How to Block New Ads Added by Microsoft to Windows 11
I recently upgraded my “unsupported” PC to Windows 11 and was immediately bombarded with banners, ads, and news about current events that I would rather not force-feed to my operating system. Windows 11 isn’t exactly nice out of the box, but you can tweak a few settings to fix most problems.
You might be tempted to use a third-party tool to turn off all of Microsoft’s aggressive tracking with one click. While this may seem like an easier method than using this guide, I don’t recommend it – it’s difficult to understand what changes such tools make under the hood, and if something goes wrong it will be difficult to troubleshoot. A problem because these apps typically configure dozens of settings at a time.
Remove ads from the Start menu
If you don’t like the Windows 11 Start menu, you can replace it entirely . However, if you’re willing to put up with it, you can at least remove ads from the Start menu . To do this, go to the Windows 11 Settings menu. Then go to Personalization > Start and turn off the following options:
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Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, etc.
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Show recently added apps
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Show recently opened items in the Start menu, jump lists, and File Explorer.
These options will give you more control over the Start menu and prevent stray files and apps from appearing there. Next, remove ads masquerading as pinned apps. To do this, open the Start menu, right-click the icon for an app you’ll never use, such as LinkedIn or Instagram, and select Uninstall or Unpin from Launch .
Block spam from appearing on your lock screen
Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t want you to enjoy a clean and beautiful lock screen. Yes, the company also used this space to show you ads. This can be fixed by going to Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen . Click the drop-down menu next to Personalize your lock screen and choose Image or Slideshow . There will be a new option under the photo switcher that says Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen . Disable this to prevent advertising content from appearing there.
Hide OneDrive ads
Microsoft loves to pester you to sign up for OneDrive. To stop these ads too, go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn off notifications from OneDrive . Then open File Explorer and click the three dots icon in the toolbar. Select Options and then the View tab. Now scroll down and turn off “Show sync provider notifications” .
Block unwanted notifications
Speaking of spam alerts, you should also take the time to turn off unwanted notifications. Go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn off notifications for any apps that send you spam. Some applications do not appear in this list; in such cases, you will have to open that app and turn off alerts in its notification settings.
Stop Microsoft from collecting your data to serve ads.
By default, Microsoft collects your data to serve you ads. Stop this by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > General and turning off everything on the page.
Turn off ads based on your device usage
Windows 11 tracks your device usage, which is another way it shows you ads. Go to Settings > Personalization > Device Usage and turn off each option on this page to stop them from working.
Troubleshooting Taskbar Troubles
If you don’t want to use Microsoft Copilot AI or see news widgets on your taskbar, you can hide them. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and turn off the following options:
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Second pilot
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Task View
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Widgets
This will give you a cleaner taskbar with just the Start button and your pinned apps. If you prefer to have the weather displayed on your taskbar, you can enable task view in the settings mentioned above. Its icon will appear in the lower left corner of the screen. Click on it and manually hide the widgets until only the weather widget (and any others you really need) are left.
Prohibit the collection of diagnostic data for advertising
Finally, you can prevent Microsoft from collecting diagnostic data for advertising. To do this, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Diagnostics & Feedback and turn off Customized Experience . To be on the safe side, you should also disable sending additional diagnostic data .