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The new Windows 11 "feature" was discovered by a Windows user and Insider MVP who shared a screenshot of an advertisement notification displayed above the listing of folders and files to the File Explorer, the Windows default file manager. As shown in the screenshot, Microsoft will use such ads to promote other Microsoft products, for instance, about how to "write with confidence across documents, email, and the web with advanced writing suggestions from Microsoft Editor." As you can imagine, the reaction to this was adverse, to say the least, with some saying that File Explorer is "one of the worst places to show ads," while others added that this is the way to go if Microsoft wants "people ditching Explorer for something else." BleepingComputer also tried replicating this on a system running the newest Windows 11 Insider build, but we didn't get any File Explorer ads. This can likely be explained by Microsoft running an A/B testing experiment trying to gauge the success of such a feature or by the company disabling it after the visible user outcry. Window 11 File Explorer adsWindow 11 File Explorer ads (flobo09) This is not the first time Microsoft added promotional messages to File Explorer, as in 2016, Microsoft also showed a OneDrive ad in the Windows application. OneDrive ad on File Explorer pic.twitter.com/XZXcG0UNFl -- Tero Alhonen (@teroalhonen) October 13, 2016 However, Redmond didn't stop with File Explorer, and tested ads pushing its free Office web apps in the menu bar for the Windows 10 Wordpad application two years ago, a campaign with similar user protests. The company also started displaying ads for Microsoft Edge in the Windows 10 Start Menu every time users searched for a competing browser, prompting them to download the new Microsoft Edge. BleepingComputer has reached out to Microsoft with questions regarding the File Explorer ads, but we haven't heard back yet. Update 3/14/22 18:48 EST: Added File Explorer ad from 2016. Related Articles: Windows 11 gets a new tabbed interface for File Explorer Microsoft tests a new "Rejuvenated" Windows 11 Task Manager, how to enable Microsoft tests new cloud-based Microsoft Defender for home users Microsoft March 2022 Patch Tuesday fixes 71 flaws, 3 zero-days Windows 11 KB5011493 update released with bug fixes and improvements * Ads * Advertising * File Explorer * Microsoft * Promotion * Windows 11 * * * * * Sergiu Gatlan Sergiu Gatlan is a reporter who covered cybersecurity, technology, Apple, Google, and a few other topics at Softpedia for more than a decade. Email or Twitter DMs for tips. * Previous Article * Next Article Comments * NoneRain Photo NoneRain - 4 hours ago + + There's no problem in having this kind of stuff IF you have an option to disable it. Like "recommendations" on start menu. * calinorg Photo calinorg - 2 hours ago + + No, it really IS a problem, because we're PAYING for that OS. I would tolerate ads if it was a free operating system, i don't ever want to see ads in a piece of software i paid for. * NoneRain Photo NoneRain - 1 hour ago + + If only takes some clicks to disable and it's done, I don't see a problem. As I said, same stuff for start menu recommendations: 3 clicks, gone forever... But sure, if we don't need to disable it cuz it never went to release, all the better. * ken_smon Photo ken_smon - 1 hour ago + + Except it is probably not "gone forever". It is more likely similar to many other "features" that you can disable but come back every third update. * diannes Photo diannes - 1 hour ago + + Ironically, it's free OSes that *don't* impose these kinds of anti-features on their users. (I have never used Windows... all my PCs run Linux... so I am spared all of these shenanigans.) * betelgeusesystems Photo betelgeusesystems - 59 minutes ago + + It's definitely a problem. Even if it's "a few clicks" to disable it, a majority of users will 1. not know that, and 2. won't know how to find out. I work in desktop support and over the past few years I've seen how Microsoft uses social engineering to get oblivious people signed up for subscriptions they think they need because something came up on their computer. This is just another example, and so far the most egregious in my opinion. * JohnC_21 Photo JohnC_21 - 4 hours ago + + Per (flobo09) the context menu has added an app called ClipChamp. I see this being used to get people to upgrade to the subscription version. After Windows 10 reaches EOL I'm done with Windows. https://twitter.com/flobo09/status/1503077895740219392 * NoneRain Photo NoneRain - 1 hour ago + + Won't Clip Clamp be the new video editor in Win 11? It would make sense to see him in context menu when clicking in video files. * JohnC_21 Photo JohnC_21 - 14 minutes ago + + The free basic version of ClipChamp is limited and only can export 480p. The Casual version costs $9 a month. It's like Microsoft asking $15 dollars for their DVD player app when you can get a much better free player in VLC just like you can get a much better video editor in Openshot which is also free. * MadmanRB Photo MadmanRB - 3 hours ago + + Linux! Linux! Linux!! Post a Comment Community Rules You need to login in order to post a comment [Login] Not a member yet? Register Now You may also like: [INS::INS] [Bleeping_Computer_RFLV2_400x500] Popular Stories * pirate flag red VPN provider bans BitTorrent after getting sued by film studios * Android Android malware Escobar steals your Google Authenticator MFA codes Newsletter Sign Up To receive periodic updates and news from BleepingComputer, please use the form below. 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