Security News > 2023 > April > Microsoft expands Start menu ads test with new ‘treatments’
Microsoft is testing new ads in the Windows Start menu, or what it describes as "New treatments," for users logged into local accounts as part of a "Badging" expansion.
"We are continuing the exploration of badging on the Start menu with several new treatments for users logging in with local user accounts to highlight the benefits of signing in with a Microsoft account," said Microsoft's Amanda Langowski and Brandon LeBlanc.
On systems where the new "Treatments of badging on the Start menu" roll out, the ads will show up in the sign-out flyout of the Windows 11 Start menu.
Microsoft is apparently also working on adding the option to disable the Start Menu ads from the Windows 11 Settings app (which should've been been r. As Windows enthusiast PhantomOfEarth discovered, a 'Show account related notifications occasionally in Start' option will soon be available under Personalization > Start.
As part of an August 2022 campaign, it showed ads for Microsoft 365 Family subscriptions to Office 2021 customers and ads for various Microsoft products, including Microsoft Editor, in the File Explorer app in March 2022.
Microsoft has also advertised its Microsoft Edge web browser in the Windows 10 Start Menu, and it accidentally broke the Windows Taskbar and Start Menu while testing Microsoft Teams ads on some Windows Insider builds.