Windows 11 has now been out for a while, Microsoft, which is notorious for marketing its services through its own products is now testing out displaying ads in Windows 11 File Explorer.
A Windows 11 user posted a screenshot of a Microsoft Editor advertisement in Windows 11 File Explorer, specifically in the Documents folder. The ad was captured in the most current Windows 11 Insider Build 22572, which was recently issued to the Dev Channel.
Microsoft’s proclivity to force consumers to use its apps and services is undeniable, and it is something that needs addressing.
Microsoft has said it was a mistake.
Ad appearances in File Explorer are limited to Insider users and do not appear to be common. As a result, there’s a chance it won’t affect the vast majority of users, particularly the general public.
“This was an experimental banner that was not intended to be published externally and was turned off,” says Brandon LeBlanc, senior program manager for Windows, in a statement to The Verge.
Hopefully, this ad system takes a backseat, and Microsoft retains the File Explorer’s purity in Windows 11.
