How to Fix the Top 9 Pushy Windows 11 Ads Settings

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Summary:

PCWorld details nine specific adjustments to minimize the increased advertising in Windows 11, such as notifications, widgets, and File Explorer.
These unwanted ads are found in Windows Spotlight, OneDrive alerts, pre-installed bloatware from brands like Dell and HP, and within the widgets interface.
Updating settings to disable sync notifications, change from Spotlight backgrounds, and restrict diagnostic data sharing can help users achieve a more streamlined Windows 11 experience.

When Windows 11 launched with the free upgrade offer, it seemed like a generous gesture. In reality, it was a strategy to steer users away from Windows 10 through a flood of new advertisements.

Of course, any free upgrade came with a trade-off—in this case, an increase in intrusive ads across the OS, surpassing those seen before. Luckily, these ads can be turned off, at least temporarily.

If constant ads and recommendations are frustrating you, there are multiple settings adjustments to eliminate Windows 11’s most annoying promotions.

Jon Martindale / IDG

Microsoft has long used the Start menu to promote recommended apps, and this trend continues with Windows 11. Fortunately, disabling these suggestions is simple.

Go to Settings > Personalization > Start, then find the toggle labeled “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more” and switch it to Off.

Eliminate notification-based ads

Jon Martindale / IDG

If constant pop-ups and alerts distract from your work, turn off Windows notifications. Also, get rid of full-screen setup prompts for a cleaner experience.

Navigate to Settings > System > Notifications. Expand Additional settings at the bottom, then uncheck options like “Get tips and suggestions when using Windows,” “Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows,” and “Show the Windows welcome experience after updates.”

Disable suggested content in Settings

Jon Martindale / IDG

If you’re annoyed by Microsoft’s “suggested” tips and features in the Settings app, you can disable these suggestions easily.

Visit Settings > Privacy and Security > General, then toggle off “Show me suggested content in the Settings app” to stop the recommendations.

Clear File Explorer ads

Jon Martindale / IDG

While OneDrive isn’t our top-tier cloud solution, it remains affordable and useful. However, being inundated with ads in File Explorer can be quite frustrating. Here’s how to disable those promotions.

Open File Explorer, click the three-dot menu, and select Options. Under the View tab, find “Show sync provider notifications” and uncheck it, then click OK.

Jon Martindale / IDG

If you regularly use Windows widgets, you know they often promote news stories, stock updates, or other content that may not interest you. You can disable specific feeds or turn off widgets completely.

To hide individual widget feeds, click the widget icon at the bottom-left, then select the gear icon on the top-right. Choose Show or hide feeds and set the feeds to Off.

To disable widgets altogether, right-click the taskbar, click Taskbar settings, and toggle Widgets to Off.

Stop manufacturer preloaded ads

Joel Lee / IDG

If your new device from brands like Dell, Lenovo, or HP comes with unwanted preloaded apps (“bloatware”), you can stop notifications for these apps instead of removing them entirely.

Go to Settings > System > Notifications and disable alerts from manufacturer-named apps. If some apps aren’t obvious, a quick online search can identify if they’re safe to ignore.

Block lock-screen and background ads

Jon Martindale / IDG

The dynamic Windows Spotlight feature updates your background and lock screen images regularly. However, it occasionally promotes ads and tips, which can be intrusive.

Disabling Windows Spotlight is necessary to avoid these promotional images. Then, you can choose static wallpapers via Settings > Personalization > Background or Lock Screen.

Hide search highlight ads

Jon Martindale / IDG

While Windows search helps locate apps efficiently, it can also display ads and suggested shopping. To avoid this, disable search highlights in the settings.

Navigate to Settings > Privacy and security > Search permissions. Find “Show search highlights” and toggle it to Off.

Stop personalized advertising

Jon Martindale / IDG

Even after disabling ad suggestions, your system may still gather data for delivering targeted ads. To prevent targeted marketing, turn off device tracking.

Go to Settings > Personalization > Device Usage, then switch all options to Off. Also, under Privacy & Security > General, toggle off all diagnostic data collection to improve privacy.