Ads are great, as they remind us of what we need, want, or could have to enjoy our lives better. For instance, an ad about a new tool can create awareness to people who actually might need them for work.
However, too much of it can be annoying. When you see an abundance of ads showing on your Windows 11 PC, it can diminish your overall experience as a user and can even trigger frustrations when they become a bother.
Still Microsoft continues to promote these unwanted ads, especially since these are personalized based on your online activities, as they create exposure to various products and services that might be useful for you. They can be from Microsoft or from other sources.
Now, if you feel troubled seeing these ads everywhere on your Windows 11 PC, you can try to remove them. Let’s continue below to find out the different ways to get rid of Windows 11 ads.
How to Disable and Remove Unwanted Microsoft Ads Displayed on Windows 11
Microsoft strategically places ads on various areas of your Windows 11 interface. You can see them on the Settings app, File Explorer, Start menu, and more. To get rid of these annoyances, here are the ways you can do:
Method #1 – Delete Ads from Start Menu and Settings
- Launch Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- Select Start.
- Look for the “Show account related notifications occasionally in Start” option and toggle the button to disable.
Method #2 – Remove Ads from Windows Search
- On the Settings menu, navigate to Privacy & security.
- Go to Search Permissions.
- Look for the “Show Search highlights” and toggle the button to disable.
Method #3 – Get Rid of Ads from the Lock Screen
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Choose Personalization.
- Select Lock screen.
- Uncheck the “Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen” option.
Method #4 – Disable Ads from System Settings
- Head over to Settings.
- Select System.
- Click Notifications.
- Go to Additional Settings.
- Uncheck where it says “Show the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to show what’s new and suggested” checkbox.
Method #5 – Delete Ads from File Explorer
- Launch File Explorer.
- Along the command bar on top, click the three-dotted icon.
- Select Options.
- Go to View.
- Uncheck the “Show sync provider notifications” box.
- Click Apply and OK.
Method #6 – Remove Ads from Widgets
- Navigate to your Widgets Dashboard.
- Go to Settings.
- Choose Show or hide feeds.
- Toggle the “My Feed” option to Off.
Method #7 – Turn Off Ad Personalization
- On the Settings menu, go to Privacy & security.
- Navigate to General.
- Toggle the “Let apps show me personalized ads using my advertising ID” to Off.
- Look for “Show me suggested content in the Settings app” and toggle it to Off.
Method #8 – Get Rid of Ads by Device Usage
- Open the Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- Select Device Usage.
- Now, look at all the options and toggle them to Off.
Wrapping Up
Clearing all the ads from your Windows 11 laptop or desktop computer can help you get back to a less cluttered and more productive work. But, if you feel the need to return these ads later on, you can always do so through the same methods. This time, turn on the permissions and settings.