Personalisation > Start, and turn off “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more.”
The good news is that the addition of ads are currently in preview testing, and Microsoft is currently seeking feedback on the changes. That being said, it is still possible for the company to not include it in future versions of Windows 11 if the overall reception from testers is less favourable.
(Source: Microsoft [official Windows blog])
