Microsoft Adds Ads To The Start Windows 11 Menu, Here's How To Turn It Off

Microsoft will start placing ads into the Start Windows 11 Menu by including a'recommendation application'. (photo: x @microsoft_news)

JAKARTA - Microsoft will soon start placing ads into the Start Windows 11 Menu by including a'recommendive application'.

On social media, Windows users expressed their anger at this decision as ads were put into the operating system they had paid 119.99 pounds (IDR 2.22 million) to access.

Luckily, there is an easy way to turn off the ad by changing your device settings.

Windows users who have installed the KB5036980 update will begin to see'suggestions for new apps' on the Start Menu.

To turn it off, go to Settings from the Start menu.

Select the 'Personalization' section.

Click 'Start' and you'll see a toggle setting called 'Show recommendations for tips, application promotions, and more'.

Turn off this toggle to permanently remove ads from the start menu.

This change comes as part of a KB5036980 update released for Windows this week. Although this update is currently optional, it will soon roll out to all Windows devices in the coming weeks.

However, if you choose to install a new update or receive it when rolled out, the ad can be easily disabled.

To do so, just open the 'Settings' from the Start Menu and direct them to the 'Personalization' section.

From here, select 'Start' and disable option 'Show recommendations for tips, application promotions, and more'.

Once this is turned off, the ads in the suggestion menu will be permanently disabled.

Microsoft claims that ads are aimed at allowing users to find'some of the great apps available'.

However, what may confuse some users is that these ads will appear in the Start Menu section that previously displayed downloaded apps - either recently added or frequently used.

Windows users have taken steps to social media to express their disappointment with this update.

One of the commentators on X, formerly Twitter, wrote: 'Paying 130 pounds for the operating system just to get ads feels crazy to me'.

'Obviously in the operating system is one of the reasons why I 'hate' the Windows operating system', added another.

Microsoft claims that the ad aims to help users find applications that are useful for Windows.

Some Windows users even say that this change is a good reason to switch to other operating systems like Linux.