Microsoft Accidentally Leaked its Plans of Adding Banner Ads in Windows 11

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 16 March 2022, 07:03 pm

Microsoft has added another feature for Windows 11, and this time it accidentally tipped off the users. The tech company plans to integrate banner ads into the Windows 11 File Explorer as part of its latest update.

Microsoft to Add Ads into Windows 11

The hint was discovered by Twitter user Florian Beaubois, a Windows 11 user who holds a Microsoft MVP certificate.

In his tweet, Beaubois wrote that some users would go mad if Microsoft started adding ads in Explorer, and he showed an image he captured of a banner ad appearing at the top of a File Explorer window.

Some people will go mad if Microsoft starts adding ads in explorer. pic.twitter.com/rusnyrYyX2
— Florian (@flobo09) March 12, 2022

The alleged ad is said to be added into Windows 11 with a phrase, "Write with confidence across documents, email, and the web with advanced writing suggestions from Microsoft Editor." The ad also includes a "Learn More" button and a dismiss button.

Also Read: How to Enable Windows 10-Like Right-Click Menu on Windows 11 by Default

The tweet earned attention online, just like most discoveries of ads showing up in traditionally ad-free software do.

Microsoft immediately to Beaubois' tweet, with Brandon LeBlanc, the senior program manager of Microsoft, and said that what Beaubois discovered was an experimental banner that was not intended to be published externally with no turn-off option.

According to The Verge, LeBlanc's statement did not preclude the possibility that the experimental banner will return in the future. This means it is entirely possible Windows 11's File Explorer might serve as a new venue for Microsoft advertising.

If this is the case, it won't be unprecedented. Microsoft had run ads across several Windows generations in locations like the lock screen, taskbar, start menu, and even in Windows 10's own File Explorer. It must be said that most of these ad placements also earned considerable ire, despite being easy to dismiss.

For years, Windows was exclusively paid software. Now that Microsoft has given several new users free upgrades for the operating system, it might not be surprising that it is exploring new ways of revenue generation that leverage the OS.

Windows 11 users will have to wait and see if the backlash for the accidental leak about the ads is enough to change Microsoft's mind from pushing forward with any plans to bring banner ads to File Explorer.

Windows 11 Latest Features

According to ZDNET, the new feature that Microsoft has added to the Windows Subsystem for Android allows Windows 11 users to download and install a curated selection of Android apps from the Amazon Appstore.

The feature is not installed automatically in the software, and it does not require the latest Windows 11 cumulative updates.

Another group of features added into Windows 11 is focused on the taskbar. Now, users can see a Weather icon at the far left side of the taskbar, where the Windows 10 Start button was in the past. This shows the current temperature and a short forecast.

Clicking the icon will open the Widgets pane. If you do not want either one, you can hide the Weather icon by turning off the Widgets option in Taskbar settings.

In 2021, Windows 11 allowed users to sync their smartphone notifications to their PC.

Earlier this year, Windows 11 added the "Your Phone" feature that shows recently opened Android apps.