Microsoft puts ads in Windows 11 Start Menu
Microsoft has shoved ads punting its own apps and services into an early version of Windows 11.
Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who installed Insider Preview Build 23435 and are using an offline local account will now be presented with one of several prompts in the Start Menu.
When they click on their account profile picture or name, Windows will encourage them to log into a Microsoft account.
“We are continuing the exploration of badging on the Start Menu with several new treatments for users logging in with local user accounts to highlight the benefits of signing in with a Microsoft account,” Microsoft explained in a blog post on the update.
The company provided screenshots showing one of four prompts shown to the user with the following messages:
- Sign in to your Microsoft account — You’ll be able to back up your device and keep it more secure
- Use Microsoft 365 for free — Sign in with your Microsoft account to use productivity apps and cloud storage
- Keep your account safer — Sign in to personalise your security and profile settings in one place
- Access your files from anywhere — You’ll get 5GB of cloud storage for free when you sign in
Below is a screenshot from Microsoft showing what these prompts look like.
Microsoft Account ads in Windows 11 Start Menu
Microsoft said this implementation of the ads was a concept it was trying out to get feedback from users in the Dev Channel.
The update comes after BleepingComputer previously reported that Microsoft was doing A/B testing with earlier versions of the ads in November 2022.
The company has also experimented with banners advertising OneDrive and other Microsoft products directly within the File Explorer in Windows 11.
Microsoft shifting away from local accounts
Microsoft has also made it increasingly difficult for people to use its Windows operating system with a local account.
For example, a new Windows 11 Home or Pro installation now requires users to be logged into a Microsoft account during the initial setup process.
In the early days of the operating system, users could bypass this simply by disabling their Internet connection.
However, Microsoft now prevents the setup process from moving to the next step without being connected to the Internet.
Instead, users have to enter a command in the command prompt that reboots the system and re-enables the “I don’t have Internet” option.
Other options for using a local account include entering an email address banned for too many previous logins or installing Windows 11 using a customised ISO created with Rufus.
Microsoft’s fuss about users logging into an account is likely because the company has moved its revenue model for Windows away from one-off software sales.
With free upgrades to recent versions of Windows, Microsoft has reoriented the operating system as more of a starting block for signing up for its subscription-based products.
To continue making money off its user base, it requires that they sign up for products like Microsoft 365 and OneDrive.
Now read: Microsoft drops support for Twitter in ad tools — Elon Musk threatens to sue
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