How to disable ads in Windows 11
If you’re reading an article online or browsing social media, it may seem like you’re constantly being advertised these days. It’s a vital source of income for many people and companies, but it’s more difficult to accept ads on the operating system you’re already using.
That said, that’s exactly what you’ll find in Windows 11. Whether it’s encouraging Edge usage, recommended options in settings, or tips and tricks on the lock screen, there are plenty of subtle ways that Microsoft is promoting its products and services in Windows 11.
Luckily, many of them can be turned off – you just need to know where to look. That’s the purpose of this guide, offering eight different ways to reduce the amount of ads you see.
How to disable ads on the lock screen
The Windows 11 lock screen shows the time, date, and Windows Spotlight image by default, but the latter means you’ll also see tips and tricks that can get in the way. Unfortunately, the only way to remove them is to choose a different lock screen image:
- Open Settings and select Personalization from the left pane.
- Select Lock Screen, the fourth option on the list.
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- Click the dropdown next to “Customize Lock Screen” and select “Picture” or “Slideshow”.
- Select the images you want to use, then uncheck “Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen.”
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While you’re missing out on the eye-catching Microsoft wallpapers, there are no ads to contend with. The latter is likely to win for most people.
Apps you’ve never installed may appear in the Pinned section of the Start menu. This is a deliberate tactic to force you to download apps you don’t need, but there’s an easy way to uninstall them:
- Open the Start menu and find the app you don’t need in the Pinned section.
- Right-click it and select Delete.
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- In the pop-up window that appears, click “Delete” again to confirm.
After a few seconds, the app in question will disappear. Repeat the process for each app you want to get rid of.
How to turn off device usage recommendations
By default, Microsoft collects data about how you use Windows 11 to make recommendations for you. This is another way to advertise, but it’s easy to turn it off:
- Open Settings and select Personalization from the left pane.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the list and select Device Usage.
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- Make sure all the switches here are set to the off position.
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How to disable ads in notifications
Notifications are perhaps the most annoying form of advertising. Windows 11 uses them to provide more tips and tricks, but you can easily turn them off:
- Open settings
- In the System section already selected, select Notifications.
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- Scroll down the list and uncheck the boxes next to “Show Windows Welcome after updates and occasionally when I sign in to highlight new and suggested ones” and “Get tips and suggestions while using Windows.”
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While you’re there, it’s also worth checking which apps you allow notifications for. There are probably at least a few that are more annoying than helpful. For each of them, you can also choose how they will be delivered to your device.
How to disable File Explorer ads
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft wants you to use its OneDrive cloud storage service, but you probably don’t want it advertised in File Explorer. If you see the option on the left side of the screen not using OneDrive or other services, here’s how to turn them off:
- Open File Explorer
- Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the app and select Options.
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- In the window that appears, select the “View” tab.
- Locate the “Show Sync Provider Notifications” option and uncheck the box next to it.
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- Click “OK” to confirm
How to block targeted ads from apps
When you set up a new Windows 11 device, Microsoft will ask you if it can use your advertising ID to personalize ads across a range of apps. You may have accepted this without realizing it, but this is easy to change:
- Open settings
- Select “Privacy and Security” in the left pane.
- Under Windows Permissions, select General.
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- Make sure the “Allow apps to show me personalized ads using my advertising ID” toggle is turned off.
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Any ads you see will be less relevant, but that’s probably a good thing in this situation.
How to disable diagnostic data ads
Similarly, you may have allowed Microsoft to use your “diagnostic data” during installation without realizing it. This is supposed to “personalize” your experience, but that usually means more ads and other recommendations that can be annoying. Here’s how to turn it off:
- Open settings
- Select “Privacy and Security” in the left pane.
- Select Diagnostics and Feedback, the third option on the list.
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- Click “Individual Experience”
- Next to the option that triggers “Let Microsoft use your diagnostic data…”, make sure the toggle is set to off.
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How to disable suggested content in settings
The Settings app is designed to make it easier to manage just about every aspect of Windows 11, but it includes suggestions from Microsoft by default. They are often useful, but you might be better off without them:
- Open settings
- Select “Privacy and Security” in the left pane.
- Under Windows Permissions, select General.
- Make sure the toggle for “Show recommended content in the Settings app” is turned off.
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Following these steps will have a big impact on the number of ads you see, but won’t affect functionality. However, this is not a reliable solution – some apps from the Microsoft Store and third-party sources will show you ads. But then again, this is a way for developers to make money without having to charge a fee.
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