These days many people don’t have to pay to get a new version of Windows – they simply upgrade for free. Perhaps that’s why Microsoft is now increasingly trying other ways to recoup its costs, including splashing adverts across its operating systems (both Windows 10 and 11). They’re popping up in the Start menu, Cortana, Action Centre, the lock screen and more.
Most of the adverts originate from Microsoft itself, and are mostly offers for its paid-for subscriptions and suggestions to perform tasks within Windows, rather than promotions from third parties, but they’re annoying all the same. Here we explain how to block them.
Block ads in the Start menu and on lock screen
Let’s start by disabling adverts in the Windows in our screenshot below left). Click the slider below ‘Show suggestions occasionally in Start’ so it slides to the left, and turns from blue (on) to grey (off) .
