Microsoft now testing app ads in Windows 11's Start menu

Microsoft has started testing ads in the Windows 11 Start menu, a new experiment the company says will help users find new "great" apps in the Microsoft Store.

The trial is now rolling out in the Beta Channel to what Redmond describes as a "small set of Insiders" who have installed Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495.

"Building on top of recent improvements like grouping recently installed apps and showing your frequently used apps, we are now trying out recommendations to help you discover great apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu," the company said.

Microsoft says the app ads will appear only on Windows Insiders systems in the U.S. and not on managed devices in enterprise environments.

These ads will be displayed in the Start menu's Recommended section, among recently added applications and frequently opened files and programs, as The Verge first reported.

During this test phase, users can turn the ads off from Settings > Personalization > Start by toggling off the "Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more" option.

App ad in the Windows 11 Start menu (Microsoft)

This isn't the first time Microsoft has experimented with ads in the Windows 11 Start menu. In November 2022, the company started promoting some of its products (including the OneDrive file hosting service) in the Start menu's sign-out flyout menu.

While initially rolled out as part of an A/B testing experiment, the new "feature" was expanded one year ago with new "treatments," which are now shown to users who have installed the March 2023 preview update or newer updates for Windows 11.

In March 2022, Microsoft also displayed ads for some Microsoft products (including Microsoft Editor) in the File Explorer app as part of another Windows Insider test and Microsoft 365 Family subscriptions to Office 2021 customers in March.

Redmond also promoted its Microsoft Edge web browser in the Windows 10 Start Menu two years ago and accidentally broke both the Start Menu and Taskbar while testing Microsoft Teams ads on some Windows Insider builds.

"As a reminder, we regularly try out new experiences and concepts that may never get released with Windows Insiders to get feedback," Microsoft added today.

"Should you see this experience on the Start menu, let us know what you think. We are beginning to roll this out to a small set of Insiders in the Beta Channel at first."